Paint & Body Work Custom Painting | Panel Repairs & Replacement

How to replace frame from firewall forward?

Old Jul 2, 2010 | 08:53 PM
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Default How to replace frame from firewall forward?

I keep searching for how to change out or replace the front clip but keep coming up with LT1->LS1 fender/bumper swaps. I want to know what's involved with changing the WHOLE front clip...i.e. the frame structure from the firewall forward. I'm thinking you'd have to cut the old frame away and weld the replacement frame back on? Anyone have some body diagrams they could share so I can visualize the front clip structure better? Thanks!
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Old Jul 2, 2010 | 10:43 PM
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I saw a rolling chassis on ebay go for 650. Do you already have the new front chassis yet? i dont think i could bring myself to driveing something that was hacked up like that no offence to you. Thats your life that it can save. deff need a pro to do it. you might just want to look for a whole doner depending on what your skill level is at you might come out better
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Old Jul 3, 2010 | 07:22 AM
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See my thread on what my situation is. I've located a few cars that have sound bodies. Swapping my stuff into a V6 F-Body is probably going to be the best idea. I was just curious about how one would swap front clips versus putting the car on a frame straightening machine.
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Old Jul 4, 2010 | 09:02 AM
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ya know we techs can fix allot of frame damage, the ONLY time we cut and section in new rails is if its beyond the kink vs bend rule, any other time we can fix allot of frame sway and frame mash

and if your car needs a entire front clip, if you dont have experience in sectioning frames and dont have frame dimensions your going to have a disaster on your hands, so lets see some pics of said frame damage then we can go from there
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Old Jul 4, 2010 | 11:12 AM
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Thanks for the feedback bdyman. I'll try and get some shots of the frame damage and post them up.
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Old Jul 4, 2010 | 07:01 PM
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I just pulled the frame out on mine yesterday, hope yours can pull out
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Old Jul 6, 2010 | 10:04 AM
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Originally Posted by mattyj385
I just pulled the frame out on mine yesterday, hope yours can pull out
How badly was your frame bent and how much did it cost to do it?
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Old Jul 6, 2010 | 06:55 PM
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the shop where i work frame labor is 90 per hour, 1.5 hour set up, then pull time, then repair time to the frame, then repair time to the core support, upper rails=pull time al 90 a hour

then i would want all the parts to fit and make sure everything fits, just a tid bit of info i-car says 2-4 mm if a frame is off by 5mm its no good keep pulling
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