Dougs63

Hi,

Installed my new front clip with the body sitting on the old, unrestored chassis of my '63 vert. I intentionally left the inner fenders un-bonded, so that I could finalize the hood alignment on the rebuilt chassis.

Well, after rebuilding the chassis and replacing the front and rear springs with new Eaton springs, I'm off about 1/2-in from my original alignment holes (drilled while the body was sitting on the old chassis).

See attached pic. My core support upper bolts sit about 1/2-inch too high from my reference holes (where the hood support bracket will be attached).



Would there be any advantage to installing the engine back into car to get some front spring compression and possibly recover my alignment between the fender and the core support?

--Doug

DUB

Doug,

QUESTION: When you bonded the front clip...was the frame on the ground...with the wheels/tires on it????

DUB

Dougs63

Dub - Let me first say thanks to all you do on this message board. Everyone benefits from your knowledge and expertise.

Yes - wheels and tires sitting on the ground.

But - it was the old un-restored frame and suspension.

After taking a closer look, it seems that I'm off so little, I may just have to fill and re-drill my core support holes, while making a few adjustments.

All things considered, being off a 1/2 in is not too bad with all I've done to this car. Here's how it looks at the moment.

DUB

Thanks.. I do what I can because if it was roles reversed...I hope someone out there would help me.

SO...if I get this CORRECT...car was on the ground with wheels and tires on it with an old frame and suspension. THAT is fine by me...BUT....NORMALLY...I bond in the inner skirts BEFORE I bond the one piece front clip on....so I can make sure the hood fits the opening correctly.....and I can install the radiator support and having it bolt to the end of the frame when I am bonding the front clip on.

SO....

Knowing that the inner skirts dictate how the hood fits due to where the hood hinges mount...and the minimal amount of adjustment is designed into the hinges.......and how 'high or low' the skirt is in relation to the hood being flush with the front clip when closed......which can effect how the clip attaches to the cowl/firewall area. SO...the angle if the front clip can be off slightly (not knowing if it is or not)...and make it where the radiator support is too tight due to the front nose of the clip is just a little bit too low.


ALSO...having the radiator support CORRECTLY installed...due to the metal retainer plates being installed....will also make it so the support rods that go from the bottom of the radiator support to your headlight openings are critical...and if it is not right....these rods and angle of the radiator support will let you know.


Before you go and start drilling/filling more holes and moving 'things'...you have to consider what I wrote above...because there are other parts that can get effected by a radiation support that is not correct. NOT WRITING that you can't do it. But take your thought process further.....considering all other possibilities.

YES...I know the angle is not that bad...and a 1/2" is 'good'. but in some instances...it is a MILE. I am concerned..because I do not know if it is correct or not...meaning....if the radiator support is BOLTED to the end of the frame or not??? I wonder if the mount brackets attached to the bottom of the radiator support may be 'fudged' a bit....so when they get tightened...it pitches the radiator support at an angle that would put it under a lot of stress. THUS your 1/2" issue. SO.....IF it were me....if I were in this predicament.....I would get the radiator support CORRECTLY bolted to the skirts....and then see what happens when I try to bolt it to the frame. IF that came out fine...then I could only hope that when I bolted on the hood hinges and hood....the hood would open and close and my hood gaps would be fine.

The clip looks good. I do not see anything that is obvious 'out of whack'. And if you find you need to move the clip a little bit ...and it is fighting you do it due to being bonded ....put it out in the sun and SLOWLY perform whatever you need to do. The hotter you can get the panels the better. This generally works better with factory fiberglass...but it can't hurt either.

DUB