73 radiator support has rust .repair/replace?
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Intermediate
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 34
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From: annandale nj
73 radiator support has rust .repair/replace?
o.k. another weekend job that turned into a 2 week job! while replacing the radiator, i found large rust damage on lower edge of the support, someone suggested repairing with bondo. whats your idea on this. p.s. great site, what an education i'm getting......
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 197
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From: joliet il
Re: 73 radiator support has rust .repair/replace? (stumpbuster)
good morning--when i pulled my motor, i decided to just pull EVERYTHING rather than go back in later--my radiator support looked shot--rusted out on both sides near the bottom (complete holes all the way thru) when i saw over $300 for new, i figured "what the heck" may as well try to fix first. i laid it down on some 18 gauge sheet metal and traced, then cut and had my father do some welding--sanding--por15 paint, and for under $40, once its mounted in the car, nobody will know, and it's stronger than new. again, it looked hopeless, but a weekend worth of work saved over a couple $$ :seeya
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,562
Likes: 9
From: B'Ville NY
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05
Re: 73 radiator support has rust .repair/replace? (stumpbuster)
This is a COMMONLY replaced item with C3's . My car is so solid underneath that I was shocked to see how rusted the rad support was when I was under there. I had to replace it, one of the supports was completely gone :( .
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Re: 73 radiator support has rust .repair/replace? (stumpbuster)
IF I had it to do over again, considering all the mods to my car, I would have made my own, that allowed for drainage at the bottom, and dropped the rad about an inch or so, just for the over top clearance for a cold air package....
can be easily done with a custom fab'd piece.....figgered a better way for a custom fan shroud, and better fan mounting, allowing for upper A arm removal without pulling rad/shroud.....
but I bought a 'new' one when I did the job, and regretted it ever since....the gauge of metal in the new one is not as thick....BUT I did drill drain holes in the bottom of it to allow free water flow....extend life....
GENE
can be easily done with a custom fab'd piece.....figgered a better way for a custom fan shroud, and better fan mounting, allowing for upper A arm removal without pulling rad/shroud.....
but I bought a 'new' one when I did the job, and regretted it ever since....the gauge of metal in the new one is not as thick....BUT I did drill drain holes in the bottom of it to allow free water flow....extend life....
GENE
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,121
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From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
Re: 73 radiator support has rust .repair/replace? (stumpbuster)
My car sat in a shed for thirteen years before I bought it, and it still had a rusted thru radiator support. I bought a new one, rust-proofed & painted it with Eastwood rust-pruf and was done with it once and for good. If you shop around you can get a new support for $250 !
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,812
Likes: 4
From: Gig Harbor Wa
Re: 73 radiator support has rust .repair/replace? (killain)
The radiator supports have a bad design. They rust from the inside out. usually you don't even know you have a problem until you can see through the metal. If you have the ability and the resources, build your own.
