C1 Frame Issue?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 99
Likes: 1
From: Lakewood Ranch, FL
C1 Frame Issue?
Just installed my engine for the first time in a project car (1958). The front of the engine sits too high for the hood to close. I replaced the front mount cushions with replacements of a less considerable height than the originals. The hood will close, but the clearance is very minimal...1/8" (nose) to 1/4" (back). The 2X4 Clone bases do add about !/8" to the height, but I wonder if the front of my frame is the proper height. The height measurement from the bottom of the lower mount bracket (at the center) to the ground is 15 1/2" on both left and right sides. I did have the frame assessed for straightness and there were no issues, but I wonder if the height measurement as I specified was taken into consideration. I know the AIM provides measurements for height regarding the body and my body sits higher on the frame than specifications, but I would not think this would contribute to this problem. In fact, I would think that if the body was higher than specs, it would provide more height clearance with the engine mounted on the frame. If anyone could provide their height measurement of the bottom of lower mount bracket to the ground as above for comparison it would be helpful. Thanks.
Last edited by blackvette58; Feb 25, 2013 at 05:59 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 17,901
Likes: 751
From: Inverness FL
St. Jude Donor '07
i'm a bit confused... frame height from the ground should have no effect on how the engine sits in the car. engine clearance to the underside of the hood would be determined by how the body sits on the frame.
Bill
Bill
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,273
Likes: 804
From: Georgetown TX
2025 C2 of the Year ('64-'66) Finalist - Unmodified
2021 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C2 of Year Finalist (stock)
2016 C2 of Year Finalist
Is there a transmission rubber mount?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 99
Likes: 1
From: Lakewood Ranch, FL
Yes there is a transmission rubber mount. Regarding the radiator support:
I don't believe the nose needs to be raised as you can seen in the picture below, I would not want to increase the gap in the front wheel well.
I thought if the front of the frame was too high this would result in the engine sitting too high in the front.
I don't believe the nose needs to be raised as you can seen in the picture below, I would not want to increase the gap in the front wheel well.
I thought if the front of the frame was too high this would result in the engine sitting too high in the front.
Last edited by blackvette58; Feb 25, 2013 at 08:25 PM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 17,901
Likes: 751
From: Inverness FL
St. Jude Donor '07
have you placed the aircleaner on and tried closing the hood using something deformable lke clay to show the clearance? yep, i remember you giving a clearance dimension; how did you get it?
Bill
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 17,901
Likes: 751
From: Inverness FL
St. Jude Donor '07
what puzzles me is that Frank even has heat insulating spacers between his carbs and the manifold and he doesn't have a clearance problem.
Bill
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 99
Likes: 1
From: Lakewood Ranch, FL
I used playdough with the aircleaner mounted to get the measurements. The stock WCFB carburetor bases used for clones (1957) are at least 1/8" higher than the stock 2X4 Carb set-up. But I do not believe this created an issue for others with a similar set-up. The manifold is original and stock. There is a reason for this problem and I, and others, have not been able to diagnose it as of yet. Remedies have been taken to deal with the symptom, but not the cause.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
Take a piece of clay, plumber's putty or strip caulk and put it on the air cleaner front edge to a thickness of about 1/2". Put some talcum powder or light grease on the hood where the putty could potentially hit to keep it from sticking up there. Carefully close the hood and determine the clearance. If it looks OK then close the hood again (still with the putty on) and start and rev the engine a few times and recheck. If all is well, then remove the putty and drive on.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,214
Likes: 447
From: NJ Hockey beer league
I can't see from your pictures, but do you have the upper fan shroud installed?? Reason I mention that is if the body shimming under the radiator (as John Z pointed out) is off, those holes won't line up with the radiator support which would "show you" where the problem is. My guess is you need to shim under the radiator support a bit more. I personally don't like those original paper shims they used and made my own out of SS. If they get wet they are not effected. 
Pilot Dan
Pilot Dan
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 17,901
Likes: 751
From: Inverness FL
St. Jude Donor '07
I used playdough with the aircleaner mounted to get the measurements. The stock WCFB carburetor bases used for clones (1957) are at least 1/8" higher than the stock 2X4 Carb set-up. But I do not believe this created an issue for others with a similar set-up. The manifold is original and stock. There is a reason for this problem and I, and others, have not been able to diagnose it as of yet. Remedies have been taken to deal with the symptom, but not the cause.
Bill
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 99
Likes: 1
From: Lakewood Ranch, FL
The radiator shroud is installed properly. I don't know if it is associated with a reproduction shroud as sometimes reproduction parts are not the exact measurement of the originals but I did have to use a 16" in fan for clearance. The air cleaner is the sealed type (no replaceable element); a reproduction of the original.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,703
Likes: 167
From: Western Washington
Maybe the actual height of the car is a spring issue. If that is the case the radiator support could be shimmed to get proper clearance. It looks like your radiator support is not really shimmed, it just has the fiber pieces. That is also is probably why you can't use the correct fan.
Last edited by narlee; Feb 26, 2013 at 02:27 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 17,901
Likes: 751
From: Inverness FL
St. Jude Donor '07
is the fan centered in the shroud? or to which side is it closest, and by how much?
actual car height doesn't have an effect on this. unless there is some droop in the fiberglass front end, shimming the radiator support might induce some stresses in the fiberglass and joints.
once again, you can try it; raising some part of the body. or, cut the motor mount brackets loose from the frame and lower the engine (might make your fan problem worse...)
as Frank said, if you have clearance with it running; forget it and drive it...
Bill
actual car height doesn't have an effect on this. unless there is some droop in the fiberglass front end, shimming the radiator support might induce some stresses in the fiberglass and joints.
once again, you can try it; raising some part of the body. or, cut the motor mount brackets loose from the frame and lower the engine (might make your fan problem worse...)
as Frank said, if you have clearance with it running; forget it and drive it...
Bill
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,703
Likes: 167
From: Western Washington
It looks like the radiator support was reshimmed, did you do it. If it has been redone with less shims that could also cause stress. I can't imagine cutting the mount brackets unless someone had previously moved them. Like I said earlier address the springs for ride height. Also as previously said if it has enough clearance you might just leave it.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 99
Likes: 1
From: Lakewood Ranch, FL
Checking the hood clearance further I find that the hood rests on the leading edge of the air cleaner...no clearance when closed. I would assume the car should not be driven in such a circumstance. When I purchased this project the body was on the frame but not attached nor shimmed. I had shimmed the radiator support. The body was shimmed with the gaps in the doors, front and back, as the criterion. I find that even if I loosen the front mounting bolts and jack up the front end, while it raises the height of the front end excessively from an appearance point of view, it does not affect the hood closing. I am going to adjust the bolts attaching the hood to the radiator support bracket (raise it) to see if that makes a difference.
Last edited by blackvette58; Feb 27, 2013 at 08:52 AM.