I pranged the TJ this morning (into the back of a Honda that had pranged into the back of a 4X4. Wet roads + frustration + momentary distraction). Aside from the bonnet being bent the bumper is pushed back. The bonnet still opens and shuts (with a slam) and everything works, no leaks etc. I estimate the speed at collision to be less than 20kph, probably more like 10kph to be honest.

A picture: https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xla1/v/t1.0-9/12115618_10208772131525097_8531122220577558216_n.j pg?oh=4d011693a050ae9813a89a249cd8df4d&oe=57817575&__gda__=1465204899_5ea22d8cdf43e0e58107288f7fa0db2 2

My question relates to whether it's likely that there's more damage to the subframe other than the obvious, ie. if I replace the bonnet is there any chance the bonnet catch will have moved back so the bonnet won't close? Also, if I replace the bumper (either whole or just the reo since the plastic looks ok) is it likely that anything else behind there will be bent?

Sorry, I've not pulled the nose apart before so I'm not familiar with the construction, and a forum search didn't seem to provide what I needed.

(PS: If anybody in the Melbourne area is sitting on a straight, white TJ bonnet and/or bumper and wants to swap it for some cash let me know :) )

Well, I'm 3 hours down the road in Warrnambool but, have a white TJ bonnet you can grab. Also a white/silver Solara front bar if it helps.

Have a look at the radiator support bar. If it's bent you could be in a bit of trouble. Otherwise it could be just the nose and you could be in luck.

Cheers d1ng0d4n, much appreciated. I have some logistics to work out (eg. does a bonnet fit in the back of a wagon) and I need to be sure that it's worth fixing before I do anything. I'll get back to you if I decide to go ahead and we can talk remuneration.

Drive down fit the new parts and drive home, Fold the old bonnet and make it fit in the wagon. Take it too a panel beater and thats a $3k repair. get the parts yourself and fit and its 1/4 that. Rad support with have min damage if any..

Bonnet fits in the back of the wagon no problems.

If you decide to make the trip mate, let me know and I'll arrange time with you. Happy to help fit as well. Much easier with multiple people :)

If the front bar plastic is unscathed, it's a simple job to extract the reinforcement bar and get it back to the right shape with simple tools (hammer).

The process would be:
Obtain fresh bonnet.
Remove front bar, grille, bonnet, lights.
Fit bonnet.
Align bonnet with the guards.
If the gap is uneven, loosen the bolts for the guards and push them around a bit, there is some slack in the bolt holes.
Look at the alignment between the bonnet latch and the catch.
Gently use force - just pulling with your hands might do, rad support is pretty flimsy - to align the catch with the latch.
Once happy with the alignment and bonnet open/close operation, temp fit grille and work on the bar.
Trial and error there, the plastic conforms to the reinforcing bar shape, so work on the bar, temp fit plastic to it, temp put bar in, check gaps.
When all good, put together properly.
Drive on. Money saved.

EDIT: If you tackle this yourself, takes some educational photos for us to look at and maybe suggest some hints if you strike a problem.

I haven't tried this but I've read that the thermoplastic of the bumper 'remembers' its true shape and deformities will spring back if heated by immersing in hot water.

Thanks for the advice everyone and thanks for offering to help with the fitting d1ng0d4n, that's pretty awesome of you. I've had a closer look and it looks like it's all fixable, some pics below.

BELOW: The rad support looks straight, only the C-shaped bracket mounting to the bumper centre bolt is buggered.
http://i68.tinypic.com/29e3msz.jpg
http://i63.tinypic.com/1zf2cmv.jpg

BELOW: The front upper cross member is bent a bit, as can be seen below. It hasn't touched the radiator and I have packed out the bonnet catch upper bolts with a couple of washers so the bonnets shuts properly.
http://i63.tinypic.com/10gmil4.jpg

BELOW: I'll need to get a grille and a pair of headlights, the grille mounts on the grille and on the headlights are pretty much cactus.
http://i63.tinypic.com/atteg9.jpg
http://i65.tinypic.com/208tget.jpg

I'll grab a grille and some lights (maybe time to go Verada :hmm:), might as well do it all in one go. D1ng0d4n, once I've got these bits I'll PM you to see if we can arrange a time and talk $, the drive to Warrnambool is well worth it if it comes with an extra pair of hands! A cruise back along the Great Ocean Road would be rather nice this time of year :).

Re straightening the bumper reo bar, thanks for the tip Max. It looks pretty twisted and I don't like my chances to be honest, panel beating is not something I'm particularly good at. Thanks for your tip too ts370000, good to know.

(Edited to undo Tinypic's penchant for making images much bigger than intended!)

Looks like it's not too nasty, thank goodness! I'll be doing a day trip to West Melbourne on Sunday 10th April. Bugger about the headlight, I just threw out 2 standard sets lol.

Speaking Verada, if you don't mind champagne/gold, I've also got a KH Verada I've been using for parts (namely, interior). Has 2 piece parabolics and fog lights. Could be a bit more time consuming to get the fog light stalk/etc, but if it interests you, we'll sort out a full day or weekend that works for us. I only get 4 days off a month so will have to arrange them with you :)

If the stars are in alignment, I've got some new engine mount inserts and servicing stuff coming, we might make a weekend out of it if it interests you and I'll throw some of the bits you need at you for nothing :)

Great Ocean Road would be a great way to end a car-repair weekend :D

If you need headlights would you look at Para's to give it a fresh look?

I've got a TJ grille u can have in melb

Thanks everyone for offers of parts, help and advice, all very appreciated. I won't be doing anything before Easter, just too busy. I'm chasing up a couple of leads regarding the bits I need, I'll be in touch with everyone who's offered parts if required to arrange a deal.

Regarding paras, I'm of two minds. On the one hand they look good and I know where I can get some two-piece units locally and pretty cheap. On the other hand I'm not overly keen to stuff about with the wiring and fitting paras to my hail damaged old chariot seems a bit daft... a bit like putting lipstick on a pig (to mangle the quote). I'd be happy with standard lights, all I want really is it looking straight again. I'll have a think about it and make a decision after Easter.

Thanks again everybody ;)

If you were closer to Newcastle nsw I would have everything you need.

Looks like it's not too nasty, thank goodness! I'll be doing a day trip to West Melbourne on Sunday 10th April. Bugger about the headlight, I just threw out 2 standard sets lol.

Speaking Verada, if you don't mind champagne/gold, I've also got a KH Verada I've been using for parts (namely, interior). Has 2 piece parabolics and fog lights. Could be a bit more time consuming to get the fog light stalk/etc, but if it interests you, we'll sort out a full day or weekend that works for us. I only get 4 days off a month so will have to arrange them with you :)

If the stars are in alignment, I've got some new engine mount inserts and servicing stuff coming, we might make a weekend out of it if it interests you and I'll throw some of the bits you need at you for nothing :)

Great Ocean Road would be a great way to end a car-repair weekend :D

Would you still have the ecu as I am in need of one as I have a KH Verada as well

I do, but don't want to get rid of it just yet sorry

I do, but don't want to get rid of it just yet sorry

Thats ok

Update: Finally finished the nose rebuild yesterday with the fitting of a replacement bonnet. No pics yet, will post some asap. I was able to source a bumper and bonnet locally, the bumper skin wasn't useable but the reo bar and upper metal strip were straight. My old skin isn't perfect (few stone chips) but once attached to the new metal bits it fell straight back into shape, no need to heat it or anything like that. Attachment is via those little plastic bolt/clip things Mitsubishi seem to love so much, at least half of them wouldn't unscrew properly and needed brute force to get out so having some spares handy is well worthwhile. You'll need an extra-short Philips screwdriver too, access to some of them is very limited. Removing the old bumper and fitting the new one was trivial, no big deal, just the 4 big bolts through the chassis rails, the centre bolt behind the grille and a couple of screws near the wheel arches. Nothing's hard to get at, not even necessary to raise the front of the car though it makes it a bit easier.

It's worth grabbing a few spare of those funny shaped clips that hold the grille in too, they are a total f#$&ing pain in the arse to remove the way the manual describes and since everything's plastic you can't force anything. I stuck with Magna lights, maybe I'll change them to 2-piece parabolics in the future but at this time I just couldn't be bothered mucking about with the wiring and running a fixed earth for the LB.

The bonnet was a total surprise, I assumed it would be a pain to get square but everything lined up perfectly left/right and front/back, just needed to wind the rubber bumpers up a half turn or so to match the line of the guards near the blinkers. Gaps are dead even both sides and along their lengths, a testament to the Mitsubishi engineers I guess! Fitting is definitely a four-handed job, I got the old one off the donor car solo but at reasonable risk of losing a finger. Having a willing assistant to hold the bonnet up while running the bolts in and until the struts can be clipped on is highly recommended.

Thanks again to everybody who offered parts, while I didn't take anybody up on their offers they were hugely appreciated and I hope to be able to return the favour one day.

Some pics of the rebuilt nose. I'm damned impressed with the evenness of the bonnet gaps with NO adjustments needed, literally just bolted the bonnet on and shut it (ok, I did give the rubber stoppers a half-turn to raise it a smidge). I haven't had a chance to tidy up the bumper skin yet, it already had most of the stone chips before the prang and doesn't look any worse now :) . A cut and polish and a bit of touch up and it'll be serviceable.

http://i68.tinypic.com/zojktw.jpg

http://i63.tinypic.com/jj5xk7.jpg

http://i68.tinypic.com/28tcg0k.jpg

http://i66.tinypic.com/ta6geh.jpg

I see the bottom of the bonnet beak doesnt quite line up with the bottom of the grill......picky arnt I

All in all a good job, got out of it nice and cheap too....

Could never tell, job well done always feels good

Yes - well done.

Another mighty third gen lives on!

Damned good job AND you saved yourself a packet of dough! Perhaps, seeing that you use the wagon as a true workhorse, you might want to invest in one of those alloy/chrome nudge bars. They can take a reasonable knock and save the bodywork. Also, if they get bent you can take them off the car, heat the bent area and bang them out straight with a panel-beating mallet.

Cheers guys, glad to have the Magnasaurus' back in shape. While a broken nose can give a bloke a bit of rugged good looks on a TJ it just looked daft :).

Stroppy: There's some sense in that, though I fully intend to avoid trying to enter other cars' boots the hard way in the future! To be honest I've never really liked the look, the plain chrome nudge bar looks reasonable on the TJ but it kinda advertises to the world that they can't ever be sure you're going to brake... you like to be mysterious that way. Will I stop in time? Or won't I? Who knows! :). My ex years ago drove my TP wagon with a full steel roo bar (like this: http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTAwWDE2MDA=/z/iY8AAOSwhcJWLYiv/$_75.JPG) in place of the front bumper. We bought it 2nd hand with the bar already fitted and I always wanted to swap it back to the standard bumper because it was so heavy it was like driving a javellin - all the weight in the nose. But if you knew how my ex drove you'd understand why I never did!

LOL! My ex drove her car like a Sherman tank...one without a turret pilot!
I reckon the chrome nudge bars (the simple single channel ones) look nice on the Magna and they'll save you from little scraps and, as I wrote above, they can easily be bent back into shape after a slight bingle.