1999 G/A GT subframe issue...

51666
Major problem with Grandma's 99 GA GT. HO 3.4L, auto, 117K miles.

1st, apologies if I am mistaken about this part's name...
I have scanned in a pic from the service manual to illustrate.

Early in its life, this car was a rental. Sometime before 2003 it suffered undercarriage damage and the lower left front subframe was repaired with a non-factory weld.
Now the weld has completely rusted through on the bottom and left (wheel) side, approximately where the red arrow is in the picture.

The $1,000,000 question: Is it possible, if not practical, to remove this subframe from a "good" salvage vehicle and swap it for the damaged one?

With a lot of PB Blast and patience it seems like the engine and transmission mounts and the lower control arms could be disconnected and the subframe could be dropped from below.

I did try to convince her it was time to scrap it, but a fixed income prohibits a replacement car.

Thanks for any helpful advice!!

51666
Major problem with Grandma's 99 GA GT. HO 3.4L, auto, 117K miles.

1st, apologies if I am mistaken about this part's name...
I have scanned in a pic from the service manual to illustrate.

Early in its life, this car was a rental. Sometime before 2003 it suffered undercarriage damage and the lower left front subframe was repaired with a non-factory weld.
Now the weld has completely rusted through on the bottom and left (wheel) side, approximately where the red arrow is in the picture.

The $1,000,000 question: Is it possible, if not practical, to remove this subframe from a "good" salvage vehicle and swap it for the damaged one?

With a lot of PB Blast and patience it seems like the engine and transmission mounts and the lower control arms could be disconnected and the subframe could be dropped from below.

I did try to convince her it was time to scrap it, but a fixed income prohibits a replacement car.

Thanks for any helpful advice!!
I would say yes on this. You have to support the engine from the top so it does not drop down and disconnect the steering intermediate shaft and other things. I've seen it done on YouTube.

Had it done on a '91 Regal after a curb hit. $200 CDN for the subframe.

ya they are all the same, couple hundred $$. just make sure its not rusted out.
Seen a lot of those this past year! Big enough i could get both hands in, very unsafe!

...and we wont even talk about the rusty brake lines. :rolleyes:

I just removed the subframe in my 99 grand am (my steering rack broke off its mounts and the subframe is rusted to sh!t.
I have another GA for parts so no need for a salvage yard there, but I did ask in a salvage yard and they said $100 CAD.
It's not difficult to do once you figure it out, but it does take some time and patience (especially with the damn plastic clips and fasteners). Now that I know how to do it, it should take me about 2 hours to do it (in my back yard not counting prep time).

Glad to hear you got it solved!

Ya the 99+ were notorious of breaking the dam steering rack mounts!
its all to thin IMO to mount to w/o reinforcing all the mount points. Ive repaired several, including my own. thankfully before it fell out driving down the road. :lol: