QuestionA tree fell during a storm on top of my car. It broke my convertible frame. Can this be repaired. I am having a hard time finding one at the junkyards. This was my high school car.
AnswerAnything can be repaired or rebuilt, that is not really the question. The question is how much will it cost. First, determine the exact damage. Some of the top frame can be straightened and or welded while some of the pieces are castings that, at times, resist all attempts at repair. There are many good foundries and metal fabricators out there that can do the job but labor comes at a high cost today.
You probably won't find the parts at a local junk yard or as they prefer to be called today, recycling centers, as their main function is to supply late model parts and crush the older stuff for scrap metal. That does not mean that all is lost as there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel and it isn't a speeding locomotive headed at you.
I would suggest a trip through a publication that is devoted to the antique restorer such as Hemmings Motor News. It is published out of Bennington Vermont and is filled with classified advertising for parts for antique, classic, street rods, and more. I did a quick check of the latest issue and found several places that could no doubt supply a good used top frame for your high school cruising machine. Check them on line at www.hemmings.com and then click on classified advertising or subscribe as it is a great resource for parts for an old car.
Once you have the top, remove the old one, and fit the new one. One trick here use your digital camera and take plenty of pictures of the mounting and assembly before you take the car apart. The pictures are used in reassemble to answer the age old question, now where does this thingy go?
