What usually happens is that some brilliant tire store "mechanic" places a floor jack under the rocker, right in front of the wheel, and "has at it".
The result is frequently a crushed/cracked rocker and a dented/bent coolant pipe.
On an 88, they're easy (relatively) to remove from the car. Once the hoses are disconnected, there are three clamps. Two under the rocker, and one on the front crossmember, right in the center. None of the suspension has to be removed. (But it is a lot easier if you remove the spare tire well.)
Once you have the pipe removed, it's fairly easy to manipulate it, and "coerce" it back into shape with a bench vise and/or a BFH.
The tube on my project coupe was crushed so badly I was afraid to keep driving it. Fortunately I found a spare to replace it.
I took the original tube and "massaged" it back into a reasonable shape. It now belongs to one of the guys in our club if he still wants it, or else it's going back into the parts barn.
If yours isn't crushed too badly, I'd just go with it.