If im in the wrong place, please move me to where it should go.

I'm looking into buying a second car to cut the front clip off and use it on my car. How possible is it to do? Just cut straight down from the windshield and weld? anyone have pics of a 3rd gen with the front clip cut off or anything in the process? i found a car locally for $500 and was debating on buying it. needs a battery to run, dont know anything about it but the guy paid 3k and now it has to go.

either way i think i'll buy it cause i can sell it for more than 500 on ebay. or keep it as another fixer upper. thats like buying a set of tires. or i'll part it out.

thanks

 

Why would you do that? If you've got a good car why chop it up?

 

If your car is that damaged you are better off starting with another car that is not dinged up. If you just need the body parts that is different. These cars are a dime a dozen and there are plenty of cheap good shells out there just waiting for your parts.

 

Unless you're a body shop with some high tech body alignment tools, it's not going to be very practical. Third gens don't have a front clip like the first and second gens did. What's considered frame rails is completely part of the unibody construction. A third gen body and frame is nothing but multiple layers of sheetmetal spot welded together. To cut the front off one to graft onto another isn't going to be a simple job. You'd need lots of chassis measurements to get the chassis sheetmetal all back to the original positions then some way to reinforce all the sheetmetal that needs to be welded back together to keep the car together.

Even things like the front inner fenders are part of the suspension since they hold the top of the front struts. Once they're rotten, it costs a lot of money to get then replaced.

It would be easier to start with a new car. When finding a project third gen, the more rust free the better. Pay extra for one with no rust. It's cheaper in the long run.

The first and second gens were simple. 4 bolts plus fenders wiring etc and the whole front clip came off the body.

 

for $500 i wasn't expecting it to be a good car. My car isnt currently wrecked but was in the past, no nose sags and i have it up as high as it will go. the drivers side front is resting on the bump stop and i have no tire clearance problems with that side. the passenger side is about an 1 or 2 away from the bump stop in the front, and it's tearing my inner fender liner to pieces. my rad support looks like it had already been fixed and is still pushed back too far on the pass side, under the wheel well you can see where the impack seperated the undercoating, from inside the engine, you can see where they had fixed the fender rail toards the front, it's all bent back up to match the fender. I'f i can just get it to sit right and not rub i'll be happy. i don't want to raise the car and i don't want to go with smaller wheels.

Just a simple is it possible question before i go buy a car.

Is there somewhere i can get measurments from to see if i can figure out exactly what way my frame needs bent.