Raising front clip?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 357
Likes: 0
From: Porters Lake Nova Scotia
Raising front clip?
somehow when i put the front end of the car back together, suddenly the hood is slightly hitting the nut securing the carb down. It seems either the engine is sitting up higher(not likely), or the fibreglass front end is sitting lower. Is there a way to adjust this?. BTW, it is a 1970 coupe 350, if that helps.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,117
Likes: 104
From: charlotte north carolina
you state that the front end was put back together-what does that mean? new clip, new radiator, new hood or hinges? if you replaced the clip, how does the hood fit? you may be able to just shim the hood hinges up. if the hood is level with the surround, i see two choices. go with a shorter air filter bolt (or even a real bolt rather than the wingnut, or raise the entire clip-a really big job. take off the bumper, nose support bar, loosen the three bolts on each side of the radiator support, elonggate the fiber glass holes, and raise the whole clip. if the only clearance problem is the bolt, i think you know what i would do.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,669
Likes: 3
From: Kingston Ontario
you state that the front end was put back together-what does that mean? new clip, new radiator, new hood or hinges? if you replaced the clip, how does the hood fit? you may be able to just shim the hood hinges up. if the hood is level with the surround, i see two choices. go with a shorter air filter bolt (or even a real bolt rather than the wingnut, or raise the entire clip-a really big job. take off the bumper, nose support bar, loosen the three bolts on each side of the radiator support, elonggate the fiber glass holes, and raise the whole clip. if the only clearance problem is the bolt, i think you know what i would do.
I agree, shim or trim.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 357
Likes: 0
From: Porters Lake Nova Scotia
the front clip itself is the same from before, so is the rad support, but the rad support was taken out, and there is a new rad and accesories. I believe the problem is in the rad support, the 3 bolts on the side?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,117
Likes: 104
From: charlotte north carolina
do you mean that the wires at the distributor are touching the hood? slight contact would probably be ok, but remember that the engine shifts under torque so there should be some clearance. it sounds like the radiator was mounted too low when it was installed. take it back to the shop and let them look at it. they may be able to raise it somewhat. but as with the distributor, make sure thaat the air cleaner has a little wiggle room also.
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
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,273
Likes: 4,366
From: Westminster Maryland
I believe I would shim the bottom of the core support which will raise the front clip and core support up as one piece. Remember all the bumper bracket bolts need to be loose to do this.
Shimming the hood hinges may help but will also affect the hood/surround gaps.
Regards,
Alan
Shimming the hood hinges may help but will also affect the hood/surround gaps.
Regards,
Alan
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 357
Likes: 0
From: Porters Lake Nova Scotia
ok, well the front of the hood meets pretty well in line with the front clip, tht is why i know that it is the front clip, and not the hood. Will shimming the bottom of the rad still raise this? When i removed the rad support, there were no shims there. Could this be a problem associated with the 6 bolts on the side of the rad support?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,224
Likes: 1
From: Clarksville Indiana
The brackets on the ends of the frame is where I ajusted mine. With a floor jack under the middle of the front crossmember. The slotted holes in the frame end brackets provide a lot of movement up and down. From what I have seen on other cars, the brackets should be about a 1/2 inch higher than the frame. If you raise or lower it too much, YOUR FENDERS WILL CRACK! 
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 357
Likes: 0
From: Porters Lake Nova Scotia
I hate to bringing this thread back from the dead, but I am now ready to raise the front clip this winter. I havent been in that section of the car for a while. I will clear some things up first: By putting the car back together I mean the car was without an engine and trans when I got it, so when the engine went in thats what I noticed, and now the top of the air filter is making a mark on the hood and the nut has taken about a 16th of an inch out of the hood. The gaps at the front of the doors are large on the top and small on the bottom. We put in a new rad, and took the rad support out. What needs to be done to lift the front of the front clip up? Thanks!
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
A lot of it can be due to having an aftermarket intake manifold, carb and NON factory base for the carb which is lower than some aftermarket types...and can cause for clearance issues.
I would connect the radiator support to the inner skirts and then loosen the front cross member...SLOWLY raise the front clip and tighten the side brackets on the frame...and if possible also slide in some of the shims between the radiator support and the front cross member.
(Hard to read if you did this or not)...BUT If when you bonded the front clip on and NOT having the car sitting level when doing so. There is not much you can do if the gap at the top of the fender at the door is wider than the are below it is closer.
ALSO...I would heat the body REALLY WELL when you slowly lift it. A heated body will move 'better' so-to-speak than one that is freezing cold.
I use modeling clay that I knead really well when I am checking for clearances.
DUB.
I would connect the radiator support to the inner skirts and then loosen the front cross member...SLOWLY raise the front clip and tighten the side brackets on the frame...and if possible also slide in some of the shims between the radiator support and the front cross member.
(Hard to read if you did this or not)...BUT If when you bonded the front clip on and NOT having the car sitting level when doing so. There is not much you can do if the gap at the top of the fender at the door is wider than the are below it is closer.
ALSO...I would heat the body REALLY WELL when you slowly lift it. A heated body will move 'better' so-to-speak than one that is freezing cold.
I use modeling clay that I knead really well when I am checking for clearances.
DUB.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 140
From: Kanuckistan
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
You can't raise a front clip, the car will look crooked.
Either you put a drop base cleaner bottom of put a hood with a bigger hood scoop.
On my '76, I have a Team-G intake (pretty tall) topped with a big Holley, and with the drop base cleaner I still have 3/4" of clearance with the stock hood.
Put some painter tape along the side body line (to help visualize it) and see if the front clip and the door matches are currently aligned.
Either you put a drop base cleaner bottom of put a hood with a bigger hood scoop.
On my '76, I have a Team-G intake (pretty tall) topped with a big Holley, and with the drop base cleaner I still have 3/4" of clearance with the stock hood.
Put some painter tape along the side body line (to help visualize it) and see if the front clip and the door matches are currently aligned.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
I MUST respectfully disagree.
OH yes you can. You can not raise it a lot....but it will come up some. And because when it is being raised...it is raising the hood hinge mounting area...it changes how the hood clearance is over the air cleaner.
An 1/8" would not be much of an issue at all......and like I wrote in my previous post....having the body warmed up really good helps versus being freezing cold. SO...going a 1/4" of an inch is not unreasonable....and the front end would not look crooked. I have been forced to do this many times.
SLOWLY RAISE and let it settle in....then a little more and stop and let the body settle in. TIME and HEAT are your friends in this scenario.
DUB
OH yes you can. You can not raise it a lot....but it will come up some. And because when it is being raised...it is raising the hood hinge mounting area...it changes how the hood clearance is over the air cleaner.
An 1/8" would not be much of an issue at all......and like I wrote in my previous post....having the body warmed up really good helps versus being freezing cold. SO...going a 1/4" of an inch is not unreasonable....and the front end would not look crooked. I have been forced to do this many times.
SLOWLY RAISE and let it settle in....then a little more and stop and let the body settle in. TIME and HEAT are your friends in this scenario.
DUB
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 140
From: Kanuckistan
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
If it needs to be raised a lot. Then the front clip needs to be detached and re-bonded.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,255
Likes: 297
From: Slovenia, EU
2017 C3 of Year Finalist
I have the same or similar problem on my 71 vette. (I will use this post to ask you some questions)
My car went through restoration and the radiator support, front crossmember and the front bumper attaching support (big piece in the front that attaches to the front crossmember) were removed.
And now my hood is 1/4" higher than the nose of the car and the front bumper support doesn't fit the holes in the fron crossmember.
Is this the same issue? Can I raise the front for that couple of mm to allign everything?
I don't want to cause any damage though as my car has fresh new paint?
My car went through restoration and the radiator support, front crossmember and the front bumper attaching support (big piece in the front that attaches to the front crossmember) were removed.
And now my hood is 1/4" higher than the nose of the car and the front bumper support doesn't fit the holes in the fron crossmember.
Is this the same issue? Can I raise the front for that couple of mm to allign everything?
I don't want to cause any damage though as my car has fresh new paint?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,273
Likes: 4,366
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi PK,
Is there presently anything bolted tight enough to prevent the front clip from raising that 1/4"?
You can raise the nose slightly by putting shims between the bottom of the core support and the forward cross member it bolts to.
The frame extensions that the front crossmember is bolted to can be adjusted to 'tip' the front cross member up.
Adjusting the extensions may help too.
Before you do anything though you need to be absolutely certain that the bumper brackets are loose enough to not hinder the clip when you raise it. You don't want to put ANY stress on the fiberglass.
You need to be certain that you use the brackets to pull the bumper into position, NOT the fiberglass.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
Here's a picture of the shims in place on an untouched 69.
Is there presently anything bolted tight enough to prevent the front clip from raising that 1/4"?
You can raise the nose slightly by putting shims between the bottom of the core support and the forward cross member it bolts to.
The frame extensions that the front crossmember is bolted to can be adjusted to 'tip' the front cross member up.
Adjusting the extensions may help too.
Before you do anything though you need to be absolutely certain that the bumper brackets are loose enough to not hinder the clip when you raise it. You don't want to put ANY stress on the fiberglass.
You need to be certain that you use the brackets to pull the bumper into position, NOT the fiberglass.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
Here's a picture of the shims in place on an untouched 69.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,255
Likes: 297
From: Slovenia, EU
2017 C3 of Year Finalist
hi pk,
is there presently anything bolted tight enough to prevent the front clip from raising that 1/4"?
You can raise the nose slightly by putting shims between the bottom of the core support and the forward cross member it bolts to.
The frame extensions that the front crossmember is bolted to can be adjusted to 'tip' the front cross member up.
Adjusting the extensions may help too.
Before you do anything though you need to be absolutely certain that the bumper brackets are loose enough to not hinder the clip when you raise it. You don't want to put any stress on the fiberglass.
You need to be certain that you use the brackets to pull the bumper into position, not the fiberglass.
Good luck!
Regards,
alan
here's a picture of the shims in place on an untouched 69.
is there presently anything bolted tight enough to prevent the front clip from raising that 1/4"?
You can raise the nose slightly by putting shims between the bottom of the core support and the forward cross member it bolts to.
The frame extensions that the front crossmember is bolted to can be adjusted to 'tip' the front cross member up.
Adjusting the extensions may help too.
Before you do anything though you need to be absolutely certain that the bumper brackets are loose enough to not hinder the clip when you raise it. You don't want to put any stress on the fiberglass.
You need to be certain that you use the brackets to pull the bumper into position, not the fiberglass.
Good luck!
Regards,
alan
here's a picture of the shims in place on an untouched 69.
Yes the front end is assembled as we were in a rush to put the car out of the workshop because of the space issues.
I will unbolt and remove the front bumper and everything in the front and do this properly.
The problem is that the holes in the bottom of the core support and the front crossmember don't allign at all and I think that is because of the front frame extensions are not correctly assembled. A milimeter here and there and in the end all ads to a lot.
Last edited by Primoz; Feb 11, 2015 at 04:56 PM. Reason: incorrect answer