Major body damage - repair

Where serious damage has occurred or large areas need renewal due to neglect, it means that completely new sections or panels will need welding in, and this is best left to professionals. If the damage is due to impact, it will also be necessary to completely check the alignment of the bodyshell structure. Due to the principle of construction, the strength and shape of the whole car can be affected by damage to one part. In such instances the service of a dealer with specialist checking jigs are essential. If a body is left misaligned, it is first of all dangerous, as the car will not handle properly, and secondly uneven stresses will be imposed on the steering, engine and transmission, causing abnormal wear or complete failure. Tyre wear may also be excessive.

    See also:

    Fuel vapour separator (models from 1985) - removal and refitting
    Caution: Refer to the precautions in Section 1 before proceeding. Removal 1 On SOHC models, the vapour separator is located on the left-hand side of the engine compartment. On CVH models, the va ...

    Interior mirror - removal and refitting
    Removal 1 The interior mirror is bonded to the windscreen glass. If it must be removed, grip the mirror firmly and push it forward to break the adhesive bond. 2 When refitting the mirror, the fol ...

    Exhaust manifold - removal and refitting
    2.0 litre SOHC models 1 Refer to Chapter 4 Part A, Section 26, but note the following points. 2 Ignore the references to removal and refitting of the air cleaner and hot air pick-up pipe, and not ...