I would only like to remove the radiator core support. Can this be done without removing everything? I was thinking about just removing the header panel and using a long 2x4 a few inches longer than the space between the fenders. And use it to open the gap between the fenders for the core support to be lifted out. Would this work and what other issues will I have or cause?

I think you will find it easier to remove the fenders and will be less likely to damage removing them. I myself have never tried this but don't think it would be to easy.

No matter how you try it, it would probably be much easier in the long run to remove at least one fender if not both. Better to take your time remove the fender or fenders than risk damaging another area. I never tried it but if you take the front end apart and loosen up one side fender you may have some luck. Give it a shot! Just be very careful. Worst case the fenders come off anyway.

Scott

It can be done, I did it on a 68 I owned several years ago. It had a nos radiator support and I wanted to keep it before I sold the car. The car had no motor in though and if you have a nice car may be a lot harder than the way I did it. I didn't remove the header panel either. Good luck!

It can be done, I did it on a 68 I owned several years ago. It had a nos radiator support and I wanted to keep it before I sold the car. The car had no motor in though and if you have a nice car may be a lot harder than the way I did it. I didn't remove the header panel either. Good luck!

How did you do it? As I look further I think I will need to take out a couple of bolts that mount the fender to the inner fender and loosen the bolt by the firewall. Giving enough room for the fenders to spread. I will be easy and check and recheck as not to damage peices. About the only rusty parts on the car are the core support and the pass. inner fender from battery acid.

How did you do it? As I look further I think I will need to take out a couple of bolts that mount the fender to the inner fender and loosen the bolt by the firewall. Giving enough room for the fenders to spread. I will be easy and check and recheck as not to damage peices. About the only rusty parts on the car are the core support and the pass. inner fender from battery acid.

Ok, I had to do some thinking about this. First off I bought this car as a roller, it came with GM quarters and outer wheelhouses (not installed yet) and a muncie in the trunk. The Gm core support was installed and there were no inner fenders. Pretty rusty car, I kept all the GM sheet metal and the muncie and sold the car.
Now since your passenger side inner fender is rusty start there and remove it. Obviously you have 2 bolts in the drivers side inner fender to remove, the core support to frame bolts and bushings, hood latch and brace, 2 bolts at each side on top at the fenders, fender brace bars, radiator and possibly your cooling fan. Also I think you already know, headlight buckets and wiring, basically everything attached to the front side. The fender bolts at the firewall should hold everything up, but you could brace it from the ground with some 2x4's if you want.
Start at the passenger side and slide the core support back(towards the firewall) and as you are doing this also start sliding towards pass. side fender( pulling in 2 directions at the same time) at a certain point you will be clear of both fenders at the top and should be able to lift it out. Wont be easy but if your careful and take your time I'm sure you can do it. Now keep in mind I had no engine in this car and I cant remember how far I had to slide it until it cleared, I still think it will work though.
I sold the car I was speaking of with no core support and with the hood down you could hardly tell. I was not being super careful either.
I would try and have a helper to avoid scratches etc. Good luck and God bless!
Travis

I did mine recently and kept both fenders on, including the inner fenders, with the motor in. The car had come back from paint with everything cut in including paint on the inner fenders, so I also had to make sure I didn't scratch anything. I used the blue painters tape on areas where it might scratch and didn't get any nicks or scrapes.

I should note that I do have solid mount body bushings, and I don't know how the standard factory ones look (when new) or connect. My bushings are two pieces of aluminum. When you remove the body bolt, you can slide the core support and bushing more or less around.

The 'trick' is that you have to move the bottom of one side of the core support towards the engine, to the point that you can pivot the core support out. It turned out to be fairly easy and didn't require realignment of the fenders, etc.

-Kevin

I did mine recently and kept both fenders on, including the inner fenders, with the motor in. The car had come back from paint with everything cut in including paint on the inner fenders, so I also had to make sure I didn't scratch anything. I used the blue painters tape on areas where it might scratch and didn't get any nicks or scrapes.

I should note that I do have solid mount body bushings, and I don't know how the standard factory ones look (when new) or connect. My bushings are two pieces of aluminum. When you remove the body bolt, you can slide the core support and bushing more or less around.

The 'trick' is that you have to move the bottom of one side of the core support towards the engine, to the point that you can pivot the core support out. It turned out to be fairly easy and didn't require realignment of the fenders, etc.

-Kevin


Did you have to remove the front header panel? I have everything unbolted at this time from the core support.

Sorry I forgot to mention the part about the header panel. I didn't have one on the car, or the lower valance, not that that should matter. After taking the four bolts out on the core support that bolt to the front of the fenders, I was surprised that things didn't move much, so I'm not sure if you need to remove the header panel. The only thing you have to do is move the fenders up about 1/16" to get the core support out from under tabs that stick out from the fenders.

Thinking while I'm typing, since I had a motor in, once I angled the core support where it was free, I think I backed it out from the front, since I didn't have a header or front valance panel in. I also did this by myself, if you had a helper, you might be able to pick it straight up once you have it angled enough.

-Kevin

I removed mine and left on the fenders and inner fenders and engine too. It was actually pretty simple at least for me.
pics are in my folder here (http://www.carsbyjim.com/storage/FrontEndProject/)

Removed it yesterday when I got snowed in. When I removed the latch support, I was then able to tilt the radiator support more toward the engine without it hitting the latch support. Popped it right out. Now I am contemplating on whether to do the inner fender since I'm this far. But I ran into one ^$#&ing rusty rounded off bolt and jnut in the corner by the wheel well and lower skirt. So I walked away to cool off. Hope I can get a cutting wheel or grinder in there and get that Jnut outta there. Can I remove the inner fender without removing the outer? All this for a nice new aluminum radiator. Go figure!