arjnmrskr213

I got my 97 civic 2dr coupe back in August, and after many visits to the scrap yard, I had finally gotten my last interior parts (door panels)to complete a really nice interior. Then pulling out the parking lot, I hit a truck. I completely busted my headlight, bumper, bumper beam and worst of all the radiator support got bent towards the left ( i hit the trucks side with my right headlight and the core support was shifted to the left) after close inspection i noticed that where the core support is welded on by the headlights are also slightly bent. I want to go to the junk yard to get a core support, but cut it off by the shock towers. I would just like to get a good idea where to make my cuts, since i will have a body shop weld it in I was thinking of cutting the core support off past the weld on the shock towers. So that whoever istalls it can trim it down properly. Also does anyone have an idea of how much a body shop would charge to cut off my old core support and weld a new core support in its place? Lastly would it be a good ideat to cut of my old support my self or is that doing more harm than good? I know it would be cheaper to just get another body to put all the parts off my civic, but since my brother helped in purchasing the car, its something I wanna try and hold on to as long as i can.

chrysler kid

As deep as you want the front end cut a body shop would charge over $3500 just to weld and align the front end.

Transfer the parts to a new shell and keep the old shell in your backyard or in storage if it has sentimental value until you decide you want to fix it again. Learn how to weld over time and fix the damage yourself eventually

arjnmrskr213

What if i were only to get the radiator support replaced? How much would you think that would be if I supplied the core suport and i got the car ready myself meaning taking off fenders,hood and maybe if its not to complicated removing the old core support my self? The sheet metal thats in between the core suport and the shock towers is not that bad.
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arjnmrskr213

By the way, i have read that coupes and sedans share the same fenders, front bumper, lights and hood. So i would imagine the radiator support is the same right?

98civdx

You do realize the core support is spot welded in and if you drill those out, it will come out of the car, right?

You removing the body panels wont help much. they will need to re install all of that to properly align the core support.

chrysler kid

Yes however if the frame rail is bent the new radiator support will not line up correctly.

The radiator support holds the headlights and hood latch, and is positioned at the front of the frame rails. You could put a new radiator support on the car but you would never be able to get the hood to latch or line up correctly because it is centered on the frame rails. If yours are bent it needs to be pulled and aligned buy a body shop because you have frame damage.

Could you just replace just the radiator support, sure why not. You could also just use a bunch of screws and pieces of wood to hold the headlights and fenders together.

eghatch9295

iTrader: (1)

1. go buy a spot weld drill bit
2. with yours removed, start measuring/checking for level
3. if rails are ok, drill "new" support off of the donor chunk of car you cut
4. re attach, spot weld (preferred), or screw it on.

pics of car as-is would help, A LOT.

arjnmrskr213

Thats the right frame rail where the top of the core support attaches. Its really not that bad i think

Another view of the right frame rail

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arjnmrskr213

It wasnt going very fast when i hit the truck, i had come to a complete stop at at the exit of the parking lot and started to turn left when i hit the side of the truck.

eghatch9295

iTrader: (1)

i don't see much damage there at all. small dents in the fender well area, i don't see anything on the rail. can you take one from the front of the car?

chrysler kid

Yeah if those are the pictures, and your air bags didn't deploy the radiator support is tack welded to the car. Find the dimples and drill them out.

arjnmrskr213

There isnt alot of twisted metal, one thing for sure is the bumper beam wont bolt back on because it was ripped off the right side from the hit. But no airbags went of or anything. I was wondering if the core support mighr be able to be straighten out. I just got an estimate on swapping core support and they said if i supplied the core support it would be anywhere from 450 to 600

eghatch9295

iTrader: (1)

swap the support yourself, its easy. it isn't that bad, iv'e pulled worse with tow straps and my favorite tree.

arjnmrskr213

What places is the core support? Can the support be straighten out

eghatch9295

iTrader: (1)

dude there are a ton of threads about it online, google search it. i don't mind helping, but put a little effort in and detailed pictures can be had. if you have limited bodywork experience, which it seems you do, replacement is probably a better option than trying to straighten it. if you don't mind imperfect results, try straightening it... you can always remove/replace if you fail. it does not take much force to pull a core support out.

arjnmrskr213

hey man trust me i dont mind putting effort on my part, i love working on my car. Ill try everything from electrical to mechanical work. Its just i have never been that great a body work. Thats why i wanna ask as many questions as i can before getting into trying to fix it myself
myself and making things worse.

eghatch9295

iTrader: (1)

try yanking it out. since its already fucked up, and you have a replacement, go to town. if you don't like how it turns out, go buy a spot weld drill bit and replace it. the spot welds are the small dimples (appx the size of the diameter of a pencil)

arjnmrskr213

Would a core support like this one be hard to instal by myself and an experianced welder?

eghatch9295

iTrader: (1)

no, and there is no need to weld it

arjnmrskr213

I just wanted to make sure cause this core support that someone is selling is cut past the headlights, its cut by the shock towers. Also the bottom has a bit of the frame rails. I ask because someone said it would be harder to aling than a core support that was cut past the headlights

arjnmrskr213

If I updated to the 2000 front end, can I still use the same bumper beam/inner bumoer?
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eghatch9295

iTrader: (1)

yes. why are you buying a used core support? drilling out all of those spot welds twice sucks. i have no idea where you live, but check out certifit.com and see if there is a location near you. if not, amazon/ebay.

arjnmrskr213

The reason i was planning on buying a used core support is because for one it would be an OEM replacement part, and second is that its already silver just like my honda. That way untill i paint the whole car at least u wont see two missmatched colors but if you think its alot easier to just buy an aftermarket im open to suggestions
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eghatch9295

iTrader: (1)

aftermarket. go to paintscratch.com, order a can of paint matched to your car for around $30 shipped. paint, job done. the color matching a used part idea is ****, especially if you do weld... paint has to be ground off at the weld points.

arjnmrskr213

well now that you brought up the fact about buying a used core support, i thought what "IF THE CORE SUPORT IM BUYING HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY HIT BUT IT ISNT NOTICEABLE AND I GO THRU THE PAIN OF WELDING IT IN ONLY TO HAVE TO STRAIGHTEN IT OUT" So i think i am gonna go with a new core support. Where can i find a new core but that has the bottom frame rails and side aprons like the one in the pic i posted
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