Even if they’re not making HHR anymore, we do try to keep them rolling!

I bought (and loved) a 2010 silver HHR LT, and after having it only a year, was sandwiched at a stoplight. The body shop initially said only the bumpers needed to be replaced, but once they removed the bumpers, decided there was rail damage, and totaled the car. The car was completely drivable, and still passes smog.

A neighbor wanted to buy it as is, so I kept it as a Salvage title. The neighbor has backed out, so now I want to get it back to operating condition and reregister it. This means putting the bumpers back on, and making sure the lights and brakes work again (they worked fine until the parts were removed). While I'm good at DIY, I don't know cars, so would find someone/a shop to actually do the work.

I’d like to accomplish this as inexpensively as reasonably possible.

I have the removed bumpers and fascia/covers, and a new headlight to replace one which was removed, but I don’t have any hardware to reattach the bumper parts.
What are some options? Can I buy just the hardware?

I know I could buy new OEM bumpers and have them painted, this would be the most costly. I might have some luck at local junkyards, if I knew what I needed, or they knew what to pull. There's aftermarket - any recommended sources?

It seems like reusing the original “bent” parts would be easiest, since they’d fit right back on to the rails. The front bumper was cracked at the center, but I can live with that.

(I’m in Southern California, and as near as I can tell, I only need to demonstrate it’s in “operating condition,” then pass the Brake-and-Light and a VIN inspection, but I don't think I have to do all possible repairs.)

Thoughts and ideas?
Hilcat

 

Here are how-to's for the bumpers. There are only a few bolts, the rest are plastic push pins.

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/how-...per-bar-52173/

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/how-...dlights-32354/

And here are exploded diagrams with part numbers. Although, your thought to go to a local wrecking yard is a good one, too. Are there any that let you pull your own parts?

https://www.wholesalegmpartsonline.c...hString=bumper

https://www.wholesalegmpartsonline.c...hString=bumper

 

Great links! The headlight tutorial doesn't explain removing the front bumper beam, but between the rear tutorial and the parts diagrams, I may be able to figure it out.

It looks like I can easily buy the hardware "a la carte," certainly at the dealer, and quite possibly via Napa/Autozone etc. I'm fairly certain I have all the "big" specific pieces, and the hardware doesn't look to be too expensive. Those diagrams are going to be great.

If I can find a pull-em yard, with some HHRs still with bumpers, that might work too.

I'll report back!

Thanks!
Hilcat

 

Get the unibody rails pulled straight, then rest should be fairly straightforward to get back into place.

 

Any body shop has a body pull machine. You would be smart to have that done, insurance companies don't like them because cars are never exactly the same afterwards, but better than a bent frame.

You also need to get a definition of what they meant. A bent sub-frame is just a simple replacement. A bent unibody is pretty serious.

The sub frame is what holds the front suspension and motor. The unibody is the rest of the car, there is no frame as such.

Your pictures don't show the kind of body damage that would make me think "bent frame". Maybe bumper mounting points damage is what they meant.

You do seem to be missing the big foam absorbers that live between the bumper and the bumper cover.

 

I have the appraisal/estimate from which they totaled the car:

I do see that they planned to "pull the right and left rear and front frame rails for structural alignment."

Also:
In the "front inner structure":
They planned to replace the right front body side rail assembly, then refinish the right lower side rail ("mashed in and buckled from impact")

They planned to repair the left front body side rail assembly (also "mashed in and buckled from impact")

In the "rear body":
They planned to replace the rear body panel, and both the left and right rear body rail extensions.

On the rear bumper:
They planned to replace the rear bumper cover ("mashed in with multiple mounting tabs torn from impact") Also to replace the bumper reflector, the impact absorber, and the impact bar and the rear bumper assembly.


I had one shop willing to put things back together, no other replacement or work, but when I talked to them in more depth, I don't think they know what they're doing.

Tomorrow I'll talk to the body shop affiliated with where I bought the car (and then I bought a 2011 HHR to replace this one). They have an excellent reputation, and work with a lot of classic cars. I will ask about having the rails pulled straight, but that sounds expensive (at some point, the investment isn't worth the cost.)

Hilcat

 

Here are a couple of shots of the front rails:





They called the damage "mashed" but it looked to me more like a very slight bend/buckle. (Yes, I know the metal is weakened regardless.)

Hilcat

 

You could take the estimate around to shops and tell them this is a cash deal and see what they can do. Specify "safety" and "economy" not "appearance". The insurance companies pay more than cash customers. The insurance company is trying to make the title holder whole, not necessarily you. Depending on exactly where the "mashes" and "bends" are the crumple zones may be compromised and dangerous.

Bumper cover can be repaired in most instances.

The insurance company didn't want to pay more than the book value, i.e.: what you paid them + repair.

 

I know this will be off color for some, but how close are you to Mexico?

 

Cat Man, I'm about 3-4 hour drive to Mexico. I suspect the towing cost would seriously offset any savings.

donbrew, I can shop the cost, but it sounds like I'd be still looking at thousands, not hundreds of dollars. The original body shop had a total cost of $5850, which on an HHR is a substantial %. (I shoulda taken it to a less "corporate" shop, where the cost might have been enough less to merit repair. Lesson learned for next time, if there ever is one (I hope not).