The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Radiator Core / front end mounts

I have a 1973 Chevy Nova subframe on my 55 GMC. I am sure it's at the stock ride height. I have to fabricate the mounts for the core/front end to weld to the frame. I need to know what the right height is and some possible dimensions. I have some temporary ones on the fram that are close. Anyone have any ideas?

I'm not sure about a 55 GMC but when my buddy down the street did his 49 chevy -3100 also with a 73 nova we put the innner fenders on bolted to the cab and did a mock up of the front end we spaced the rad suport off of that and than bolted the front fenders on,than we than could see if she was all lined up .I could give you the height of his rad support but depending on how and where yours is welded on the frame it could be different,make sure that your cab is set frist.

Pete

I may work the mock-up angle first to see how it works out then. Not sure the 49 would help. Mine's a 55 2nd series. Were you all able to find a bracket for the front or did you have to fabricate one? The one's that were holding my front end on are "L" shaped but there's no type of reinforcing gusset on them.

Doug - bit of a fuss, but your best bet to get things right > the entire front doghouse can be assembled, including the core support and rad, off the truck, then placed on to find mount positions .... the trucks were actually assembled that way, the rad was part of the body assembly that was then placed on the frame .... otherwise, if you get the rad mounting a bit off, fitting the body pieces later will give you fits

Bill

We built our own after we mocked the front end that way we new it would fit the cab and the frame and it would all bolt together .

Pete

I thank you both for that information. I did actually remove the 1959 front end from my truck in one piece. I guess I should have thought of it. Now I just need the 1955 front end sheet metal!