Wrecked Front End 2G GSX - Repair Options ?

[2GbTalonGuy]

Black Widow, I would ask why doing the whole thing ? Unless you have serious rot/rust/damage. I would leave the bottom rail alone. Looks much harder to remove , IMO.

I am doing it because the bottom core support is bent. So much so that the ac condenser wont fit in properly. I want to just replace the whole thing, as it looks easier, and I can buy a whole new rediator support, and I cant find just the bottom support bar.

 

[rhodes2010]

As many here have pionted out before... mitsubishiparts.com does a good job.

MitsubishiParts.com :: Original parts for your Mitsubishi

The radiator support diagram is under radiator after picking make,model,year.
It looks like the lower tie (radiator support) is $98.75 plus tax and shipping.

I found complete ones for $175 to $225 on line also.
I am lucky in that I have a Mitsubishi parts dealer near where I work so
I can get accurate part numbers before ordering and to pick up small stuff.

Like the factory plastic fasteners which all needed to be replaced.

 

[rhodes2010]

So tonight I started the GSX for the first time since the accident.
It runs and idles great. No strange noises and no check engine light.
Was worried about the MAF, and of course other metal to metal sounds from debris that might have gotten in the intake.

The tube where the BOV recirculates into the intake was shattered. Made a new one out of 1 inch PVC (sched 40). The K&N filter and adapter also were crushed so used stock intake air box.

Cleaned all the intake pipes with brake cleaner then used shop vac to dry and clear debris. Intercooler too. Vacuumed out the turbo, but was careful because no oil was flowing through the bearing.

Tomorrow will replace the bumper supports, bumper, fenders, headlights.
Need to run it over to the glass place for a windshield.
Next we will sand , prime, spray some paint and clear coat.

 

[NightRiderSRT4]

coming along nicely! good job

 

[rhodes2010]

Well. We are driving it now. Got a P0505 error and am looking at the ISC/IAC and going to test it tomorrow with a meter. Driving it anyway as it drives fine.
I think it runs rich, but still ok. Had new windshield installed today.

I tried to delete pictures from my other posts as they don't seem relevant anymore. Anyone know how to do that ? Edit just let's me change text.

So pretty much we got a beginning an and end . Although I still have to paint.

We put on the old silver bumper skin from the first picture, hard to believe it worked at all.
We are spending extra time prepping the replacement bumper and decided
to use old one in meantime.

The work is not perfect, but for a first time from non-professionals I am pretty proud of it. Hope this post has given hope and encouragement to anyone that has a collision and wants to do it themselves.

I owe this forum bigtime!

 

[rhodes2010]

Someone asked for a picture of how we pulled the front out.
Here you see a engine puller (cherry picker) to lift the crushed radiator support.
I also used a cable type puller anchored to the engine puller to pul the radiator support forward.

So lift and forward allowed me to get behind the damaged radiator support
and allowed me to remove parts and get at everything that was crushed.
Radiator was twisted, but I was able to twist it back. Expansion/overflow tank survived to.

The pulling was a creative process, looking at each area, puling a little here and there.
I used one of the upper radiator steel mounts to attach to various places to pull.

The cars weight was all it took to allow the steel to go back to original shape.

A steel punch (and a horse shoe stake) with a hammer were used sparingly to
craft all the angles and get it back where it all should be.

Everything is bolted in under the hood, stock airbox (K&N was crushed),
cruise control, intercooler and related plastic. We made sure everything aligned before moving to next step.

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

Wow man. You sure showed all of the nay-sayers wrong with that fix.

 

[rhodes2010]

Okay - One year later. We had the car professionally painted.
Hope you all think it looks good.

The color was Cyber Metallic Gray. The independent shop we chose turned
out to be a mixed bag of some great work, and some not so great work.
I do have fog lights in now. Was able to buy many parts from dealer for less
than used, that was cool.
We also went after sound and installed Inifiniti Kappa front and rear (6.5 front , 6x9 rear). These all went in easily, although there is a small trick in the rear and
it did not involve pounding for clearance. Cheap new head unit with iPod control and bluetooth from Dual (model 6630). We are happy with it.

 

[4g63tc]

I wish i had seen this thread about a year ago, I had all the exterior body parts, and fusebox electrical just sitting in my garage....in Palmdale.


And in Silver Minden Pearl.

 

[4g63dreams]

I'm wondering... I also have some front end damage. But I'm no where near experienced to fix it myself and I may get impatient waiting since its the winter.

Will those same pieces on MP.com work on a eagle talon tsi 96?
I"ll probably do CF hood and hatch over OEM, but keep bumpers & skirts 2gb.

I am looking to get this done asap, and have an about 3k limit. (Hope to start it by feb1st)...

 

[spyderinak]

Car looks great, like the color. Nice job getting it back on the road again.

 

[mitch rich]

This is an awesome thread! Its awesome how you saved it after you were thinking about just taking all the parts from it! It looks amazing man.

 

[vtrevor0221]

I have a 98 GST that has some pretty bad front in damage on it too. I like a lot of things about this car but there werea lot of things that broke. Mainly the front end, steering, the engine and transmission are gone (flywheel fell off while driving). I want to swap the parts i like in to my RS (ie power windows and rear hatch). This was a great thread!

 

[jasjasbinks]

great job!!! very impressed sir

 

[97gst_spyder]

Looks great! Happen to still have the crushed fuse box??

 

[DSM_PWR]

Wow very impressive!

Congrats, car looks great

 

[dsmrebel084]

Great job and nice color

 

[rhodes2010]

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NO WAY! - I am starting over AGAIN - it just got towed home. Like 4 years after the first time.
Rear ended a car that stopped on the freeway here in California.
Okay, who thinks that running into things is totally stupid! Seriously, when you all see the pics
I will post it will be crazy. It looks just like last time.
Hood, Headlights, bumper, left fender for sure, new radiator this time. And the upper radiator support
all bent. But - the fuse box is intact and not broken - good news.

Could use some of the parts listed in case anyone has them.

Thanks.

 

[sharkbait689]

Oh man, im sorry, thats hilarious and horrible at the same time. At least you know what to do this time. Also, you might want to install one of those huge black bumper things you see on trucks (at least the ones around here, where people dont even slow down when a deer is on the road). No idea how the logistics of it would work but you seem to need it. And i thought drivers here were bad.

 

[rhodes2010]

I no longer own the engine puller (cherry picker) to do the pulling on the bent radiator support.
So I used a heavier vehicle, a cable puller, and for height a hand truck.
When I need some straight forward pulling I went from radiator support to hitch, if I need to pull up (which
it needed a lot of being pulled up) I used a hand truck to give some height.
We still might purchase a new radiator support, but now at least I can get the radiator out.
Hard to believe, but the AC still works! Car starts and runs fine. Got a new radiator on the way.
I probably can re-use the electric fans, but maybe I will replace them since they are out.
Some headlights and I am at least street legal again.

 

[danielsl1999gsx]

HAHAHA this sucks hard but i cant stop laughing, like really? Talk about bad luck. Well you did it once before and it came out great im sure you can do it just a good again. Good luck man, sorry about your car.

 

[Christoph]

This is some serious bad luck, I started reading from page one and was so happy to see you had fixed your car, then I saw the dates and was wondering why in the world this post was bumped.

Come to find you did it again ! Repacing the radiator supports is not that big of a deal, I replaced mine in a day including drilling out spot welds, grinding, fitting and then welding it all back. Two people make it go a lot faster. Hope all goes well, doesnt look too bad.

 

[keltalon]

eeewh nasty!

 

[rhodes2010]

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As suggested, maybe this mod would help.

 

[rough]

Man, I feel you!! I hope you got your money's worth
I spent 7 years in Cali, Never will I go back!! Worlds worst drivers!
Not to mention yall have no water... Bad times!!