The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Fender - Hood Alignment

First off, a big thank you to all the contributors on this site. You have helped a lot in my project (1950 3100). I am trying to fit the front end fenders and hood on my truck before it gets painted. Right now the pieces are fitting together pretty good, with one small exception. There is an area on the drivers side near the front of the hood where the fender is lower than the hood leaving a gap there. I have seen on other trucks where this gap is even larger than the one I have and is very noticeable.

My question involves the upper bolt lip of the fender. There are some creases in between the bolt holes on the fender and it looks like these creases are there to help the upper fender edge match the hood curve. As you get to the two front bolts on my drivers fender there are no creases. My thought is that putting in a small crease on the bolt lip there would help bring that edge up closer to the hood. Does that make sense? If so, have any of you done this and what is the best way to do this?

Thanks, Jerry

I would recommend that you remove the bolts which connect the inner fenders to the toeboard on the right side and the parking brake bracket on the left side so that you can get more movement of the fender. These bolts gum up the works for adjusting fenders. You can easily put them back on after you get everything else tightened up.
If this doesn't help with your issue, make sure that your hood isn't twisted. You can loosen up the nose bracket bolts and carefully twist the front of the hood to correct.

Those creases would indeed change the shape of the top of the fender. It would be hard to know where to put any creases to help the fit. Putting in a crease would make the top edge of the fender a bit higher at the point of the crease by essentially shrinking the flange. You could try it and if it doesn't help, flatten the creases back out. A crimping tool for sheet metal ducts would do the trick if you want to try. Crimper
But I'd try Carl's suggestion first.

Kevin.
I looked at a bunch of your photos. Thanks for posting them! You have a lot of talent and creativity to remake lost sheet metal.

Jerry

Thanks, but I'm a total amateur compared to a few guys on here.
If you really want to see some artistry, look up some of MPandC's posts.

Second that.

I have now posted pictures of both sides. I need to compress the hood latch more so that the hood closes a little farther making the drivers fit up better. My next question involves the Fender Skirt to Dash Brace rods. What happens when they are lengthened or shortened? I initially set them up at 27 ad 27 1/4 and they were too short to put on. Thanks for all of your help on this.

Jerry

I would install the firewall to fender rods and pull them up slowly, especially on the driver's side. You look to be in good shape except for the front of the driver's fender needs to come up a bit. You may have to put another shim under the radiator support on the driver's side which would bring the driver's fender up.

I haven't done this my self, but it makes sense to me. Other guys with more experience doing it should chime in soon.

Those brace rods are imperative in lining the fenders up. Your factory recommended measurements are a great place to start, but may not be the final settings to make things fit.
These rods tend to pull each fender up and in when shortened. The geometry is complicated. Sometimes you want the front of the fender to come up but not in. If ALL of your front clip bolts are loose and the rear inner fender-to cab bolts are completely removed, you can compensate for too much inward pull with a prybar at the radiator support while cranking the rod shorter to get additional lift.
Carl