Question about a bent frame

[xJABLEx]

First of all, let me start by saying that I caught myself searching the forum but I did not find anything that would help me out. If you know of a thread that I may have missed, please send it my way.

Ok, so a few months back, I bought a wrecked '95 Eddie to replace my previous '94 Sport. I bought it strictly as a toy, and I got it at a great price. After I bought it, I through it on the back burner for a while until I had time to mess with it. I recently discovered that the truck was supposedly driven into a ditch pretty hard on the left side... So hard, in fact, the frame rail bent up and caused the roof of the truck to bend in just enough to make the doors not line up right.
So this is my question:
Is the bent frame something that I really need to address and correct? I'm wanting to build the truck into a rock crawler, so I'm not really worried about cosmetics. I am worried about functionality. Any help would be super. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

 

[AccordRanger]

Does it drive OK?

 

[rhauf]

does it only sit lower in the front?

if it sits lower in the rear left as well then it's not a bent frame.. i dont' see how the fram could be bent and still have the doors/fenders and stuff line up at all like they do. (ive had bent frames and they didn't line up at all)

maybe it just needs new springs?

 

[Curtis]

does it only sit lower in the front?

if it sits lower in the rear left as well then it's not a bent frame.. i dont' see how the fram could be bent and still have the doors/fenders and stuff line up at all like they do. (ive had bent frames and they didn't line up at all)

maybe it just needs new springs?

She's bent, look at the roof shot, that passenger A piller is pushed up a couple inches

 

[xJABLEx]

It's definitely bent. It's the passenger side front. The doors don't line up.
It pulls a little while driving, but overall, it drives fine.

 

[Paraphoe]

Cut the doors off and forget about it.

 

[AccordRanger]

Chop top and cage!

 

[xJABLEx]

I was totally thinking about taking the doors off.
But is the bent frame going to affect lift when I do lift it?

 

[vroomzoomboom]

having a bent frame will give you a few problems. if you try and replace certain suspension parts, they might or will be difficult to take off/put on. also, if you are going to cage it, every measurement that you make when you are cutting the tubing will be off.

 

[xJABLEx]

having a bent frame will give you a few problems. if you try and replace certain suspension parts, they might or will be difficult to take off/put on. also, if you are going to cage it, every measurement that you make when you are cutting the tubing will be off.

Well, crap. Does anyone know a ballpark figure of how much it will cost to straighten it out?

 

[vroomzoomboom]

the last time i worked in a body shop, i believe for frames, the book rate is 2.4 hours for set up, then 1.4 for each pull point (it sounds like a lot, but that also includes gauging the truck while its pulled, and stress relieving it while its pulled). you would have to take it to a shop and ask what there door rate is for something like that. i would guess, and this is a guess, it would take about 5-6 hours on frame machine.

 

[xJABLEx]

Cool. I'll start asking around this coming Tuesday when I'm off work. Thanks for the help, man. I really do appreciate it.

 

[rhauf]

Well, crap. Does anyone know a ballpark figure of how much it will cost to straighten it out?

i had a bent frame straigtenen on my bronco a while back, it was bent worse than yours. cost me $350.

i'd call a couple places, as how much it'd be.. then call a few more places with a price in mind (the quote from the others) and tell them you have about 60% that much cash, and ask if they could do it for that.... for instance, if the estimates are around 500 bux, call up a third place and offer them 280 or something to do it before they even give you a quote. it's worth a shot.

 

[xJABLEx]

i had a bent frame straigtenen on my bronco a while back, it was bent worse than yours. cost me $350.

i'd call a couple places, as how much it'd be.. then call a few more places with a price in mind (the quote from the others) and tell them you have about 60% that much cash, and ask if they could do it for that.... for instance, if the estimates are around 500 bux, call up a third place and offer them 280 or something to do it before they even give you a quote. it's worth a shot.

That is such a great idea! I'm definitely going to do that. Thanks!