Removing the whole nose
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 310
Likes: 1
From: Glenn Heights Tx
2-3 guys, lots of beer and patience...you will need some steady hands...i dont remember exactly what size wrenches and such from when i took my 80 front end off...but you gotta be extremely safe or CRACK! ....good luck!
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 294
Likes: 0
From: cincinnati oh
Are you deciding to repair the old front end or replace it with a new one?
Its not that bad to take off. A helper would be nice but I removed it myself. Take the doors off and slide a good putty knife at the top between the glued area that the front end is bonded to the cowl (just in front of doors). Hit the knife with a hammer downward so that the glue splits apart. You may run into a few spots where an old serrated steak knife can help by using it to "saw" the glue. Use the knife at the middle where the fender forms an angle. Remember: you only want to seperate the front end from the cowl, so take you time and ONLY split the glue. A heat gun can help, but I didn't use one. The rest of the removal is mechanical (nose support rod, radiator support). PM me if you have any other questions.
Its not that bad to take off. A helper would be nice but I removed it myself. Take the doors off and slide a good putty knife at the top between the glued area that the front end is bonded to the cowl (just in front of doors). Hit the knife with a hammer downward so that the glue splits apart. You may run into a few spots where an old serrated steak knife can help by using it to "saw" the glue. Use the knife at the middle where the fender forms an angle. Remember: you only want to seperate the front end from the cowl, so take you time and ONLY split the glue. A heat gun can help, but I didn't use one. The rest of the removal is mechanical (nose support rod, radiator support). PM me if you have any other questions.
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Drifting
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,970
Likes: 91
[QUOTE=vetteboy1976kr]
Its not that bad to take off. A helper would be nice but I removed it myself. Take the doors off and slide a good putty knife at the top between the glued area that the front end is bonded to the cowl (just in front of doors). Hit the knife with a hammer downward so that the glue splits apart. You may run into a few spots where an old serrated steak knife can help by using it to "saw" the glue. Use the knife at the middle where the fender forms an angle. Remember: you only want to seperate the front end from the cowl, so take you time and ONLY split the glue. QUOTE]
I see how a knive through the glue at the side cowl door pillar works, but how do you get to the glue at the front of the side cowl?
Its not that bad to take off. A helper would be nice but I removed it myself. Take the doors off and slide a good putty knife at the top between the glued area that the front end is bonded to the cowl (just in front of doors). Hit the knife with a hammer downward so that the glue splits apart. You may run into a few spots where an old serrated steak knife can help by using it to "saw" the glue. Use the knife at the middle where the fender forms an angle. Remember: you only want to seperate the front end from the cowl, so take you time and ONLY split the glue. QUOTE]
I see how a knive through the glue at the side cowl door pillar works, but how do you get to the glue at the front of the side cowl?
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 12,065
Likes: 2
From: Smalltownville Michigan
Cruise-In 5, 6 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09
I wonder if you could do the piano wire trick like window replacment techs do for around the cowl or are the angle too goofy for it?
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 294
Likes: 0
From: cincinnati oh
Dennis: For the front side of the cowl you have to reach inside the engine compartment to do it. The top inside is the toughest part to do, but if you do the back side of the cowl (near doors), the top (near winshield), and the bottom (under the car), you can pretty much yank it off without breaking anything. This is where the heat gun would help. The piano wire may have difficulty cutting the glue, but with the heat gun it might do it. Worth a shot if you have some to try.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,970
Likes: 91
Originally Posted by vetteboy1976kr
Dennis: For the front side of the cowl you have to reach inside the engine compartment to do it. The top inside is the toughest part to do, but if you do the back side of the cowl (near doors), the top (near winshield), and the bottom (under the car), you can pretty much yank it off without breaking anything. This is where the heat gun would help. The piano wire may have difficulty cutting the glue, but with the heat gun it might do it. Worth a shot if you have some to try.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,950
Likes: 498
From: Chino Hills CA
Since you'll be trashing the front end anyway, you can cut away pieces to get access to the bonded areas. Before you throw the old pieces away, save them to use as templates for marking the holes on the new front end for the emblems.