If the crash wasn't bad, sometimes it can be fixed with some sanding and Bondo... But that's a big if in most accidents sadly. My concern here is your radiator got hit since the front is designed to take the majority of the damage on unibody cars; that often means the foam in the bumper, even things like the strut supports get trashed in an accident.
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If the crash wasn't bad, sometimes it can be fixed with some sanding and Bondo... But that's a big if in most accidents sadly. My concern here is your radiator got hit since the front is designed to take the majority of the damage on unibody cars; that often means the foam in the bumper and crash bar tend to get damaged too. If it's really bad you often crumple in the strut supports now.
To give you an idea of why I worry: I have seen the strut suports crack in Hyundai/Kia vehicles as they use the struts as a part of their crumple zone. Toyota and Volvo pioneered this by breaking the wheel and crushing the entire area; the others followed along when IIHS gave both high marks on their crash tests; even Honda started doing it when it worked well for both. In addition to this, you almost always need bumper foam and a crash bar; they both get taken out in a lot of more major accidents; not so much in fender benders, but you lose the foam. ***DO NOT TACKLE THIS unless the car is worth more in scrap AND you're comfortable with more major front-end rebuild work unless you can absolutely tell! Some weld the crash bar in too (Jag is known to on classic Jags, but this isn't common; most use bolts; people leave marginally damaged bars in classic Jags for this reason).***
As far as getting the parts, look on a Challenger that's been in a rear-end wreck at the junkyard; you can often get a deal on all of the front-end parts that way (crash bar, foam, bumper, and radiator/radiator supports). You may need to get the bumper repainted if you can't find an exact color match or the paint fade gives it away; if you aren't comfortable painting the part yourself take it to a paint shop and ask them what they charge to paint just a bare bumper. If you need to blend it it's usually just a matter of new clearcoat covering the bumper and a small amount of the original paint so it looks like it matches. It will never be 100% though.
If the crash wasn't bad, sometimes it can be fixed with Bondo and a sander. But that's a big if in most accidents sadly. My concern here is your radiator got hit; that often means the foam in the bumper, as well as the support bars holding the crash bar (as well as the crash bar), took a nasty hit as well. I would only tackle this if you are comfortable replacing the crash bar, as well as the support bars on the crash bar because they never survive in a major accident. There's a strong chance you need to pull the frame and even weld new front end parts on too.
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If the crash wasn't bad, sometimes it can be fixed with some sanding and Bondo... But that's a big if in most accidents sadly. My concern here is your radiator got hit since the front is designed to take the majority of the damage on unibody cars; that often means the foam in the bumper, even things like the strut supports get trashed in an accident.
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As far as getting the parts, look on a Challenger that's been in a rear-end wreck at the junkyard; you can often get a deal on the front end parts that way (potentially even the radiator as well), but in some cases, you need to get them repainted if you can't find an exact color match or the paint fade gives it away; if you aren't comfortable painting the part yourself take it to a paint shop and ask them what they charge to paint just a bare bumper. If you need to blend it it's usually just a matter of new clearcoat covering the bumper and a small amount of the original paint so it looks like it matches. It will never be 100% though.
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To give you an idea of why I worry: I have seen the strut suports crack in Hyundai/Kia vehicles as they use the struts as a part of their crumple zone. Toyota and Volvo pioneered this by breaking the wheel and crushing the entire area; the others followed along when IIHS gave both high marks on their crash tests; even Honda started doing it when it worked well for both. In addition to this, you almost always need bumper foam and a crash bar; they both get taken out in a lot of more major accidents; not so much in fender benders, but you lose the foam. ***DO NOT TACKLE THIS unless the car is worth more in scrap AND you're comfortable with more major front-end rebuild work unless you can absolutely tell! Some weld the crash bar in too (Jag is known to on classic Jags, but this isn't common; most use bolts; people leave marginally damaged bars in classic Jags for this reason).***
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As far as getting the parts, look on a Challenger that's been in a rear-end wreck at the junkyard; you can often get a deal on all of the front-end parts that way (crash bar, foam, bumper, and radiator/radiator supports). You may need to get the bumper repainted if you can't find an exact color match or the paint fade gives it away; if you aren't comfortable painting the part yourself take it to a paint shop and ask them what they charge to paint just a bare bumper. If you need to blend it it's usually just a matter of new clearcoat covering the bumper and a small amount of the original paint so it looks like it matches. It will never be 100% though.
If the crash wasn't bad, sometimes it can be fixed with Bondo and a sander. But that's a big if in most accidents sadly. My concern here is your radiator got hit; that often means the foam in the bumper, as well as the support bars holding the crash bar (as well as the crash bar), took a nasty hit as well. I would only tackle this if you are comfortable replacing the crash bar, as well as the support bars on the crash bar because they never survive in a major accident.
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If the crash wasn't bad, sometimes it can be fixed with Bondo and a sander. But that's a big if in most accidents sadly. My concern here is your radiator got hit; that often means the foam in the bumper, as well as the support bars holding the crash bar (as well as the crash bar), took a nasty hit as well. I would only tackle this if you are comfortable replacing the crash bar, as well as the support bars on the crash bar because they never survive in a major accident. There's a strong chance you need to pull the frame and even weld new front end parts on too.
As far as getting the parts, look on a Challenger that's been in a rear-end wreck at the junkyard; you can often get a deal on the front end parts that way (potentially even the radiator as well), but in some cases, you need to get them repainted if you can't find an exact color match or the paint fade gives it away; if you aren't comfortable painting the part yourself take it to a paint shop and ask them what they charge to paint just a bare bumper. If you need to blend it it's usually just a matter of new clearcoat covering the bumper and a small amount of the original paint so it looks like it matches. It will never be 100% though.
If the crash wasn't bad, sometimes it can be fixed with Bondo and a sander. But that's a big if in most accidents sadly. My concern here is your radiator got hit; that often means the foam in the bumper, as well as the support bars holding the crash bar (as well as the crash bar), took a nasty hit as well. I would only tackle this if you are comfortable replacing the crash bar, as well as the support bars on the crash bar because they never survive in a major accident.
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As far as getting the parts, look on a Challenger that's been in a rear-end wreck at the junkyard; you can often get a deal on the front end parts that way (potentially even the radiator as well), but in some cases, you need to get them repainted if you can't find an exact color match or the paint fade gives it away; if you aren't comfortable painting the part yourself take it to a paint shop and ask them what they charge to paint just a bare bumper.
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As far as getting the parts, look on a Challenger that's been in a rear-end wreck at the junkyard; you can often get a deal on the front end parts that way (potentially even the radiator as well), but in some cases, you need to get them repainted if you can't find an exact color match or the paint fade gives it away; if you aren't comfortable painting the part yourself take it to a paint shop and ask them what they charge to paint just a bare bumper. If you need to blend it it's usually just a matter of new clearcoat covering the bumper and a small amount of the original paint so it looks like it matches. It will never be 100% though.
If the crash wasn't bad, sometimes it can be fixed with Bondo and a sander. But that's a big if in most accidents sadly. My concern here is your radiator got hit; that often means the foam in the bumper, as well as the support bars holding the crash bar (as well as the crash bar), took a nasty hit as well. I would only tackle this if you are comfortable replacing the crash bar, as well as the support bars on the crash bar because they never survive in a major accident.
As far as getting the parts, look on a Challenger that's been in a rear-end wreck at the junkyard; you can often get a deal on the front end parts that way (potentially even the radiator as well), but in some cases, you need to get them repainted if you can't find an exact color match or the paint fade gives it away; if you aren't comfortable painting the part yourself take it to a paint shop and ask them what they charge to paint just a bare bumper.