Repairs In Full Swing!

[steve2006]

This is fun!

Following the service manual for the LS400 I removed all the bolts,nuts and plastic fastenings and then wondered why the bumper cover did not pull off as described.

This must be a Toyota Celsior anomaly as there is an additional 6 or 7 plastic clips holding this one on behind the slats and once again turning the philips screws to release the clips results in them turning but not coming out.

I have ordered a clip removal tool so will attack and probably destroy them getting them out then replace with new ones.

The bumper itself has one crack across the top and down as far as the chrome trim so I am now considering either DIY repairing this or having it repaired.

If any one has any experience in either of these 2 methods could they please provide input.

There appears to be a few different methods involved such as plastic welding and using a hot melt plastic filler.

There is some damage to the energy absorbing foam filler behind the cover which I may be able to obtain either new or from the breakers yard and the top reinforcement bar is slightly distorted so again either straighten or get a 2nd hand replacement ( it's all bolt one so that's good)

I did have 2nd thoughts at one point regarding the feasability of the complete repair but have already managed to get the plate behind the headlight roughly straightened so my confidence is on the up again.

Having looked at the bonnet I think there has been no rearward shift and it comes down to just front edge damage which I am hoping will be straightened out without the need for a replacement but I will need to replace the wing 1st to make sure the bonnet hasn't arched along the offside edge.

The project continues tomorrow.

[steve2006]

Another change of plan!

There is a body shop near to where I live and it is rated very highly so I called in today to see how much the bumper repair would be.

Unable to say without seeing it I took the guy around to mine and then decided to ask how much to do everything.

He can straighten out the wing and bonnet, repair the bumper and also pull the rear headlight metalwork and top crossmember dents out and then repaint as required.

He has quoted me £500.00 to do the lot!

At that price I'm not even going to consider doing the job myself and while it is there I may as well have the rear bumper scuff done as well.

He was also interested in buying my GS300 for the right money.

Only slight problem is it could take 3 weeks for the replacement headlight to arrive from Japan but I do have the GS to run around in so no rush.

So happy bunny now the LS will live again.

One other thing is that the insurance have not asked for my log book to mark up the Cat C does this mean it may go unrecorded? or is it automatically recorded with the DVLA and will flag up as requiring a VIC and new MOT?

[The-Acre]

Another change of plan!

There is a body shop near to where I live and it is rated very highly so I called in today to see how much the bumper repair would be.

Unable to say without seeing it I took the guy around to mine and then decided to ask how much to do everything.

He can straighten out the wing and bonnet, repair the bumper and also pull the rear headlight metalwork and top crossmember dents out and then repaint as required.

He has quoted me £500.00 to do the lot!

At that price I'm not even going to consider doing the job myself and while it is there I may as well have the rear bumper scuff done as well.

He was also interested in buying my GS300 for the right money.

Only slight problem is it could take 3 weeks for the replacement headlight to arrive from Japan but I do have the GS to run around in so no rush.

So happy bunny now the LS will live again.

One other thing is that the insurance have not asked for my log book to mark up the Cat C does this mean it may go unrecorded? or is it automatically recorded with the DVLA and will flag up as requiring a VIC and new MOT?

Good news on the repair, a result I would say.

Don't know about Cat C, send DVLA an enquiry, they're fairly quick and helpful these days.

[whysub]

I have bought two cars in the past that were advertised as Cat C insurance losses, and I paid a lower price accordingly. Both were simply panel damaged, and both were repaired using panels obtained from scrap yards.

Nothing recorded on the log books when I changed V5 details to mine. Not sure if they were recorded on HPI but seeing as they were both cheap to buy I didn't bother. I sold them cheap too, advertising them as Cat C (although no idea if they were recorded as so).

I would never be put off by a car being Cat C or Cat D-I just hope others are so I can get a good car cheap.

There are some great repairers around-you just need to ask around.

[Chris Skelton]

Good news. we can stop the whip-round now!

And - Cat C? Do you care? You weren't about to sell, and insurance Company know already, I guess.

Nice to have a Lex as spare car! I get Carole's Micra -and she thinks a Cube is SOOOO ugly, so I can't get one of those!

[steve2006]

Having been in the bodyshop since Saturday after the new headlight arrived early from ACLex the car will be finished tomorrow.

I called in today to drop off a trim piece for the top bumper fixings and the chrome bumper trim ( this piece costs around £115.00 from Lexus!) so I bought a pack of 7m by 9mm on fleabay for around £15.00.

Whilst it was stood I covered the exposed areas with some bubblewrap and for some strange reason after this blew onto the bonnet it caused a pattern in the paint which could not be removed with cutting compound as it had fully pentrated the paint! So the whole bonnet has been resprayed along with the repaired wing and bumper.

Also had the scrape on the rear bumper sorted while it's in..

They had some difficulty matching the paint as I was told they had never seen paint fade like mine, could be due to the Japanese weather for the 1st 10 years of its life but I cannot see the difference the match is that good.

I contacted the DVLA regarding the Cat C marker and they said at the time they had not been notified but the car will just need a new MOT with no VIC, it is due mid September so works out right.

This new continuous insurance is a pain though as I transfered the LS insurance to the GS so had to SORN the LS only to now reverse the process so really need to sell the GS with the road tax before moving back to the LS but the guy at the body shop is interested in the GS so maybe a solution there.

Pictures coming tomorrow, the Lexus rides again!!!

[ACLex]

Glad to hear it is all coming together :)

Need pics when it is done ;)

Andy

[Chris Skelton]

"the guy at the body shop is interested in the GS"

I once gave an M.G. Magnette (with MGB engine) as payment to a friend who did my Citroen DS23 body prep, prior to repaint!

(Then later, some Friday night prat drove into it!! My lovely DS!)

Good to have nice shiny, -no stone chips! -paint. Pity you didn't break the screen!

You won't want to drive it, now it's perfect though!

[steve2006]

"the guy at the body shop is interested in the GS"

I once gave an M.G. Magnette (with MGB engine) as payment to a friend who did my Citroen DS23 body prep, prior to repaint!

(Then later, some Friday night prat drove into it!! My lovely DS!)

Good to have nice shiny, -no stone chips! -paint. Pity you didn't break the screen!

You won't want to drive it, now it's perfect though!

Cheers Chris,

There was a slight downer in that they have spotted 7 minor dents in the doors and a crease in the rear drivers side door! ( I did notice a dimple there with the paint pushed outwards? but not the vertical crease that accompanies it!)

Obviously a case of "TESCO EVERY TROLLEY HELPS"

Got it booked in for the MOT next Wednesday.

[kevinsgs300]

glad you are getting the LS sorted.get the pics up when ready.

[steve2006]

It's done, it's back!!

Only took a couple of shots on the camera phone, seriously raining here today.

The front indicator still needs replacing but is glued up and sealed so OK for MOT, the seller wants £40.00 postage and packing for a replacement set from the US so will wait until someone comes over here or goes out there and have free delivery to a US postal address!

They had to respray the whole bonnet due to the mysterious marks.

Must admit the car looks purple on the pictures

[floggit]

Wow, they have done a great job for you . You must be well happy to get her back on the road so quickly .

3 observations as you know we like to look at details in pictures. Lol

1. Not too sure bout the purple fade to silver custom job ,but sure it will grow on you ..lol

2. Seriously... Not sure how the celsior was before but the wing looks one piece with the top section of bumper in 2nd pic ?

Is there a break or have they blended it for you?

3. Do you still have the fender pole ? Or was it lost in the accy.

Glad you got it sorted.

Steve.

[kevinsgs300]

looks great mate.they have done a brilliant job for you.

[steve2006]

Cheers Guys,

The top section of the bumper is still separate from the wing but the joint between them is a good close fit.

The fender pole was slightly damaged in the accident in that the plastic chrome nut at the top was sheared but the pole was still working.I did however decide not to refit it as getting hold of the last one took ages ( the original fitted one never did work) and so the hole has been filled.

I'll take some better pictures with a proper camera when the weather improves and the car is dry and polished but overall I am very pleased with the job especially as the panels were all repaired and so are still original and they have repaired the scuff on the rear bumper too.

Also there are no stone chips on the bonnet now and no scuffs on the lower lip, bonus!

Total cost for the repairs were

New N/S headlight unit ( thanks to ACLex) £136.00 Special import from Japan

S/H Sidelight unit £ 10.00 Local Breakers yard

Bumper Chrome Trim £ 15.00 Fleabay

New HID bulb eBay £ 9.00 Fleabay

Repair costs £ 650.00 (would have been £500.00 had it not been for the full bonnet respray due to strange marks in middle and rear bumper repair)

Total £810.00

Now just waiting for new set of smoked indicator units for £30.00 but have been told the existing damaged/repaired one will pass the MOT booked for 31st August.

And finally the repair guy is buying the GS300 off me in a couple of weeks and is going to bring it up to the sports spec and give it a complete paint job ( will get the pictures when finished)

Bit of a plug here but I think the Guys deserve it (don't beat me Janey!)

http://autokolor.co.uk/

[benfur]

Cheers Guys,

The top section of the bumper is still separate from the wing but the joint between them is a good close fit.

The fender pole was slightly damaged in the accident in that the plastic chrome nut at the top was sheared but the pole was still working.I did however decide not to refit it as getting hold of the last one took ages ( the original fitted one never did work) and so the hole has been filled.

I'll take some better pictures with a proper camera when the weather improves and the car is dry and polished but overall I am very pleased with the job especially as the panels were all repaired and so are still original and they have repaired the scuff on the rear bumper too.

Also there are no stone chips on the bonnet now and no scuffs on the lower lip, bonus!

Total cost for the repairs were

New N/S headlight unit ( thanks to ACLex) £136.00 Special import from Japan

S/H Sidelight unit £ 10.00 Local Breakers yard

Bumper Chrome Trim £ 15.00 Fleabay

New HID bulb Ebay £ 9.00 Fleabay

Repair costs £ 650.00 (would have been £500.00 had it not been for the full bonnet respray due to strange marks in middle and rear bumper repair)

Total £810.00

Now just waiting for new set of smoked indicator units for £30.00 but have been told the existing damaged/repaired one will pass the MOT booked for 31st August.

And finally the repair guy is buying the GS300 off me in a couple of weeks and is going to bring it up to the sports spec and give it a complete paint job ( will get the pictures when finished)

Bit of a plug here but I think the Guys deserve it (don't beat me Janey!)

http://autokolor.co.uk/

Hi Steve

Repair looks Great

My own personal preference is to paint silver or chrome the grill, looks the Dogs when done.

Maurice

[ACLex]

Lovely :)

looks like they have done a good job there Steve :)

Andy

[steve2006]

Cheers Guys,

The top section of the bumper is still separate from the wing but the joint between them is a good close fit.

The fender pole was slightly damaged in the accident in that the plastic chrome nut at the top was sheared but the pole was still working.I did however decide not to refit it as getting hold of the last one took ages ( the original fitted one never did work) and so the hole has been filled.

I'll take some better pictures with a proper camera when the weather improves and the car is dry and polished but overall I am very pleased with the job especially as the panels were all repaired and so are still original and they have repaired the scuff on the rear bumper too.

Also there are no stone chips on the bonnet now and no scuffs on the lower lip, bonus!

Total cost for the repairs were

New N/S headlight unit ( thanks to ACLex) £136.00 Special import from Japan

S/H Sidelight unit £ 10.00 Local Breakers yard

Bumper Chrome Trim £ 15.00 Fleabay

New HID bulb Ebay £ 9.00 Fleabay

Repair costs £ 650.00 (would have been £500.00 had it not been for the full bonnet respray due to strange marks in middle and rear bumper repair)

Total £810.00

Now just waiting for new set of smoked indicator units for £30.00 but have been told the existing damaged/repaired one will pass the MOT booked for 31st August.

And finally the repair guy is buying the GS300 off me in a couple of weeks and is going to bring it up to the sports spec and give it a complete paint job ( will get the pictures when finished)

Bit of a plug here but I think the Guys deserve it (don't beat me Janey!)

http://autokolor.co.uk/

Hi Steve

Repair looks Great

My own personal preference is to paint silver or chrome the grill, looks the Dogs when done.

Maurice

Cheers Maurice, after all the enquiries I didn't need any spares from you after all but don't worry there will always be a time when I do!

[steve2006]

Lovely :)

looks like they have done a good job there Steve :)

Andy

Thanks again Andy it all went together nicely with the new headlight.

[steve2006]

A nice day yesterday so some better photos of the finished project.

Father and Son shot.

No more chips or scrapes on the front.

I don't look purple today!

[floggit]

Quality, in a roundabout sort of way with the accident yove actually come out of it with a better car, aggro not withstanding.

Result !

Steve

[steve2006]

Quality, in a roundabout sort of way with the accident yove actually come out of it with a better car, aggro not withstanding.

Result !

Steve

And a "free" holiday! lol

[Scribe]

Just wanted to say congratulations Steve on all your effort and persistance. It seemed touch and go for a while, so I can imagine how chuffed you must be to finally have the Lex back and looking so good. It just shows how much can be achieved in keeping an old but roadworthy car running if you really want to. I just hope the same thing never happens to me. Even a small bump writes our beloved cars off - on paper, at least.

[sir john]

Quality job Steve. Looks really nice.

If anyone wants to run into both front wings of my LS, crack the front screen and some how damage the leather on the steering wheel and gear shift, please be my guest. Ill gladly run it round to Steves mate for a similar makeover. Please dont touch the rear bumper though. It was new on only last year and is the nicest bit of the car.

[abs66]

Hi Steve, she looks great they have done a great job there. Bet you are glad you got her back, I know I would be lost without mine.

As a matter of interest, did you get that dvd I sent?