Integra Rebuild After Accident

[AlexO]

Hello, new Integra owner here.

I recently picked up a 2024 A-Spec Tech from a Copart auction and in the process of rebuilding.
Just wanted to document my journey here and answer any questions that others may have.

What I have done so far:
I took apart the interior to replace the front airbags and remove seatbelts. Sending the SRS unit and seatbelts to get them reset and crash codes cleared.
Remove all damaged parts to the wheel and surrounding area.
The damage looks bad but really is just removing and replacing parts. The frame and structural components are sound.

What I've found that needs replacing/fixing:
Fender, bumper, steering rack, engine cradle, lower control arm, steering knuckle, lower engine torque mount, one parking sensor. All fairly simple to replace.
Wiring in the area got torn out so will need to rewire/solder wires back together. Things that need rewired are impact sensor, parking sensor, fog light, and windshield washer fluid pump.

Here are pictures from the auction. Will try to update as I get it put back together.

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[Victorofhavoc]

Buddy of mine owns a body shop and said the counterfeit airbag and srs market is really bad right now. They specifically only do dealer direct bags and srs now. I would watch out for any "online dealers" of bags since many seem to be sketchy and technically those pyro devices can only be sold to authorized people.

He also mentioned the srs unit in these cars doesn't easily reset, so typical recommendation is to replace.

Also don't forget the dash and all the clips and associated bolts that are one time use or busted along the way. Things like the plastic alignment tabs for the fender and cowl can add up more quickly than you'd think and are often overlooked.

I suspect that damage is closer to $15k, with probably $3-4k in labor. Potentially more depending on how that cradle was hit and if the subframe pushed damage into the ladder framing.

 

[AlexO]

If I were to take it to a body shop, I agree that repairs would cost more than the car is worth.
However, I'll be doing all the work myself and bought most of the parts from salvage yards rather than new from the dealer.
The only thing I'll need to take to a shop is the new bumper and fender for painting.

I'm sure there are sketchy dealers out there but I didn't run into any when looking for parts. I had no issues getting OEM airbags. Just need to call around and find a yard that'll ship them.
The only airbag I had to get from the dealer was the driver wheel; salvage yards were charging more than the dealer for it.
I got the interior put back together last night. Installed all airbags and reinstalled the seatbelts and SRS unit, which have now been rebuilt and reset, repaired and reconnected all the torn wiring. Started it up and no SRS codes or lights.

I see no reason to replace the dash bolts and clips just because the dealer says so. Sure, I replaced whatever was broken but reused most all the original hardware, torqued it to spec and good as new.

The only thing I'm waiting on now is the steering rack, at which point I will have everything I need to reassemble the exterior minus the bumper and fender (still need those painted).

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