My hatch was recently stolen and recovered and im now in the process of rebuilding!! It acquired some front end damage from the tow truck picking it up and dumping it in the towyard with no wheels on it!! I have all the parts for the conversion but i need to also replace the damaged radiator support and dont know if i should stick with the 96-98 support or if i should go with the 99-00 support if possible. Will the 99-00 bolt up to my 97 frame??

 

Yeah it'll work.

 

Thanks, hopefully its as easy as i got the answer to that ??

But do you know why the part #s are different?? or why they just dont keep it uniform from 96-00??

 

Because the 99-00 are different from the 96-98. Usually when people do the 99-00 to 96-98 conversion they end up having to modify where the bumper mounts to the radiator support. So if you are doing the 99-00 conversion you wont have to worry about modifying it.

If you look at the individual parts for a 96-98 or 99-00 the only part numbers that are different are the headlight parts. Thats where the bumper mounts to.

 

I used my 96-98 radiator support, I just had to drill 2 holes, the mounting for the bumper cover is different. If you're already buying the radiator support, you may as well buy the 99. Everything should bolt right up without any modification.

 

get which coresupport you can find cheapest, either will work.

 

That's exactly my reason for asking!! I found a deal on a 99-00.

Thanks for all input!

 

if you found a good deal on the 99-00 i would go with it IMO

 

NO!

 

it will bolt right up you jus gota either tuck the bumper or nitch out a piece off the radiator support so the tabs will slide in on the bumper cover

 

OOOHHH!!!! Yea, I forgot, you gotta use that special spotweld socket to remove the spotweld bolts. So silly of me!

 

Theres a particular drill bit to drill out spotwelds. Its not really cheap, easier to have a bodyshop handle it if your replacing the core support, but its not necessary.

 

get you back started 2000 front bumper and fenders 150$ no grille HMU and also rear bumper with lip