The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop '46 Chevy 1/2 ton body assembly sequence

Need to recheck hood fit, fenders etc before body shop does their work. When I got the project the front clip was mostly assembled, except for the hood. In the mean time parts were disassembled in preparation for other tasks. The shop manual info for the reassembly is too general and not as helpful as needed.

Any helpful suggestions will be appreciated; a sequential list most of all.

Thanks in advance.

Got it figured out with help from a buddy. All parts fit fine.

Way to go Sparky. Time to get er on the road!

My goal is to get her done by her birthday in June this year. Lots to do yet.

I think it would be a hoot to drive it to its birthday party and dinner out with my better half.

That would be cool Sparky. I'll be doing the same - sometime. Can you let us know what sequence worked for you?

Dennis

Yes.
Gene asked me to post some photos and I've been trying to get that done too, in between honey do's, truck project work, holiday obligations and ....

Here are some notes I took and cleaned up for posting here.

Chevy Truck Front Sheet Metal Installation Notes: December 29, 2015

(NOTE: Numbers in parenthesis indicate part group number used in Master Parts Catalog 1929-1948. Drawings with group numbers of the various parts are shown on pages 39, 40, 41, 45, 86, 393, 578 and 579)

Frame was previously checked for alignment etc and straightened by body shop.

Loosely bolt Radiator core support (1.270, p. 41) to frame, attach “V” rod (1.309, p.40) from top of 1.270 to cowl

For final assembly: anti-squeak gasket material to be used between all sheet metal surfaces. (Note gaskets were not installed for test fit on 12/29/2015)

Bolt Right and left inner fender skirt extensions (8.153, p.39) to fenders (8.130, p.39)

Loosely Bolt fenders right and left fenders (8.130) to radiator core support (1.270) at top bolt hole then at cowl bracket bolt hole. For test only attached at these two points. Note: running boards not installed for test.

Loosely bolt radiator grill upper baffle (1.286, p.86) at front of radiator to radiator core support (1.270).

Slide assembled 1.286/1.270 between fender support bracket (8.145, p.39) and fender skirt extensions (8.153).

Bolt hinge bracket support (8.015, p.39) to radiator core support (1.270) and grill upper baffle (1.286.

To cowl top bolt the Hood Center Hinge hold down bracket (8.058 or 16.554), see pages 393 and 578. Same part appears to have two different group numbers(?).

Join hood top halves (8.002 p.393) wait to attach the lower panel, with the louvers, (assembling top halves on a work bench first worked well.

Slide assembled hood halves into hood center hold down bracket at cowl top (8.058) and bracket support 8.015.

Connect lower hood panels with hinge to upper hood half. I lightly ran paraffin wax over the pin to help slide the pin into place. New pins will be used for final assembly.

Some minor adjustments are needed to add clearance at hood/cowl and hood front and fender and to improve alignment at hood side belt line and cab belt line, but overall the fit is mostly acceptable according to the Paint and Body specialist that came to inspect the fit. It was discovered one hood half has a minor bend needing some repair.

Thanks for taking the time to write this up Sparky. I will be using it very soon....I hope!

You're welcome. Hope it helps.

Thanks for this step-by-step instructions. I'm just getting ready to install my front end parts and this will greatly help me. I'm glad the search feature found this.

Wow! I’d long forgotten I’d written this. Glad you found it and hope it helps.