xlautomation

Hi All,

My 68 is very close to being ready for paint. All the little fiberglass repairs are done, but I have a hood issue. The car is a 427 with square port heads and an 069 L88 intake manifold, so the stock 427 hood won't fit. I had an aftermarket L88 hood on it, but the front corners were WAY high (like >1/4"), but OK everywhere else. I attributed it to a crappy hood. I was going to find a better L88 hood, but wanted to ensure it wasn't the front clip that was the problem. So I took the carburetor off and set my stock hood on it, and the corners on it sit high too (though not quite as bad). So I guess it's the front clip that is warped (the car did sit for years with no support under the front, bumper braces off, etc. before I bought it.. would that cause this?). I am wondering from any of you bodywork expert guys, whether this is common and would breaking the front clip to wheel well bonds, raising the front cowl in that area, and re-bonding would be a solution, or should I just punt and get the front upper clip replaced? Or is there another solution? Obviously, I don't want to spend a fortune if I don't have to, but this is well past a little fiberglass and body filler. I know my way around bodywork, but this is probably past my expertise.

Thanks for the advice in advance!

Michael

wombvette

A very common problem on 68s. The header bar had no support and the corners would sag. The 69s had a bracket on the inner fender to help with that and a better support rod on the nose. You can very easily retrofit the 69 brackets, or jack the front up and add support rods to the lower cross member. That would depend on your desire for originality. Either way you will have to jack it up and support it.

xlautomation

Well, that is good news, I think. And of course, as soon as I got your response, I found other, similar problems posted on the board, that I swear I had looked for before posting!

I don't have that bracket, so I will add that and work on jacking up the front, adding the bracket, adjusting the bumper braces, and then fairing it all out to make if all level again. I'll post the results.

Thanks for the help!

DUB

It will help you out to apply heat on the panel if you are planning on raising it ...and do it a little at a time and give it time to move. 1/4" is not that much...so it should not take too long.

DUB

loup68

Most 68's did not have any front end brackets. We were GM's test beds. In late 68 GM added a nose rod to the radiator support, two small twist brackets off of the outer front bumper braces, to the front nose reinforcement and two triangle shaped brackets that go from the headlight header, to the inner fender. Lou.

xlautomation

I do have the nose rod, and was able to raise the center of the nose to match by adjusting the rod. I messed around with the corners a little last night and found that I had to break the bond between the inner fender panel and upper surround in order to have the available movements I needed. Now the corners move easily. I also ordered the 69-up L and R support brackets. I'll put them on, adjust the height, and then re-bond the inner fender panels.

Thanks for the support!

Michael

loup68

Michael, You say that you have the support rod, and I think that you are ordering the inner fender triangle shaped brackets and their two flat plates with holes for the two bolts. Do not forget to order the small pair of "twist brackets" that bolt to the front nose metal on the ends and then go to the outer "dog leg" bumper brackets. The weight of the front of the headlights is on that thin piece of metal in the nose. These small brackets prevent it from bouncing up and down. Lou.

WESCH

Hi

Interesting . I do have a early 68 , but don't understand what parts you are talking about. Would one be so kind and post a sketch or post the parts in ref to a parts catalog . My 68 seems to wrinkle a bit between the headlight openings. Wonder if this can be fixed with this extra support stuff you mentoned.

Rgds. Günther

loup68

Gunther, I am very sorry to have taken this long to reply to you. In the newest ZIP products C-3 catalog on page 91 are some of the parts. Picture H, inner skirt, shows the inner skirt brackets, part # M-2670 LH and RH. Their back plate, pictures H & I, M-323. Their bolts #BL-523.
Picture G support rod, with hardware, part# M-309.
The small " twist" braces are on page 166, see picture A , by the bend in the front bumper. The part # is BU-476 and there is a LH & RH. I hope that this helps you and everyone else out. Every early chrome bumper car needs these, otherwise the whole heavy headlight fiberglass bounces up and down when you hit a bump. My 68 cracked by the corners of the hood opening, before anyone had these parts or let people know that they needed them.
The small "twist" braces go from the outer front bumper braces to the underside of the outer corner of the nose metal in the fiberglass that holds the front of the headlight supports. Lou.