I'm in So Cal (Bakersfield, CA to be precise). My Z took some damage from the previous owner (dude tried to drift, missed the turn, and slammed the passenger headlight into a lamp post), and I was wondering if-
A. Are there any good body shops in or around the area?
B. Which has the best price?
C. Which has the best price for their work?
Thanks in advance.

 

yellow pages may be a good place to find out. just call each one, see which one sounds the most legit, take a ride there and check out one of their finished products and then make your final cut by price comparisons.

 

Yeah, that's a good idea too. I was just hoping to get feedback from the people here, you know?

 

Call around... compare prices... go with the one you like.

Or you could do it yourself......

 

I don't have the knowledge to do it myself o.O
I'll call around and stuff.
I wish BackhouseZ was here =/

 

i can tell you right now that they will ask you to bring your car in most likely to give you a accurate estimate. also bring a picture but seeing in person is better.

 

Yeah, I'll drive out to Rosedale Collision Center, it's the closest one, and then expand from there

 

How much are you willing / expecting to pay? There's almost always hidden damage that isn't seen until you start digging. If the headlight bucket is damaged, both the inner & outer fender will likely be damaged, and possibly some frame / alignment issues as well.

Do you want them to replace the parts with new ones? You want them painted? Back to stock specs?

 

oh god bakersfield? i have not been there but nothing good has ever come from that city.

any way odds are if the previous owner slammed it the way you said they did your most likely just going to have to replace the pannels and then have them repainted.

 

I've considered just buying a front clip instead o.O
I have maybe 5 G's to spend, although I might use that to buy a 300ZXTT <_<

 

$5k will get you most of the way restored... which I don't suggest unless you want to be buried in your Z when you die.

 

I've been driving my Z the way it are for a year already... I can wait for another semester to pay the rest of the rebuild. I think...

 

If only the headlight bucket is damaged, you can figure out how to unbolt it and get one from a wrecking yard or eBay.

Look at it yourself. Replace a few body parts with used ones. Then spend your cash on a new paint job for the whole car.

 

lol gonna need more than 5k to get a good Z32TT.

 

Do what Bleach said, pull it apart and see if you can put a new headlight bucket and fender on. These things all boltup, so they come off just as easy as they go on. If new ones won't fit then you have more damage. At that point I'd say take your $5k which for probably less can easily get you a nicer condition 280ZX, then you have a nicer condition ZX and a parts car for backup.

 

The bucket and front quarter panel are damaged, as well as part of the actual frame that got schmucked in; however, I just want to restore this car. I am really attached to it, it's my first car, and I want to hold on to it long as possible.