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On my '67 that I'm putting back together, the front body mount (radiator support to front of frame), is about 1/2" from allowing me to install bolt & shims. Below is a pic of looking up from the floor.
Any tips/advice for getting things to line up?
All the body mounts/bolts were in when car when it came back from body/paint shop but the headlight support rods weren't in. In order to get those
rods to fit I took the front body mount bolts out and that gave me enough wiggle room to get the both support rods in but now the front body mount bolts won't fit. My thoughts were to
loosen all the body mount bolts up and see if there is enough tolerance in those areas that I could shift the body forward slightly to allow the front bolts to slip in.
Well I used the cable puller to move the radiator mount/frame to where I wanted it - centering the mechanical fan. And stabbed some holes with the pry bars for alignment. Yes frame work takes some brute force as far as I know.
Something I learned recently is those cable strap pullers are not for load lifting. They are for pulling tight load straps on trucks. They don't let the load down w/o full release. I was considering maybe raising the body with them until I found that written on the box - Not for Lifting Loads!
Next option is a chain hoist and much heavier and more expensive. I guess that's the cost of safety.
Actually you're post got me thinking and after looking around at what tools I had I tried a C-Clamp. In pic below the left side of C-Clamp is on the front of the frame and the right side of clamp is on the back of radiator support frame. I also loosened the 4 bolts that support the radiator support to the body. I used clamps on both sides and adjusted them both a little at a time and everything lined up.
On the cable strap pullers ... mine have a lever that only allows them to go down one tog at a time. I don't know if they're different from others but other than taking awhile to accomplish the body drop ... I didn't have any issues. Maybe there are different types but good point to check. I don't have the boxes for mine anymore but never saw anything that said they weren't OK for lifting to my knowledge.
When I did my body off frame restoration which involved cutting out frame rails and all new frame body mounts all my bolts went right in without any issues at all.. But what do I know. Its amazing what you can do with a laser level, a plumb bob and string line. You want to install the body with little to no preload stresses.
04-28-2019, 04:15 PM
C2 Body to Frame Alignment Issue
