The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop repost of 59 chevy front clip aligment

My post got deleted with all the server problems. my issue is i have a 59 chevy that I bought with no front clip. In my previous post I was not sure what year the frame is but have narrowed it down to 58 or 59 based on length. The problem is I have to have the cab spaced off the frame about 1 1/2 to 2 inches to get the front clip to line up. After all the measuring, figuring and trying of things, I think I am down to the origin of the cab and inner fenders. They are from a fire truck with 25000 gvw. Could the cab or inner fenders be different? They look the same as my other 59 and the measurements I have been able to take appear to match up between them. Anyone know if there is a difference? I am leaning towards the inner fenders but not sure. Whish I had another set to try.
thanks
Shane

the big truck fenders are wider but I don't think the inners changed, and while the cabs are all the same regardless of truck size, it's conceivable that the mounts could differ, might take a close look at that between your 2 cabs

did you sort out the rad position problem? I could try to get some measurements from my 58 frame if you have specific points to check .... here's one I put up for someone, the space from the rad mount bracket rear rivet to the crossmember

Bill

I did figure out the mounts are the same distance as my other 59. eventhough I put a camaro clip under my other one, I grafted the front frame section back in. The measurement from the front cab mount to the rad suppot mount and end of the frame are the same on both. Once the cab is up off the frame I can get the rad support to line up with the mounts. Like I said in the other post, I am not stranger to this stuff since I have been around a body shop my whole life. That's probably why it makes no sense to me how it could be off so far. I like the old stuff and my brother that owns the body shop wants nothing to do with old stuff. he tells me I just cause my self headaches and I tell him new is boring.

I have finally figured it out. The truck was hit on the driver side door and I thought the damage was isolated to just the door post area. After a lot of measuring I have figured out that the cab is pretty bent. the width at the dash is 1/2" small, upper firewall/cowl area bent down about 3/8", lower firewall area pushed back about 3/4", and the door post is twisted and pulled forward about 1/2". It all started to make sense when I put a straigth door in the hole for the driveside and found the gap at the base of the windshiled/cowl area was about 1/2" too big. Now that I know whats going on it should not be too hard to fix. This explains why I got a virtually rust free, cab, door and bed for $4oo bucks. I do not think the cab was on this frame when it got hit because there is no sign of damage on the frame. A couple hours on the frame rack and she will be as good as new. Good thing I have access to the frame rack and just happened to have the door post section from another cab I cut up.