Hammer Time

[etc1006]

Hammer Time updated

Well, I started to pull stuff off to replace the radiator today. It seems that top driver sdie that has been pushed back is back a bit too far... I can't get the fans out. In fact the shroud has a hunk out of it from hitting the corner of the valve cover on the front d/s corner. The neighbor who helped with the brakes last week offered his come-along, I also have a 1 ton chain fall. I'm prolly gonna try the come-along/tree/BFH shadetree body & fender one day this week. I'd be happy just to be able to pull it enough to remove the fans and radiator. If I can get it even straighter, sweet! The only way to see that it was pushed was the "L" bracket behind the headlite was about 2" back from the headlite panel. I posted some pics of this when I picked er up a coupl of weeks ago. I'm figuring that the radiator is cracked approx 1/3 of the way down on that side. I will throw another condensor in while I'm there. It still has a little bit pressure. I'm going to convert to r134, as I have the kit from my old Probe when I sold it. Was a real blast pulling the bumper cover this afternoon! Lotsa skin removed from my knuckles in the fenderwells. Wish me luck. Have done this before on the lower core supports of Mustangs...

 

[etc1006]

Went to Dan's today to get some parts. While there I got to looking at the 92 carcass we have waiting to get the windsheild out of for my car. I looked at the core support really well without the motor et al in it... I got a real good look at the back side of where mine is bent back. At the top driverside of the radiator. This area looks pretty easy to deal with in the method I have laid out in my above post...
But- for ***** and giggles backup plan out came the sawzall and I cut from the top welds on the corner at the d/s fender well (where the airbox is) down to the airbox hole. Straight forward on top of the tube. Straight across the front headlite area, curved down to the pinch welds approx 1/2 way down the core support and in. Then went to the other side and just cut straight down in the headlite area and in. It looks to be a fairly easy replacement, should the need arise. Would the car need to be on jackstands with the suspension unloaded while I splice this piece in? Or on the wheels? I do have some body experience, nothing formal. Was planning on drilling out the existing spotwelds to to the work. Any body folks out there with some advise. It figures the only way to replace the radiator is this route. But, hey I usually dont do things small!
Here's a pics of the damage.

You can see the L bracket that bolts to the header panel right behind the fishtank is approx 2" away from where it should be. There is no damage on the passenger side. I'm thinking someone hit a trailer hitch or the like at one time...

 

[etc1006]

Good news / Bad news. Good - The core support pulled back very nicely (pics later) Only took about 3 cranks with the come-along. I was expecting a fight... Really suprised me. A few whacks here and there to smooth out a couple remaining wrinkles and waves and it looks almost new! Now I can actually see the oil filter! Bad news - the extra radiator is bad.... Rrrrgh, I'm gonna wrestle it out and go to a shop to see how much to repair it. I need to make some headway one of these days...
Heres the after:

 

[etc1006]

I hung the header panel back on today and the core support is MUCH improved over before! Its only about 3/8" or so gap from the bracket now. I probably should have had the panel handy when it was still hooked up to the chains and tree, maybe 1 more crank would have nailed it. I can live with this. Now to get it back together.

 

[MelectroK]

Thats a dirty sho

 

[etc1006]

LOL! I know, Dan washed the outside before I came up to see it. I think the Pa insp. stickers died 4/04 or 2/04, its been sitting at least that long. The metal tag that was on it didn't even have a sticker on it yet. There is still some residue from the Pa temp tag stuck on the back window...