The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Hood gap

So I have reviewed everything I could find...tech tips manual...I have loosened body and shimmed radiator frame...nothing is getting rid of this gap....my issue may be that I have no play on my fenders when loosened ....it sure seems the driver side fender just needs to lift up a bit on front of fender...to line up with hood

Guess I can loosen up and try for the 30th time

Seems like one step forward three back...I have no slop on my fenders when loose...in fact I needed a screwdriver in some holes to pry up just to get the hole below to bolt up....

I guess if I keep the truck and try a few times a year, I may get it when I am 70, or my eyesight will go and it will not matter

ALL front clip nuts and bolts need to be sloppy loose.
Try to REMOVE the bolts which hold the inner fenders to the toe board on the right side, and to the parking brake bracket on the left. They are easy enough to put back in when the fenders are lined up and bolts tightened.
If that isn't enough help, take out two or three of the fender-to-inner fender bolts.
Last resort, enlarge the holes in the fenders to get more movement.
You could also try 1/4" bolts in place of the correct 5/16" ones. I did that one time, and once the fenders where up where they belonged, I was able to replace them with the correct 5/16" bolts. Not sure why that worked out. Some questions are better unasked.
Carl

I for one would like to see some pictures of the gaps. I'm having issues of my own prior to final paint work. Does the front of your hood twist as it works forward. Does it only look right at the front when its latched? Hows that for no help?????
Good luck cowboy!

Will add a pic later....only the front of the fender on drivers side has gap...like I need to pull up on the front of the fender...I may look at pulling the fender and elongating the holes in front to give me some play.

Or I may keep driving it and things will loosen on its own after 3-4 years

If you are expecting 62 year old sheet metal, on what was built
strictly as a work truck, to look like your new Silverado...
forget it.
The only way the show trucks are getting close fitting even gaps
is to to a lot of welding/grinding/re-bending.

DG

I don't know about that statement, Denny.
I have had some very good success lining up front clips on severely mismatched AD trucks. I recently put together and lined up a 49-51-54 mismatched mess of a front clip, and was able to line it up VERY nicely. I then turned right around and swapped the 54 hood (they fit perfectly on the earlier ADs BTW) with a 47-53 hood, and was able to line it right up with no gaps.
I will say that none of this was easy, but in the end, it was very doable.
Carl

i have the same problem with my driver side hood, I have the gap at the front by the hood hold down, i noticed the if i push down on the back of the hood it closes.....i think its from opening the hood all the way up and laying it on the other half

How badly can the hood fit and still be acceptable?

We're talking apples here. (AD)
You drive an orange. (Art Deco)
Carl

This is then losest I have gotten it...drivers side....considering this is a driver...I am good with it for now

http://i1367.photobucket.com/albums/r782/rcarmstrong/1953%20Chevy%20Pickup/DSC_0187_zpsea9b38dc.jpg

Nice looking truck. Really like your wheels, they look better on your truck than mine!

From what I can see from your picture, you are getting close.
The right fender appears to be a bit inboard of where it needs to be.
The only reason I am bothering to mention it, is it may cause damage to the hood and the fender if, while closing the hood, the two hood hinges don't operate in unison (as they tend to do over time), and cause a cock-eyed closure, and cause metal-to-metal contact.
The way I make this adjustment, is to install one of the two bolts which goes through the top of the radiator support ear. I tighten the inboard bolt enough to keep the fender in place, but just loose enough to allow movement. I then use a long tapered punch in the open, outboard hole and muscle the fender outward a bit, then tighten the inboard nut.
Carl

To do this does the grill need to be removed? Thank you