The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Locating Front wheel in fender, 1935 Chevy Truck

I've recently started on a 35 pickup project. I got just a Cab and frontend and am building a chassis utilizing c4 corvette drivetrain. I'm having a hard time nailing down placement of the front axle centerline.35 Chevy as found

Can somebody give me a distance from some relative point to front axle centerline off a 34-36 pickup cab(or fender rear?)

Why does it matter? Since you're using a non-standard frame and suspension, once you decide on a wheelbase length and have a rolling chassis assembled, just slide the cab/fender assembly back and forth until the wheel and fender relationship looks right to you.
Jerry

Here is a trick we use on positioning sheet metal on a frame we built from scratch. Cut a disc from heavy cardboard with the same size diameter as the tire you will be running---usually 25-29 inches and nail bottom of disc to a wood block. Set the cab-fender unit on the frame and and slide the very easy to move around dummy tire till you like the way it looks. Now mark the frame rail with a mark that lines up with the center hole in the cardboard disc and make another mark in the exact same place on the opposite frame rail. These marks will be your spindle center line no matter what front end you use, IFS or straight axle. You then have a point(s) to pull all your other measurements from. If going with a factory bed you can find the stock wheelbase, measure that distance from the front spindle center line and that will be the center line of the rear axle. When actually positioning the front and rear ends it's handy to have a rod or light angle with legs down to the frame and far enough out on each side to where a plumb bob can hang down for spindle or axle center line alignment. On some vehicles, like AD Chevy's the rear wheels were NOT centered in the opening and this is the time to correct it.

Bryan,

If photos of an intact pickup like your would help I've got one. It's a restored '36 "High cab" pickup that was actually first sold in 1935. At first glance the '34-'35 and the '36 high cab pickups look identical. The only major '35-'36 changes were hydraulic brakes in '36 along with reshaped front fender "Skirts" and hood louvers, round instead of angled windshield bottom corners, wood in '35 doors and all steel '36 doors and a revised dashboard instrument layout. So if some side shots showing the locations of the wheels/tires in the wheel wells would help give a shout and an email address to send them to.

I hope you like woodworking because your truck cab is built like a house with a wood frame and lots of small panels literally nailed to the wood with :"body nails".

I have a 1935 high cab and would be happy to take measurements for you but you will need to be a little more specific about what you want. For example, I can drop a plum line from the frame to the axel and then measure from that point to the front of the frame. Tell me what you need.
Brian it right, tons of woodworking. Front A pillars are a real challenge!

"Brian it right, tons of woodworking. Front A pillars are a real challenge!"

He's Bryan and I'm Ray but you are so right about those pillars being a challenge. I did that job over 40 years ago but recall them being tapered and curving, requiring undercuts the thickness of the body metal along some edges, requiring pockets for the hinges and requiring some kind of threaded inserts (perhaps plate nuts?). It was quite an exercise that required a big band saw, a shaper and various more common wood working tools. Most people buy "wood kits" and then they wet their beds and suck their thumbs when those expensive kits don't fit. It's a big project to make one's own wood but at least when the job's done the parts actually fit.

Thanks guys. I was thinking that the front fenders don't really have much to center the wheel on, and some big fender cars have the wheels far forward. I don't know where stock was for these trucks. I guess it doesn't matter if it looks right to me.

As far as the wood... all wood is gone already, care of last owner. I don't think I'll go back with the wood. With the modern drivetrain I'm so far from original that metal framework will be ok. I'm actually thinking a built in rollcage is the ticket for this truck.