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Jul 21st, 2025 | | | | Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 91 Member | | Member Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 91 | I am working on a 1950 chev 1300 and i cant seem to get the hood and fenders to line up. The front of the drivers side of the hood sits overtop of the fender and there is a huge gap on the passenger side. There is no room for it or the grill to fit inbetween the fenders either. Also the hood does not go all the way down on the back corners. Is there any way I can remedy this using spacers, such as putting washers between the rad support and inner fenders? | | | | | | Anonymous Unregistered | | Anonymous Unregistered | this is covered in the factory shop manual and has been covered in pretty good detail on this site. Try giving it a search and see what you come up with.  | | | | | Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,887 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,887 | if you measure the width of the hood and grill, and theres not that distance between the fenders at the proper points, yu got something wrong!
don't worry about the back of the hood until yu've got the front close, and able to latch properly
sure you've got all the right parts? everything needs to be assembled loosely so it can all be moved around - as Ken sez, the manual will insure you haven't got anything in wrong, or left anything out, then it all needs to be shuffled and tightened a bit at a time
Bill | | | | | Joined: Jul 2002 Posts: 385 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2002 Posts: 385 | Remove the hood.
Loosen every bolt forward of the cowl. Fenders, inner and outer; grille; latch plate; anything that connects to the radiator brace. Sloppy loose, really back them off.
Use the fender to firewall brace rods to crank the fenders into "roughly correct." You can tell where that is by setting the hood in the "closed" position. Leave the hinges hanging and latch the hood. Take it off and crank the brace rods. Replace the hood, check tolerance. Repeat ad nauseum.
When you like where the fenders are, remove hood, tighten some bolts. Replace hood, check tolerance. If it doesn't line up now, start over.
By the time you finally have the fenders and grille lined up you'll be too tired and p!ssed off to actually install the hood. Save that for another day, as that's a royal PIA as well. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 91 Member | | Member Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 91 | its like the hood and the grill are 1/2 inch to wide to fit the truck its like the rad suport is a 1/2 inch to small all front end parts are like from 5 diff trucks so that could have some thing to do with it not sure what to do | | | | | Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 264 Member | | Member Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 264 | I can hardly wait to go through this ordeal...in a few weeks I should be ready to install my front fenders and hood. | | | | | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 46 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 46 | Parts-guy, I have a 51 1300. Is there anyting in particular I can measure for you to help you get on the right track? It's -40 outside today, my garage is unheated - so it gonna cost you   | | | | | Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 91 Member | | Member Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 91 | the width on the hood on the front and the with of the grill at the top would be good to know | | | | | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 46 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 46 | My hood measures exactly 30 inches across at the front. The grill width, measured across right at the park lights, is 46 1/2 inches wide. At the point where the fender and the top of the grill meet: I measured from side to side at that point, and it was 30 5/8 inches. This means, on my truck, the opening is 5/8 inch wider than my hood.
I hope this helps. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 91 Member | | Member Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 91 | ok that for that info thats our prob with this truck that it is about 5/8th of an inch too narow our hood is 30 across too and the grill is the same the only way we can get the hood to fit is spread the inner fender to rad support 1/4 on each side and it is still tight has anyone elles had to do this or are we doing something wrong | | | | | Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 91 Member | | Member Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 91 | yes we have it in the right way , someone out there must have run it to this before | | | | | Joined: Jul 2002 Posts: 91 Member | | Member Joined: Jul 2002 Posts: 91 | some hint's from frozen Turner Valley, Alberta
can't get to my truck to meassure. It's outside in a tent and 3 feet of snow around and -25 degree.
loosen all bolts. check the suppert arms which come from the fire wall to the front end of the inner fenders. meassure if the adjustment nuts are the same distance. there is a starting point.
also ypu have to check the cab meassurements to the fram and also the radiator support. ( I made the mistake and got sloppy doing this adjustment)
If those two are correct spread the two support arms till you have your 30 5/8" than start adjusting ( cursing) twisting ( cursing) pulling ( cursing) pushing ( cursing) you get the drift.
You have another 6 month till sommer arrives in your neck of the woods.
If you go to the tech info on this side I think there is a good write up whow to adjust a hood. | | |
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