It took me six months just to find this car so I'm not trying to find another one..

Ouch, I can't help on the repair but I can sympathize on not being interested in trying to find another one, it took me almost two years to find my 04 manual transmission full load low mileage relatively rust free black AERO and the interior is like new.

Good luck with the repair.

 

That stuff is not bolt on, it'll be some welding. And you likely have some issues with the inner fender as well, you won't be able to tell until you get the fender and bumper cover off. The good news is that if that's all you're dealing with it's all covered up by other stuff so no one will really know if you take a hammer to it to get it "sort of straight" other than the top piece above the radiator.

hopefully that frame rail is not bent as one corner holds the subframe in place. That could wreak havoc on the alignment and suspension if it's not straight. If I were you I would think about taking it to a frame shop to at last have the frame checked for straightness before you spend some cash on parts to find out that the car won't drive straight.

 

hopefully that frame rail is not bent as one corner holds the subframe in place. That could wreak havoc on the alignment and suspension if it's not straight. If I were you I would think about taking it to a frame shop to at last have the frame checked for straightness before you spend some cash on parts to find out that the car won't drive straight.

100% this, multiplied by 2. I've gone through this two times on two different vehicles (neither a 9-5, btw). On one, it looked like it was just the radiator support, but putting it on a frame bed disclosed that the pushing back of the radiator support resulting in pulling the frame rails on both sides towards the centerline of the vehicle by enough that it would be problematic. It was fixable, but required more work. In the other case, no frame rails were bent, and the repairs were relatively simple with a small bit of straightening and welding and enough paint of similar color to keep it all from rusting.

It's possible that you could get enough information about the situation from an alignment shop, especially if you have recent results from an alignment.

A bent rail presents two problems--functional, i.e., getting an alignment within spec and the suspension in proper geometry so it behaves, and aesthetic, so that all the body panels mount properly. Based on how you speak of the car, you probably want to solve both problems.

 

I really appreciate the feedback guys, really, a big thanks.
So it's not a bolt-on unit, unlike Chrysler and some GM vehicles.. that sucks. It'll be substantially stronger, but the work involved.. gonna suck.

I see I'm not the only one dealing with the 9-5 Aero shortage.
As far as the straightness of the frame goes I'm feeling pretty good, and very lucky. The brakes were applied just before impact, so the front dipped quite a bit.

You can see the scratches on the bumper cover and how the energy traveled at an angle up and over the frame rail and not straight through it.
Not a big deal but I'm definitely going to have to get this on a rack if I'm unable to line everything up correctly..

The headlight is going to be the most expensive part.

 

The brakes were applied just before impact, so the front dipped quite a bit.

Not to be a negative nelly, but that's EXACTLY the scenario that happened in my first case, where I ended up having to put it on a frame table. I was cresting a hill on a highway in congested traffic, and stuff stopped on the other side of the hill. Lots of hard braking.

 

It sounds like your collision was square in the center..? That'd make more sense for both sides to bend inward. My collision occurred on one side, and my car actually went under the rear of the truck I nailed.
I can see my mount either bent, or the part of the body the mount bolts to may have bent some so.. yeah I may be in some ****.. pardon my French. I haven't even had the chance to start disassembling anything more than the hood I took off. Can't wait 😤😤

 

Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts.

 

That's a great new name for my hammer.