Taking a shot - Anyone own a late 90's Buick Lesabre?

[rogerwa]

I have a 97 Lesabre that my daughter used to rear end someone last fall. The one day she borrowed one of my cars, she bangs it up. The car is not worth taking it to the repair shop so it is redneck front end repair or I part it out. It runs beautifully (no radiator or condenser damage and airbags didn't deploy) so I am straightening the radiator support and replacing the headlamps, hood, and some other front end parts.

What I need is a measurement from under the hood. I need to know the distance between the support bar that spans the strut towers and the hood latch/lock. In order to get the hood to latch I need to pull the support out far enough. I have it close right now but it would be helpful to know the actual value so I am not guessing.

Just taking a shot that someone has a lesabre of the 95-99 vintage and would be willing to take a measurement for me.. There are tons of these out there so I am betting another member has one.

BTW, my kids love this car. They thoguht they were going to die of embarassment when I brought it home. they and their friends have nicknamed it "The Couch".

 

[dannys2004glastron175mx]

I should have the measurements in my frame book .

 

[dannys2004glastron175mx]

I got 1998 its the same as your 97

 

[dannys2004glastron175mx]

 

[rogerwa]

Danny, thanks for the great photos. unfortunately it doesn't get the measurement I need. My front end is square. Its the latch that is pushed in. So the measurement is needed to see how far to pull the latch out so it will mate with the hood loop. Thanks.

 

[bigdee]

When my daughter wrecked her Civic it was a little worse, she also busted the radiator. I chained the car between 2 trees and used a come-a-long to pull everything back into alignment.

 

[gm280]

Amazing what one can do when trying such things like this. I took a totally wreaked up '96 Geo Metro (my son's wife's loaned out to her sister car) that looked like it lose a demolition derby and rebuilt it back to like new condition never having done any type auto body work before. Yes I did some body panels over and over and over a few more times learning what is right and what isn't. I also cut out and removed both rocker panels on both sides that were crumbled up like tin foil and made new ones and stitch welded them back on and ground them out where I couldn't even tell where I added them on. So if you think you can, you will prevail... :thumb:

 

[dannys2004glastron175mx]

Danny, thanks for the great photos. unfortunately it doesn't get the measurement I need. My front end is square. Its the latch that is pushed in. So the measurement is needed to see how far to pull the latch out so it will mate with the hood loop. Thanks.

Jest pull the rad support out in till the latch is lined up with the Hood loop . look on your old hood you will see the ware marks on the loop. it will be perfect then.

 

[rogerwa]

Here is a little video I took for my FIL to show him my redneck repair skills. I had already pulled the center section and the other side out. I had my 15 y/o (without license) behind the wheel of the suburban. Had it in 4Lo and all it took was idle speed to pull it out. A couple of spots I got behind the wheel and gave a bit more power, but it didnt' take much.

Since my daughter started driving I have become quite aquainted with garage auto body.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm6Ald7G36Q

 

[64osby]

Go to a scrap yard to find your dimension if you still need it.