Buyer Beware !!!

[Adams89]

I recently bought a Core Support for my 1988 Notch. Anyone that has ever removed a core support from one of these cars know that it is a project. I decided to start removing the part only after checking on Late Model Restoration's website and making sure it was available. It was, and so I began the process of drilling out the dozens of spot welds. After alot of work, the core support was out and the new one was on its way. Now, under the description of the core support on the website there was a note; *This support does not include reinforcement panels. Your existing panels must be reused. I admit that I wasn't quite sure what panels they were talking about. When the part arrived, much to my dismay the panels they were talking about was the entire back half of the core support !!! The only way to ever use this part from the website would be to find a used core support in another donor mustang that is unwrecked and not rusted. Then you have to do the task of removing it from the car. Then, as if you would ever do this, drill out the dozens of spot welds holding all of the thin panels together and harvest the "reinforcement panels". Frankly, if you found a core support in good shape, and went through the trouble of removing the core support from the donor car, why would you ever tear the harvested core support apart to put the new skin on ! Its in good shape ! Long and short, if you have an 83 to 89 mustang with a wrecked or rusted core support, find one is a donor car and use it. I can hardly see an instance where the part from Late Model Restoration would be useful. Here's the kicker, I was charged $15 to have the part shipped to my door. When I realized that it was of no use to me, they wanted me to pay $60 to send it back for a refund. Leaving me with no part and $75 in the hole. Now after speaking to the man on the phone at LMR I quickly realized that I was getting no where in relaying my frustration. I asked for a supervisor and got one. After we went round and round on the phone he ended up taking car of me and I commend them for that. I will continue to be a customer of theirs, but felt it my duty to warn my fellow stangbangerz of the instance. I feel better now !

[84stang]

I have a nice core support if you still need one.

[INSANEBA]

I actually plan on doing one in my car this winter. Great info, I know where I WONT be getting one from! Thanks for the heads up!

[foxbody]

if the reinforcement panels are not damaged its not all that bad, i replaced with a support from lmr and it was rather easy. of course i was tore in deeper than the core support anyways...my reinforcement panels were bent up a little and were no problem to straighten out once the front part of the support was removed...now fitment on the other hand... it is not going to fit like your factory support, i think they must have some idiots slinging these when they are stamped and there must be little to no quality control.. the radius' DO NOT MATCH from left to right side.. if i had it to do over again, i would find a doner car to get a support from. just my 2 cents.

[Adams89]

Thats my point exactly Foxbody. By the time you remove your somehow undamaged reinforcement panels, getting it to go onto the new outside panel EXACTLY where they need to be would be a monumental task. Also if you don't get it right you won't know until you weld the repaired core support back into the frame, bumper, headlight support, headlights, radiator and the front fenders. Once this is allllll back on, then you will be able to tell if you got it right and god help you if its wrong ! I am probably just going to straighten out my old core support and weld it back in.
84 Stang, what year is your core support out of.....an 84 ?

[Adams89]

Side note, I have not been able to find anyone that makes a complete core support for 83 to 89. LMR says that its because someone holds the patent and refuses to let it go. Per LMR, you also cannot use the complete 90 to 93 core support that they sell and try to modify it for 83 to 89. Something to do with all of the brackets for the airbag setup. Heads UP !

[foxbody]

i started drilling spot welds before the core support arrived and was removing the whole thing.. by the time it showed up i was ready to yank it all out and realized what the reinforcement panels were and decided to leave them in the car. it worked out pretty good leaving them in the car. and no alignment problems.. just tweaked them where they needed tweaking and clamped it all up n welded back in.. but if you were to pull the panels off of the car, i could definately forsee problems. so if you decide to use the support, definately leave the reinforcement panels attached to the car. maybe an extra 30 or so spot welds but its relatively quick work.. best of luck to you whatever route you decide to take.

[84stang]

Thats my point exactly Foxbody. By the time you remove your somehow undamaged reinforcement panels, getting it to go onto the new outside panel EXACTLY where they need to be would be a monumental task. Also if you don't get it right you won't know until you weld the repaired core support back into the frame, bumper, headlight support, headlights, radiator and the front fenders. Once this is allllll back on, then you will be able to tell if you got it right and god help you if its wrong ! I am probably just going to straighten out my old core support and weld it back in.
84 Stang, what year is your core support out of.....an 84 ?

It's out of a 87-93 not sure exact year.

[Adams89]

Did it have airbags ?

[84stang]

I will take a look and let you know.

[rough89gt]

I also had a problem with LMR. They advertised an ashtray set up for my 89 GT that included the spring hardware and the cover for like $25 in an edition of 5.0 magazine. Once I called and requested the part for that price they proceeded to tell me that it was a typo and would not give me that part for that price. They said they could sell it to me for the original price of $45 but not 25. Even though they false advertised they would not budge and and were rude to me for even suggesting they should get me that part for the price they advertised it for.
Not doing business with them again. Plenty of other sites out there with the same stuff.