Trans Am with front end damage fixable?
10-20-2011, 10:15 PM
#1
Staging Lane
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Trans Am with front end damage fixable? I am looking at getting a 95 trans am convertible. The car was in a front end collision and needs a fender, bumper, hood and headlight brackets.
I figured that wasn't a huge deal so I went to check it out.
I found that the radiator cradle is bent to hell, and it pushed the radiator up a few inches so the hood won't close. It looks like the beam on the driver side is bent a little as well (frame rail?)
So is it a huge deal to repair the damage? Is the cradle welded into place or does it bolt on? Is it possible to get a new cradle?
I swapped the front on my 94 a to LS1 front end, so I'm not to worried about installing the bodywork. I drove the car around the block and it drove nice and smooth , no pulling or shaking...
Here is a crappy pic of the damage:
I figured that wasn't a huge deal so I went to check it out.
I found that the radiator cradle is bent to hell, and it pushed the radiator up a few inches so the hood won't close. It looks like the beam on the driver side is bent a little as well (frame rail?)
So is it a huge deal to repair the damage? Is the cradle welded into place or does it bolt on? Is it possible to get a new cradle?
I swapped the front on my 94 a to LS1 front end, so I'm not to worried about installing the bodywork. I drove the car around the block and it drove nice and smooth , no pulling or shaking...
Here is a crappy pic of the damage:
Last edited by cyteone; 10-20-2011 at 10:23 PM.
10-21-2011, 07:52 PM
#4
the "radiator cradle" as you refer to it, is called a core support and yes it takes some knowledge and skill to replace, and it isn't going to be cheap unless you know some bodymen personally. And that frame horn is fucked, and is also going to need replaced. The core support is going to be about $400 new from GM, and I'm not sure if you can order new frame horns. You might be better off getting a front clip from a junk yard.
