The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop 2 months to align my front clip!

I have been battling with the front clip of my fresh-from-the-painter '49 for the past 2 months.
I guess that I have been too prideful, arrogant, or vane to ask for help.
Anyway, the trouble was all caused by the support rods which go from the top of the radiator support to the front of the lower radiator baffle (these are located between the grill and the radiator).
I tried to make exact replicas of original rods that I had, but I ended up making them too long which jacked the grill and hood latch up by 1/4 inch.
It might as well have been 4 inches! The hood wouldn't fit right.
Prior to finding the bad rods, I had tried to change the cab mount shims, the radiator support shims, cussing, and tool throwing.
So I then went back to square one and loosened ALL of the nuts and bolts again, that was when I found the too-long lower baffle-to-radiator rods. I made corrections to them, and Bingo, everything fell right in to place!
The sun seems too be brighter, the songs of birds no longer annoy me, and I don't snap at friends and strangers that I encounter anymore.
It is a great day to be alive!
Carl

Good job Carl, way to stick with it!

I'm pulling the motor out of my '47 and found a bit of a mess under the hood....The motor is a GMC 228 which is longer than a 216/235, so the PO notched the radiator housing, installed the radiator support bracket backwards, and cobbled the frame cross member to accommodate the front motor mount.

Do you know if the '47 should have those support rods? If so, mine are missing......like most of the other things I've encountered on my truck. Post some pics if you have them, thanks.

I believe Carl is referring to these, you can see how and where they attach.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8129073652/in/album-72157631867396207/

Thanks, Carl, for updating this journey. It will be a resource to others who run into the same symptoms.

I was wondering why the sun was shining brighter in Virginia lately...

Jim

Brad,

Thanks for the photo. I wonder if the '47.2 is different than the 48-54? The two bolts on the lower pan on my '47 are occupied by a lower grill bracket. The upper bolt holes are on the radiator support bracket, but I don't see any sign of the support rods or evidence of them ever being there.


I'll check with some other '47 3100 owners and see if they have the support rods.

If that would have been me, I would have drilled a bunch of unnecessary holes, bent a bunch of stuff and hurt my back again before I found the rods were wrong. But being a Master Mechanic, I would have done it in less than 2 months.

You have no idea how close I has to getting really stupid in that very vein. Lets just say that I will be much more patient with folks whining about how they can't line up their front clip.
I have been humbled by this ordeal.

Carl,

I completely agree with you!! You've got to have patience and tenacity with these Ol' AD trucks. I've found it better to walk away with a few curse words for my truck and go back to it the next day...or in some cases, a few days later. Frustration and anger often leads to bigger problems and mistakes that result in a lot more work. I feel your pain!! Thanks for the "HEADS-UP."

Tim

The 1947 and 1948-1951 definitely use the radiator support rods. See Radiator Grille Assembly, Removal, #6, in each manual.

1947 Chevrolet Truck Shop Manual

1948-51 Chevrolet Truck Shop Manual

I assume they minimize/eliminate radiator vibration. I've got a set on order.....makes me wonder what else I'm missing?

Carl it's been 3 weeks so far for me! And this is just the mock up stage. I hate to see when it's painted. One thing I found in my manual is the firewall to fender rod support measurement is different from the article on stovebolt site. It's 27.48 on the left side and 27.25 on the right side. But I'm still having trouble with the left corner of hood lining up with fender. I bought an aftermarket hood with slight damage and it doesn't fit very good. Went and bought a used hood and it fits a little better but still not where I want it. Like you I think I'm just missing something simple. Can I ask how much space you have at radiator support mount at frame. I know you have to shim it but I need a starting point. Thanks in advance for the help. Termite!

After seeing the pictures with the rods, are you guys making the front end adjustments with the grill in or out? Cause it looks to me that if I could move the fender out or shim the grill away from the fenders it may help? Thanks! Cause after this it's put the gas tank in throw the bed on and test drive it!!! Then start body work. Then take it apart and paint it all. Also would you guys do the mock up of the wiring or just put the wiring in on final assembly?

After seeing the pictures with the rods, are you guys making the front end adjustments with the grill in or out? Cause it looks to me that if I could move the fender out or shim the grill away from the fenders it may help? Thanks! Cause after this it's put the gas tank in throw the bed on and test drive it!!! Then start body work. Then take it apart and paint it all. Also would you guys do the mock up of the wiring or just put the wiring in on final assembly?

You need to spend as much time as it takes before you have it painted!
Let me give you a basic list of what it takes to get the front clip right.
1) The cab must be on the frame with the correct spacing between the bottom of the cab and the frame, all four corners.
2) Lower the rear of the fenders so hood cannot make contact.
3) Set the threaded rods at 27 1/4" left side, and 27" right side. (This is a good starting point. It may not be what you will end up with.)
4) Follow the Truck Shop Manual instructions for aligning the hood.
5) Loosen ALL fasteners on the entire front clip (except the hood), including the radiator-to-crossmember bolts.
6) Tighten the bolts for the threaded rod bracket at the inner fender. Adjust the threaded rods to make the fender match the end of the hood.
7) Raise the rear of the fenders to match the hood.
8) Test the hood without the latch on the truck.
9) Tighten all of the fasteners.
10) Don't hate me when none of this helps. Front clips suck.

Thanks Carl I will give that a try!Yep everyone I talk to tells me the same. These front clips are killer! Never had this much trouble lining parts up!

Just want to add;
If you have bought/installed any aftermarket parts in the front assembly (hood hinges, hood latch, sheet metal of any kind, radiator support parts...........) all bets are off. Swap them out with the old parts and see what happens.
New replacement hood hinges on the '48 2 ton caused a lot of the nightmare. Threw them in the scrap pile and rebuilt the originals - solved days of frustration.