Radiator support panel?

[azzfox]

Hey guys, well today I went to a more reputable panel beater for a quote on my car. Now he said to do the job properly and square everything up the radiator support panel will need to be removed and a new one fitted. He explained and showed me why and it all makes sense, something the local joint never said a word about. And they dont even need the new panels to make sure it will all line up properly again, unlike the local joint...

Anyway lol Im going to be the one to hunt one of these bad boys down. Now my question is, is the radiator support panel considered to be one panel? So if I demand Holden to give me one, will I get what I need? And if anyone knows, what ballpark figure do these sell for?

Cheers.

[greenfoam]

About 330 bucks for the top section, brand spank, but call Holden and see

[azzfox]

Top section? Is that the very top bit that reaches from one side of the car to the other? If so theres nothing wrong with that. I think Im needing the bottom section. I just thought it would all come as one piece?

Im lost. Hence this thread

Pic for clarity


Edit: "top section" looks to be a bit damaged.

[greenfoam]

Well go ask Holden or just go and cut one off a VN at the wreckers

[azzfox]

hehehe I asked if it could be second hand and he said its not really worth it because of how its welded in with the chassis rail and whatever. Wreckers cant save me this time

No doubt a cut and shut is possible but probably not there way of doing things.

[Morton]

Well, no. It's spot welded together if I recall, and there's no neat (cheap) way of cutting and re-doing spot welds.

[Blown V6 Hatch]

As a panel beater, i will say you can grind spot welds off second hand panels without any damage to the required panel/s. It's just a matter of knowing the right way to go about it... I've re-spot welded second hand panels, looks factory. Ring Holden and ask for a Radiator support Panel, it will come complete.

[azzfox]

Cheers for the tip. I dont think I will attempt to salvage panels myself

Waiting for a reply from Holden...

[VN_Luke]

You can drill out the spot welds with a spot weld drill bit then the panels simply unstich.

afterwards you can fill the holes from the drill with weld, and presto - re spot welded panel!

[azzfox]

Well Holden want $434.50 and said its all one piece. Thats a bit more than I was expecting. But I guess genuine parts for a 19 year old car would be getting limited.

How many spot welds are we talking about? But I still dont think its a job for me though lol

[Reaper]

You can drill out the spot welds with a spot weld drill bit then the panels simply unstich.

afterwards you can fill the holes from the drill with weld, and presto - re spot welded panel!

Got it in 1. Makes re-attaching it a neat and easy job actually. Done it a couple of time myself. Can be a bit time consuming to drill them out but shouldn't take more than an hour or so if the front end bits are off the car.

Reaper

[Blown V6 Hatch]

Yeh, drilling the welds out and plug welding it back on is good, but i prefer to grind the welds off from behind (leaves no holes in the panel you want) then spot weld it back on with a spot welder. Wouldn't even know it's been damaged. However, now that i'm out of the trade, i don't have access to a spot welder so plug welds it is

Edit: $430 is too much to spend on a VN :P Get a second handie, the panel shop will probably hate you, but thats bad luck.

[yon]

in the pic it looks as though u have serious chassis rail damage! might help if u get a car-o-liner chassis spec sheet and do some measurements and compare,then you'll know what u need for sure.thats what panel beaters will do first anyway,wont cost anything.seems u need more than rad support panel goin by pic,the whole front chassis could be pushed over(both rails).looks like u need whole left skirt & tower($200)+rail($400)new(maybe higher price now)+$400 for rad supp panel.you can get whole shell for $400 at wreckers.if panel beaters do it, the costs just keep snowballin to same price as buyin another car.hope this helps in some way.

[azzfox]

Im 99% sure they will measure it all up. They advertise having a "car aligner measuring system" so I would hope they know what theyre doing. Ive been flat out at work so nothings been done this week. When Im not at work Im sleeping, and I get one day off this week so rebuilding a new shell is pretty much out of the question.

1988 200TH ANIVERSARY MODEL VN COMMODORE - eBay, Restoration, Salvage, Cars, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 25-Jan-10 06:52:46 AEDST)

But I did find this gem on ebay and I would sooo buy it if I had the time (inspect it first of course) and mum wasnt complaining of wanting her car back . But I did also have the thought of buying a cheap run-around car for work, which also gives me more flexibility to do other things to the car and would keep the K's off it. Dont really have the room for another car here though lol

Just a thought...

[gen3]

me and the old man did all that . got one from pic a part that was white and now you wouldnt even know