Bongo Fury

Had my drivers door well clobbered in a car park a few days ago. No note left of course.......
Having pottered around for a few days, keeping an eye out for a maroon car with silver scrapings down it, I've just been on the dual carriageway. Now I've discovered the impact has pushed out the top of the door causing it to clatter and shake above 65mph.......

Anyone know if it's fixable or am I looking at a new door? I've got several 600 mile round trips in the summer & I can't bear the thought of doing them at 60mph or having the door vibrate the whole way!

Having recently had my original Japanese chrome dust caps pinched & the passenger window of my car smashed by oiks who didn't take anything I'm hoping this was the third thing & I can have the rest of the year off ............

Bottle on for anyone spotting a maroon car with front n/s damage & my silver paint - Truro & surrounding areas!

Bummer. Sounds like a new door is the best bet I fear. I wonder if Harry has one going spare. Someone has done a Cumbria to Cornwall run recently and I thought I read they make the trip at intervals. Maybe they would consider a pick up for a small fee? Should be a relatively easy respray at least for someone with access to a compressor and airgun.

Longo.

A 'new' door is by far the best bet option - and likely to be cheaper too.

I suspect many bodyshops wouldn't even entertain trying to straighten a door (they'll patch and re-skin doors, but straighten one, I doubt it.)

If you're lucky, you might even get it in the right silver - common, er, popular colour .

Try all the usual suspects, and ebay.

Thanks for your thoughts.

If a new door is what I need anyway I may try to thump it back into shape a bit. I'll ponder some............

If you do need a new door or second hand at least try and get one with the wire loom intact, even as a spare it is worth its weight in gold should any problems arise like a lot of us have had.

This happened to ours back in November and cost in the region of £1500 to repair, a new door.

Wasn't harry breaking his silver Bongo down recently ? anyone ?

James

Ive owned two Bongos where the door did as you describe and I'm sure Ive read post of others doing the same.

I once had a similar problem on a car after a door repair. I took it back to the repairer and he sorted it. He carefully packed the bottom of the door with a ball of rag and then pulled the top of the door (with the window wound down) until it fitted flush once again. It took him about 3 minutes and worked a treat ! I've since done it to one of the works vans (Citroen Relay) because the doors flapped about above 80mph from brand new (It's ok it's on Blues & Two's). I have to do it form time to time to tighten things up but it does work. Well worth a try in your case I think.


Steve

smac02 wrote:I once had a similar problem on a car after a door repair. I took it back to the repairer and he sorted it. He carefully packed the bottom of the door with a ball of rag and then pulled the top of the door (with the window wound down) until it fitted flush once again. It took him about 3 minutes and worked a treat ! I've since done it to one of the works vans (Citroen Relay) because the doors flapped about above 80mph from brand new (It's ok it's on Blues & Two's). I have to do it form time to time to tighten things up but it does work. Well worth a try in your case I think.


Steve

Sounds like a plan! Much better than a new door, at least until the finances are more conducive.

Having trouble visualising though..... pack the bottom of the door...... at the base of the B pillar? So top stands proud when pulled to, leaving room to get fingers in at the top?

Harry's breaking bongo thread, he's a bit busy saving lives at the mo it seems, http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =5&t=28131, but worth bearing in mind.
definitely worth giving it a go straightening it, is there much of a dent still in the bottom of the door?
If so, by removing the door inner panel & pushing it back out may help push the top back in a bit maybe, but I think they are susceptible to the doors pulling open a bit at high speed.
I wonder if that's why most have the wind deflectors fitted?

missfixit70 wrote:Harry's breaking bongo thread, he's a bit busy saving lives at the mo it seems, http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =5&t=28131, but worth bearing in mind.
definitely worth giving it a go straightening it, is there much of a dent still in the bottom of the door?
If so, by removing the door inner panel & pushing it back out may help push the top back in a bit maybe, but I think they are susceptible to the doors pulling open a bit at high speed.
I wonder if that's why most have the wind deflectors fitted?

Still dented....... I think tomorrow I'll have a bit of a fiddle & a push & a prod, see what happens

If the door skin is not creased then the dent may just "pop" out.
As for the window frame needing adjustment. I have seen a chap in a very prestigious marque car assembly line use a length of 2x4 to ensure the doors fit correctly. Window down, protection on inside of door and the top of the frame levered with the lump of wood. If it good enough for the silver lady crowd then it must be good enough for the Bongo.

Longo, If you do get in touch with Harry about a door let me know, as I do travel between Cornwall and Cumbria quite a lot and I am more than happy to relay one down. That offer is open to the whole of the forum by the way. Within reason, sizewise of course

TonyBee wrote:If the door skin is not creased then the dent may just "pop" out.
As for the window frame needing adjustment. I have seen a chap in a very prestigious marque car assembly line use a length of 2x4 to ensure the doors fit correctly. Window down, protection on inside of door and the top of the frame levered with the lump of wood. If it good enough for the silver lady crowd then it must be good enough for the Bongo.

Longo, If you do get in touch with Harry about a door let me know, as I do travel between Cornwall and Cumbria quite a lot and I am more than happy to relay one down. That offer is open to the whole of the forum by the way. Within reason, sizewise of course

It's beginning to sound like a plan

Doubt I'll get the actual dink out but hopefully the bowing in the door around it might go back. I reckon the g*t drove into the space next to me too fast & misjudged it, so the impact was glancing but hard.

Now optimistic I can retrieve the situation somewhat. Many thanks for all the suggestions & the excellent offer of relay....

Will update after the attempt...... unless I end up crushed beneath a rebounding Bongo door

james1508 wrote:

This happened to ours back in November and cost in the region of £1500 to repair, a new door.

Wasn't harry breaking his silver Bongo down recently ? anyone ?

James

Ouch..! My Bass player put a similar dent in mine just before Christmas 07.. But missed the door!!
It kind of pushed in on the door pillar & dents the panel out at the back.. (just under where your hook up socket is James.)
In fact looking at yer pic again, the dent is identical bar a slight scuff on my door.. (mines mono colour black too!)

My quote cost him £500.. Which he dutifully paid up..
Had the work done by the same body shop firm that did a great insurance job on my old Combo van when some fool stove'd into the back of me. & they know Bongo's too!!

Hope you get it sorted Longo.. good luck!!

Look up "paintless dent removal" on youtube, the guys that do it properly with pressure from behind at specific points using a pointy stick by the looks of it can get great results, may be worth wasting a few hours trying, just make sure you take before & after shots so we believe you