1st Post - A few questions...

[Jim-ME]

Nice Rover. Mine had a tweaked rear cross member like yours. I rented a hand pump operated portapower and pushed it back out by putting one end on the tire and the other end on the inside of the rear cross member as far out as possible. It worked slick because it moved back so slowly that I didn't even crack the galvanizing on the frame. I did have to pump the tire up to 100 psi because on the first attempt I almost poped the tire off the rim. Once the frame is back, a block of wood and a 5 lb hand sledge plus patience and you'll be amazed at how much of the body you can straighted.
Jim

[NC Rover]

Nice Rover. Mine had a tweaked rear cross member like yours. I rented a hand pump operated portapower and pushed it back out by putting one end on the tire and the other end on the inside of the rear cross member as far out as possible. It worked slick because it moved back so slowly that I didn't even crack the galvanizing on the frame. I did have to pump the tire up to 100 psi because on the first attempt I almost poped the tire off the rim. Once the frame is back, a block of wood and a 5 lb hand sledge plus patience and you'll be amazed at how much of the body you can straighted.
Jim

Thank you. That sounds like an interesting method of getting it straight. I figured bending the body back wouldn't be terrible. I'm sure most of it could be straightened out and somewhat back to normal till I can really do a good job on it down the road.

[LaneRover]

My dad crinkled the back end of a Series III I have and I just used a hydraulic pump jack to re-bend the rear quarter panel. Didn't have to re-do the rear crossmember because that looked like it came off the back of a tugboat. I do agree with everyone else here, just slowly bend the rear crossmember back in place. Even if you do crack the Galvanizing a little bit it is still preferable to trying to replace it. And if you then bend the rear quarter panel back into something resembling its original shape you can drive it like that and then wait for a sale on rear quarter panels. The very rear piece is easily made out of aluminum as it is flat.

Best of luck! It looks like you have a great Rover there!

Brent

PS - those hydraulic pumpjacks don't completely like working sideways. If you try this method and it doesn't seem to be working then just rotate the jack until you get to a position that it works in - which will of course give you no room to pump the jack and will thus take 3 times longer than you thought.

Also, do you know about the 'work hardening' properties of aluminum and how to get rid of them?

[NC Rover]

My dad crinkled the back end of a Series III I have and I just used a hydraulic pump jack to re-bend the rear quarter panel. Didn't have to re-do the rear crossmember because that looked like it came off the back of a tugboat. I do agree with everyone else here, just slowly bend the rear crossmember back in place. Even if you do crack the Galvanizing a little bit it is still preferable to trying to replace it. And if you then bend the rear quarter panel back into something resembling its original shape you can drive it like that and then wait for a sale on rear quarter panels. The very rear piece is easily made out of aluminum as it is flat.

Best of luck! It looks like you have a great Rover there!

Brent

PS - those hydraulic pumpjacks don't completely like working sideways. If you try this method and it doesn't seem to be working then just rotate the jack until you get to a position that it works in - which will of course give you no room to pump the jack and will thus take 3 times longer than you thought.

Also, do you know about the 'work hardening' properties of aluminum and how to get rid of them?

Thanks for the info brent. I will definitly take these methods in mind.

I'm not sure that I am familiar with "Work hardening" properties of aluminum.

[jp-]

Hah. Yeah I assumed it was quite rare. Pleased to say the spotlight works as good now as it did years ago. I feel very privledged. Its defintly an AWD coiler. Bout to replace the current D90 springs with a brand new set of Old Man Emu coils that the previous owner gave me. Should put it at 2.5" lift rather than the current 2 inches. I will always be a fan of older vintage vehicles. You can never get enough of them!

My other vehicle I've had for 8 years...4 of which was a daily driver...

NC,

I need some eye bleach. That was awful.

[thixon]

NC,

I need some eye bleach. That was awful.

No offense NC, but I'm with JP. You must be hung like a moose to have the confidence to drive around in that thing. It aint exactly a chick magnet!

Just bustin your balls mate, I drove a hand-me-down buick regal for years.

Travis

[NC Rover]

NC,

I need some eye bleach. That was awful.

Hahah. Wait...are we talking about the Impala or the Bronco? The point of the bronco was to fix up, sell, make a profit and buy a rover as rovers are normally a lot more expensive and rare.

Whats funny is that I've had more offers to sell the impala than any other car. Why I don't know. Its currently getting restored. Just had the interior done and about to have it painted. Once thats done, I'm selling it. I already have 3 people who want to buy it!

[thixon]

I was talking about the impala, but again, just bustin your balls. I'm not surprised by the waiting list to buy on that thing. Anything made in 60's or 70's in the US even remotely hotroddish sells quick.

[Leslie]

Oh wow, talk about memories.....

My parents had a red '68 Impala 2-door, black vinyl top, that was the car I remember being in as a little kid....

My other vehicle I've had for 8 years...4 of which was a daily driver...

[LaneRover]

Thanks for the info brent. I will definitly take these methods in mind.

I'm not sure that I am familiar with "Work hardening" properties of aluminum.

When bending and banging away on Aluminum it starts to harden and gets brittle. Once this happens you have to re-anneal the aluminum or you will start cracking it. Luckily the process is pretty easy. What I have always heard is to rub some wax (maybe soap would work too) on the painted side of the part you are working on. Then using a propane torch lightly heat the unpainted side of the aluminum. Once the wax has melted the aluminum is re-annealed and can be worked for a while before it starts to harden again.

If you go in too heavy with the torch then you can burn through the aluminum.

Brent