Opinion's on Upper Radiator Core Support

[Propwash]

Hey Gent's...

Looking for some outside opinions on the upper radiator core support on my 69' Roadrunner..

It's kind of hard to tell from the pic I took a while back, but it has 3 long bends/dents along with a several smaller ones. Some of the smaller blemishes I can get out via body dolly/hammer, but the gradual long ones are just too big with conventional hammer/dolly methods. Along with that, the core support is pretty flimsy and would be a sea-saw battle trying to pound anything out with it attached.

The big deal is the radiator core support is original and has the factory VIN stamp still on it. I can easily have access to a replacement support, but obviously it means the no more VIN to match dash. I was able to salvage the back drivers side trunk gutter that has the VIN stamp and will be put back into service once she is on the road..

So I guess the main point of the thread is, do I replace the core support via the means of removal of several easy spot welds and a bit of welding, or try to salvage the original? Is having the VIN stamp a HUGE deal? I'm usually pretty optimistic about tackeling any project on this car, but trying to come up with a plan to get the original perfectly straight has me scratching my head a bit...

Any imput on the VIN issue or ideas to get the original straight would be much appreciated...

 

[detmatt1]

I was up against the same thing on mine except mine had no evidence of a vin stamped anywhere on it, still scratching my head on that one. No evidence of it ever being replaced either. Anyway, what if you tacked a piece of steel angle accross the top, maybe on the inside of the channel, and use a combination of heat and body hammer to straighten it out.

 

[Propwash]

:icon_thumright: Thanks for the imput Matt... I got some 2.5" square tubing I could probably accomplish that with. I guess the best bet would be removing it anyways, lay it on a hard flat surface, use some heat, lay on the 2.5" tubing and use a "Big F'ing Hammer" to flatten her back out to 1969... Massage out the smaller stuff with a body hammer/dolly.

I suppose it's a matter of just stop gazing at it with my hands in my pockets and rip er off and get to it. Worst case senario.....A replacement upper core.
I guess i'm just staling a bit because I would really hate to have spent all this hard work and time on the rest of the metal, only to end up popping the hood and seeing a cobbled core support. Once the radiator's in, it will be real easy to see if the core support is not true.

 

[detmatt1]

No, that IS true!
You can always use filler to aid in smoothing out the repair as well.

 

[Rippin]

My question would be whether the car is matching #s now or not or if partial...ie, motor does not match but trans does. Then, the value of the trunk VIN and radiator support becomes more important if you're worried about potential documentation issues down the road. I for one would just live with a less than perfect core support that was original...in fact, my GTX is a bit dented, than a grafted replacement...just my opinion

 

[hunt2elk]

If you did replace with a new one, why don't you just keep the original. This way you could show a future buyer that the car wasn't seriously smashed and repaired. If it was that important to someone else, they could always weld the original back in.

 

[696pack]

What is you car? Hemi? Six pack? The more valuable it is the more it will be scrutinized if and when you decide to sell it. If it is a 383 car I would not be so concerned about it.

If you want a different core support rather than straightening the original, replace it and keep the original for the next buyer. Take pics of it in the car showing that it was the original to the body and let the next guy be **** about it if he wants to.

There are a lot of old six pack and Hemi cars (more apt to be hard raced and hard on engines) that had the core supports cut up and numbers destroyed or partially from guys cutting them and pop riviting them back into place for easier engine removal back in the day.

 

[66_B_Body4ever]

Fix it!

 

[Patrick]

Get the replacement part. Cut the piece with the vin in it and patch it into the new one.

 

[5wndwcpe]

Get the replacement part. Cut the piece with the vin in it and patch it into the new one.

That was going to be my suggestion, but I figured it'd draw the ire of the rebody Nazis.

 

[Propwash]

Fella's

Lotta great insight here and I really do appreciate you taking the time to reply guys.

To answer a couple questions 1.) No,the motor/tranny is not original. 2.) No, it is not an A12 or Factory Hemi equipped vehicle. Just a run of the mill 383 car. After reading all your posts i'm thinking remove the upper core support, give my best college try at getting her straight again. If I end up turning it into a demolition derby keepsake, well on goes the replacement. Like you guys said, hand over the original to the next buyer and tell him I had to beat off Somalian Pirates or something with it..

The grafting idea definitely raised an eyebrow. With the location of the Stamping, it wouldn't be too hard to do....The only thing that kind of haunt's me a bit there is; say I dont make the graft area totally perfect. A buyer down the road noticing that could look at that is it being a falsified number added in. Obviously I could explain the fix, but you guys know as well as I do, with this hobby, half the time what people say is reality and what really is reality are two very different things...Makes us all weary. I'll know i'm honest about it, but would the buyer agree??? I guess the same could be said for a core support with no VIN. Which is worse?


Thanks again for the imput guys. Its definitely broadened my view of the ordeal. I'm starting to think that with this car not being a higher end premier
A12 or hemi and not having the original # drivetrain, i'm probably making a bigger fuss over that VIN stamp on the core than needed. This car will never be in a museum with mirrors under it and a billboard explaining that god himself vouches for it's originality, but more along the lines of a stroked out liquid dinosaur snorting monster, ungracefully distributing rubber all over our pothole infested back roads up here.

Fix it!

Gonna give her a shot!