Rebulding the front end finally :D

[Daven]

Hey everyone First, i would like to apoligize if this wasnt the proper place to post this. I looked at all the sections and figured it wouldnt be something for the RBVs under construction because im not doing my actual build yet. Just hit a bit of a speed bump lol.

As you probably remember from my post a few months back, i was in an accident and messed my front end up. Took a while, but i finally should have all the parts required to rebuild. Big thanks to Andres629 for helping me get alot of the parts!!

So, i need to remove the bumper, fender, whatever the thing that goes between the bumper and the lights/grille is (Lol), and my lights. Damage is on the front drivers side. I also bought clear corners/signals and a billet grille, figured i may as well now lol. Kinda sucks that the bumper is chrome and such, but free is free. And i can always find a better part or paint this one later. At least the fender is a decent black that shouldnt look too off from my truck.

I will be taking alot of pictures as I go for ya Also will be needing some help since this is my first bodywork kind of stuff. Gonna be fun tho.

First things first... What bolts do i need to remove to swap bumpers? Is it the one i have pictured below? If it is those ones, I dont think i have a tool to get that yet. I just have sockets and stuff and it wont clear the bolt, also wrenches have no room to move in the lol. Theres a pic of the tools i have to work with currently. So idk, I'll find something. Maybe have to take a trip to canadian tire or something

Heres some pics about how my truck currently is sitting. I took off all the screws and bolts for the fender, but it is still wedged in i think (or hiding another screw), so im going to take off the bumper and go from there. Also might move the truck somewhere other than the middle of a fairly busy street to work on it lol. The last pic is of the bolts i was wondering about.

Thanks for looking

 

[Andres629]

Take all your grille and light assemblies off first. There will be bolts in behind them holding your fender in place. As far as the bolts on your bumper are concerned, put a socket on the ones that I included on the bumper I gave you to determine the size. You might need a deep socket of the same size.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

For the bumper; use a combination wrench on the nut and a socket and ratchet on the bolt head. Also, sometimes you can get a socket on the nut first and then put the 1/2" ratchet on, it'll barely catch if this works.
For the fenders; do as Andres629 says, and also check the door end of the fender. There's one bolt that you have to access by opening the door and one under neath that you may have missed.
Good luck,

Richard

 

[Daven]

Ok ill look intot his tomorow. The fender is loose all by the door and at the top. Its where the fender cumpled in that it will not come loose so thats why i figured its probably attatched there. The headlights thing would make sense then. It looks like ill need to get a deep socket for the bumper. Ill see if i have money to buy something that will work lol.

 

[Andres629]

That piece just in between your bumper and grille is called the header panel. There is also a bolt holding it to the fender, and only three bolts holding it on total. One on each side (hiding behind the inner fender plastic) and on in the middle under the grille. When I get home I'll take some pictures of what you are looking for.

 

[Daven]

That piece just in between your bumper and grille is called the header panel. There is also a bolt holding it to the fender, and only three bolts holding it on total. One on each side (hiding behind the inner fender plastic) and on in the middle under the grille. When I get home I'll take some pictures of what you are looking for.

Ya i pretty sure thats where the fender is still attatched. I will have to take off the bumper then bend it back out i think. Just confusing because its all crumpled in, so i cant just unbolt everything lol

Anyone know what size the bumper bolts are so i can get the right deep socket?

 

[Andres629]

Put a socket on the ones that I included... On the bumper that I gave you. You'll be able to determine the size that way.

 

[Daven]

Ok getting a new socket set tomorow. So that will be done after i get that. But i tried to take off the lights and grille, but couldnt figure out how the hell im supposed to do it haha. I got the normal screws out, but there are some flat plastic ones that just turn and turn. They are like plastic and it kinda looks like they arent actually holding it. Seems like they are screws held by plastic peices that hook in when u push them thru (kinda like what holds door panels on). But that make no sense lol.

Any chance u guys know what im talking about and how im supposed to get these off? I tried turning them froever and they didnt do a thing lol they just spin and spin. They are at the top, a few holding in the lights and some holding in the grill. As well as some at the bottom of the light i beleive.

 

[Daven]

Ok, i figured out that they were clips or something where u needed to squeeze the bottom with pliers and then unscrew them. Got all the ones out exept the ones that were unaccesable in the back.

Here is where im at now... Got the grille, and headlights out. Tomorow will be getting the tolls needed to take off the bumper, so that will be done tomorow or the next day.

One thing i was a bit confused as to what to do with is the headlight connector is broken on the side that was damaged. Theres some pics incase u dont know what i mean. So, should i just cut the wires and replace the connector with the one i have here with my other light fixture and light? lol

 

[Andres629]

Yeah just splice in the wires. If you know someone witha soldering iron, bonus! Get the to do it for you.

 

[Daven]

Uh-oh... More snow lol... Depending on how bad it gets i might not get too much done lol.

buuuurrr.....

 

[Daven]

Got the bumper off today. tell ya, that was fun... lol I ended up getting a friend to help me hold the wrench in as i kicked it lmao

So now all thats left is the header panel then i can start putting on the new stuff. I looked at the one i am going to be putting on, and it seems it is just held by bolts to the inside fender on either side. So i will have to take off my headlight assembly on the passenger side too to get into that. That should get done tomorow. It snowed hard here today and things are below 0 again, so its a bit more interesting working out there now. But i managed to finish getting the bumper off in it so its not too bad.

Sorry for no pics, it was dark by the time i actually got it off. Im sure u can imagine what it looks like lol. Ill be taking pics as i get all the stuff off and go on from there. Feels great thinking i am so close to driving it again lol

 

[Andres629]

Awesome, will be cool to see before and after pics!

 

[Daven]

So the header panel does only attach on either side to the fenders? Is there anything between them? The way i figured i would have to get them off is take off the passenger-side headlight asembly (other side was obviously out already lol), then take a wrench and just unbolt it. Is this right? Is it attached to the body somehow between the fender and panel?

Also, anything significant i should know when re-assembling everything? Im just basically gonna try to put things back as they were lol. And try to get the driver's side as close to how the passenger side looks so i can bolt everything in nice. I asume it shouldnt be hard... lol

 

[Daven]

Ok, got everything off now.

Now for the real "fun" part...I will need to pull out the front part out a bit since it was pushed in with the rest of the parts. Heres a few pics. Any ideas on how i can do this? It obviously doesnt need to look pretty, just needs to hold everything on again. Sorry about the pics not being right on it, but i couldnt get any good pics of it

EDIT: Just remembered i forgot to post the pics. Lol ill get to that after school