The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Adjusting hood with only radiator support installed, 1954 3600

I need some help. I've loosely installed the fenders, started out with just the new rubber pads (.250" thick" ) under the radiator support, I the put hood back to original position (I dowel pinned the latches before I took them off the cab). The gap between the back of the hood and and the hood is about .350" with the calipers. I should have corrected the gap before I started the project but I didn't. Is there a way to "adjust" the hood gap without using the 4" block on the hood nose? Everything is pretty much out of whack so loosely assembling the front clip would'nt provide much of a starting point. I've read and re-read the shop manual and other "installing the front clip " instructions and I cannot get past the hood alignment. I must be missing the obvious and making it more difficult than it actually is. Is there an " Installing fenders/Hood/ grill on Chevy AD Truck for Dummies" instructional video or book available ?? lol

Between the hood and the hood?

Mark, so much for my editing skills..... the gap between the rear edge of the hood and the cowl edge is .350". I've read many of your posts and responses to others. Your insight would be appreciated.

In the Chevrolet Shop Manual, there is procedures for assembling and adjustments for the hood, fenders and radiator support.

Here is a link to that section. http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1948_51truck/51ctsm1104.htm

You will need to install the upper radiator baffle. You do not need to install the latch to the upper baffle, in fact I recommend that you do not.
I went to a lot of trouble in creating a write up on how to adjust the hood and adjusting the front clip, but have lost it due to a hard drive crash.
I used the Factory Manual as a guide, but changed the wording used to what I can understand. Several on this site have found it to be helpful.
I am certain that it is in the archives somewhere, but I am too stupid to find it. Hopefully someone will come along with better search skills and find it for you and post it here.

Ronnie, at the assembly point you're at, compare your upper gap to the side gap. If your side gap is less than your top gap, step back from the side of your truck by 20' or more and have a look at it. If it looks like the nose is down, then you'll need more spacers under the radiator support. If the gap is even, loosen the hinges at the cowl on both sides and push your hood back towards the cowl. If it won't go back any further, you might need to adjust your hinge holes (file) on the cowl to allow the hood to move back further. Keep in mind, you might need to do this dance a few more times as you get all your parts bolted up.

That's usually the first thing I do is square up the hood, get the fenders and everything else close, then go through the hood adjustment procedure, make sure I love my hood vertical to cowl look, then bring the fenders up to the hood and close those gaps. It is important to have all the proper weatherstrip in place so the hood sits flat at the cowl like it should.

Thanks Tim. Those posts are an abbreviated version of what I put together to help someone with a specific front clip alignment issue. The entire version which I have shared includes hood adjustment.

Mark, thanks for the directions . I replaced the cowl hood seal / anti squeak. I can begin to understand that this is going to take a few dances to get it to where it needs to be.

52 Carl - I previously copied your written procedure ( in 2019) into a word document and saved it to my files . I've read it several times and struggled with "starting from scratch" and in particular the shimming of the inner fenders to the radiator support to get the fender skirts / fenders correctly positioned without having the hood installed and aligned properly. I'm attaching your write up and yes it is very good. Thank you for posting it. I hope you file this well written procedure in a safe place. Thanks again for your help.
Ron

Phak1 - thanks for the reminder, I have an original shop manual and had forgotten about section 11. I'm starting from scratch as I removed the entire front clip when I started my refurbishment/ restoration. I kept the original pad/shims that were under the radiator support and matched that thickness very closely with just the new rubber pads. With input from the team on Stovebolt it now sounds like I'm going to start with the gap at the rear of the hood and cowl and the side of the hood and cowl . Thanks for your help.

I and I’m sure 52Carl thank you for saving that!

Now just so such a helpful document it doesn’t vanish into hyperspace again, I am posting it here.

AD Front Clip Alignment Procedure by 52 Carl on Stovebolt

Here is what I came up with to keep my mind right for this task.
I read the Manual and wrote down the procedures in my own language.

AD Front Clip Adjustment Procedure

(This procedure is for when all front clip is on the truck.)
1) Loosen all nuts and bolts associated with the front clip. ALL of them. VERY loose.
a) Completely remove the bolts which attach the rear of the inner fenders to the toe board (right side) and the parking brake bracket (left side). Removing these bolts will make it much easier to move the fenders around. Once the front clip has been adjusted and bolts tightened, these bolts can easily be replaced.
b) Drop the fenders as low as possible at the rear. This will give you room to accurately adjust the hood without interference with the fenders.

c) Adjust Fender Skirt to Dash Brace Rods.
1/2 and 3/4 ton: left 27 ¼”, right 27”.
1, 1 ½, 2 ton: left 27 ½”, right 27 ¼”


2) Hood Adjustment.
a) Prop hood open with an appropriate length of wood.
b) Loosen outer hinge bolts completely (one on each side, outside of cab).
c) Remove hood supports (springs).
d) Loosen inner hood hinge bolts (two each side, inside cab). Leave these bolts just snug so that hinge can just be moved by jarring or exerting pressure on the hood.
e) Remove hood lock plate.
f) Adjust hood fore and aft to obtain 1/8” to ¼” gap between rear edge of hood and cowl edge.
g) If hood gap is not even, or not tight against the cowl rubber seal, add or remove shims between radiator support and frame cross member and tighten radiator support bolts to 5 ft. lbs.
h) Lift front of hood and place a 4” block under hood nose to hold it up.
i) While forcing rear of hood down tightly on hood rubber seal, and ensuring that rear edge of hood-to-cowl is correct and even, tighten inner hood hinge bolts (two each side).
j) Remove wood block, lower hood and check hood fit at cowl.
k) Tighten outer hood hinge bolts (one on each side).
l) Attach hood supports (springs) to hood. With hood supported by hood supports, tighten bolts to dash. This bolt tightening procedure will prevent one hood support from being fully locked in the open position, while the other being in the partially open position.
m) Replace hood lock plate just snug, and push to the rear. Drop hood to closed position. This will center hood lock plate. Raise hood, move lock plate forward 1/32” and tighten lock plate screws.

3) Adjust front clip to fit properly adjusted hood.
a) Make sure that ALL front clip bolts are loose.
b) Raise the rear of the fenders until they contact the rubber bumpers on the underside of the hood along the sides. Tighten fender-to-cowl bolts.
c) Raise hood. Tighten fender-to-inner fender bolts.
d) Carefully lower hood and check for clearance between where the hood nose meets the fenders. The fender/inner fender assembly can be moved inboard or outboard to gain proper gap by adjusting the Fender Skirt to Dash Brace Rods.
e) Tighten remaining loose bolts.

I am adjusting my hood/fender and it’s an “Adventure.”

I read the manuals and the tech tip here. Provided me with what I thought I needed to know. Then I discovered Carl’s simplified and clear explanation based on the Manual.
Just want to re-state this the key to my solving issues I was having. I think this should also be added to the tech tip system to bolster the one already listed here! Wonderfully done.

I wish I new how to submit it to the tech tips. Seems to be popular enough.

I shot a PM with a link to Phil's post of your procedure to John. Not sure if there's anyone who's been tasked with editing Tech Tips.

I can edit it into a Microsoft “Word” format, which is one of the formats John asked for and email it to him if Carl agrees?

Get it into a word document. Got pictures? If not, take some. Tech Tips without pictures can be hard to follow. Do NOT import the pictures into the word document but just note, somehow (up to you) which part of the tech tip each image goes with.

Don't get crazy trying to make your word document pretty. Just make it readable (i.e., paragraph breaks, bullet lists, etc). *I* will make it pretty.

Once you have a .doc or .txt document AND images, send them to me (editor@stovebolt etc.). I will forward them to one of our Technical Editors for a technical review (technical feasibility, safety, etc). Once it passes the Technical Editorial Board Review, the package will come back to me and I will turn it into a .pdf that we will make available.

I am going to be transitioning the whole Tech Tip section to the forums in a section similar to the Gallery, only instead of images, they will be the Tech Tip .pdf's arranged categorically by area (sortta like we have it currently, only better organized ... )

When sending in a submission, please put "Tech Tip Submission -- (subject)" .... (Subject) would be whatever your subject is.

Example: "Tech Tip Submission -- Front Clip reassembly and alignment"

Submission does not guarantee publication -- submissions reviewed by the Technical Editorial Board and determined to be devoid of actual technical merit will be respectfully declined

Thanks for your cooperation

John

You certainly have my blessings to proceed Phil. I do not have any pictures. The procedure to align the hood and front clip is so complicated, that it would require a New York phone book sized document to do it justice. There are some pictures in the Chevrolet Manual which are helpful and this can be referenced in the Tech Tip.
My goal, while creating this document, was to decipher what was scattered throughout the Manual and in a language which was difficult to follow.
I actually did it for myself, but with all of the posts created because people couldn't figure out how to set up their hood and front clip in spite of having a manual, I have been sending folks my document. I have received a lot of positive feedback from it. If it doesn't make the cut, folks can still PM me and I will send it to them, as well as offer them specifics if they run into problems.

I’m certainly pleased this detailed explanation is getting its due! It simplified and clearly solved issues I had with alignment. It’s still not perfect ..........just like me.........but it’s sooooooo much better than before..........that part of me, I’m still working on!