Radiator core support recommendations
 

The core support in my 69 GTO is in pretty rough shape and I am considering buying a new one instead of repairing the one I have.
I see there are several vendors offering replacement supports. What are the opinions on how well these fit? Is it better to buy a new one or repair the old one?


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Curious about this also ... I have a repop I bought about 15 years ago. I've heard bad things about them. Will actually be trying to install it in a couple of months.

I just bought a repop to address some fitment issues I was having, and right away I can tell you that the angle of the top is all wrong. I have the front bolt for the fenders in, but the rear holes are 1/2" off of the core support.

So discouraging!
I need one for my 68 project and was hoping it was worthwhile

I read a thread on here at one time that said it was less trouble to do rust repair on an original than fix the repops. I know they sell a ton of them.

What I hate is you have to have the car 3/4 assembled before you know if it's crap or not, then you have to pull the thing back apart to fix it, rinse and repeat.

I assume the older one I bought is probably worse than whatever they are making now.

Heck, if the angle is that far off I'd clamp it up side down on my welding bench and get out the hydraulic porta power bend the whole thing.

I found this post in the 70-72 forum. He seems to be happy with it. Not sure how far he has assembled the front clip.

New Core Support for '70 GTO - Review

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sha...p%3Ft%3D793615

In another post they recommend cutting a new on up to repair the original piece.


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Never thought of that .... a repop might make a nice source of multiple "patches" for an original.

Wish I had an original to work with .... last one I had my hands on years ago I threw away because I figured I'd use a repop. Live and learn.

I'll still be trying my repop, all I have to work with right now.

When I built my car back in 2012, I purchased an aftermarket core support from The Parts Place. I did not test fit it before I painted and installed it, only to find that the original core supports are built with a slight tilt forward and the aftermarket stood straight up from the mounts, causing the fender mounting holes to be way out of location. Even with the mounting bolts loosened, I couldn't pull the core support far enough forward to make it work, so I scrapped the aftermarket and rebuilt my original. I used to have pictures that I took showing the difference between the two, but I can't seem to find them on my computer and fear that I may have deleted them.

I know in the northeast a usable core support would be a very hard thing to find ... so it would end up being shipped from the southwest.

I'd seriously probably end up trying to bend a repop before trying to source an original. Maybe tack weld the entire top down to a beam and pull on the bottom with a winch :)

Or you could remove the spot welds on the bottom brace, move the support to the correct angle and then re weld it in the proper position.


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I know that it has been a while since this thread was posted, but I found the photos of my core original core support. The photo of the aftermarket installed on my car shows that the core support stands straight vertical on the car, with no lean forward. The top and bottom plates are parallel to each other. The photo of my original on the concrete shows the bottom plate of the core support is fabricated at and angle, thus allowing for the forward lean. You would have to loosen the mounting bolts and pull the aftermarket forward a long way to get the fender bolts to line up, but the rubber grommets between the frame and core support wouldn't like it much.

I know the OEM units had some lean installed ... but surely not nearly that much. Heck, the radiator would be 3" close to the fan at the bottom.

Someone needs to scare up a photo of an original unit installed but everything else except fender stripped off.

I don't have a side-on view but I do have these. There is definitely a substantial lean..I recall that from when put mine back together. It looks almost wrong if you aren't aware of it.

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1559892184

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1559892184

I got lucky and found a good original 69 radiator support. Looks to have a number stamped in the bottom of the latch area.

I do have a 68 rad support that is fixable on bottom rail.

[email protected]

The original 68 core support has a substantial forward lean. Here’s some side view pics. Also can tell the angle by the profile of the top plate over radiator.

Why do I feel like I'm settin on my ear. :D

Here you go...

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...5&d=1559917162

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...6&d=1559917170

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...7&d=1559917177

Thanks KK68 ! Very nice by the way, thanks for posting.


Frank

Thanks for setting me upright!

Jeez, I forgot the radiator is held by the upper fan guard mount ... yeah that makes more sense.

I'll have to look at my fenders .... but is the fender to core support flange on the fender angled that much?

I guess I will fix the one I have since the repops are not angled correctly.
Can anyone provide me with a measurement of the center to center distance on the holes where the frame mounts are?

I would set the new mounts in the frame and then measure the distance between holes