Alignment hell!!!

[PROB]

I just bought 2 trucks 47 & 52 models, I'm building the 47, and I'm having hell aligning the hood. First off it's been camaro front clipped, and there's no front mounts on it yet so I'm sure that's not helping. Also the fenders that were on it lined up pretty good but were rusted out and covered with bondo so I switched them out for another pair I have. They bolted right up but the hood to fender gap is really wide at the cab. I know I'm going to spend hours on trying to get everything lined up. Should I start with getting the back of the hood to cab lined up then move on to the fenders? I'll post some pics as soon as possible.

[mr48chev]

I'd think that you will have to get the hood to cowl fit right before working on the hood to fender fit.

Before you start with that slide under the truck and make sure that your spacing between the floor of the cab and the frame is right. The cab has to sit square on the frame even with the subframe swap if you are going to have everything fit in the end run.



Good info on aligning the nose in the factory service manual. I have it copied somewhere on one of my photobucket accounts but can't find it at the moment.

[MARTINSR]

You need some photos or we can't do much for you. The height of the rad support is a BIG issue when aligning the hood. The side supports that go from the fenders to the firewall, also a VERY important thing with the hood alignment.


Brian

[PROB]

Thanks for the good info on cab height, Ill get under it when I get home from work and measure, another thing Ive noticed the bottom of the radiator support is hitting on the sway bar from the Camaro clip. Ill have to remove it till I can get the alignment right. I don't have any firewall to fender supports, I might build a set of adjustable rod end ones out of some aluminum if there that important to getting everything linned up. Ive spent years working on cars, but this is the 1st full frame off rebuild I have ever done, and It was in pieces when I got so I have nothing to go off of. Thanks for all the help and Ill get a few pics up shortly.

[jackson]

I had the same problem on my 49. core support is a biggy. when you raise or lower it . it will make the gap at the center of the hood and cowl =+. I had mine to low and it also affected the rear of the hood to fender gap. it had to much gap . I raised the core support and that gap got way better. the two rods fender to firewall ajust the front sheetmetal left to right. ad trucks are a pain in my book .another thing I noticed is that when you have the core support right the body line on the rear bottom of the fender is pretty parallel to the bottom of the door looking from the side. im new to these truck and learning a little every day . maybe in about 50 years I might be an expert

[PROB]

Thanks for that info it will help a lot, Also does the front end mount in just one spot (middle of the lower radiator support)?

[OrrieG]

http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/bo...alignment.html

Cab, hood and rad. core need to be aligned first, then fenders to the hood and cab. Sometimes the cab needs tilted, which will also affect the body line alignment with the bed.

[PROB]

I did some measuring and at the front cab mounts I'm 2 1/4" from top of frame to floor pan and the back isn't tied down at all. I'm going to see what I can do about getting the front down then should raise the rear of the cab to match the front?

[jackson]

Originally Posted by PROB

I did some measuring and at the front cab mounts I'm 2 1/4" from top of frame to floor pan and the back isn't tied down at all. I'm going to see what I can do about getting the front down then should raise the rear of the cab to match the front?

just take your time and you will get it. I know I pulled out about half my hair on that front end but eventually you will get it

[PROB]

Yeah I'm getting it. I started with the cab and got it aligned and measured within an 1/8 inch, got the hood lining up good without the fenders and radiator support other than the hood is a little wavy along the edge where it meets the cab. I'm guessing there's some type of rubber that goes between the hood and hood support that I don't have that should take care the hood. While mocking the front end up I've noticed that the gap between the fenders for the grill and for the hood is to tight when I tighten the bolts for the radiator support to the inner fenders. I naught have to shim between the rad support and the inner fenders unless anyone else has a better idea, I'd rather not put fender shims in there.

[mr48chev]

The "wavy" at the back of the hood might be due to a previous owner's miss deeds. My grandgather used to put a thin stick under the back edge of the hood in the winter on his 48 one ton to get engine heat to hit the windshield to act as a defroster. The truck had good heater in it too but he thought he needed all the heat he could get and he drove the truck mostly in the winter hauling feed for his cattle.

Yes there is a strip that goes across the top of the cowl and acts as a seal/pad.

[PROB]

can I post pics from my phone? my computer isn't computing at the moument.

[Iceburgh]

IMO working off the hood at the cab is not the place to start. Everything works from the Rad support.
It would have been best to build a jig off the old before cutting it off and welding on the subframe. Late for that but can still be done with some trial and error.
Use the bolt holes for the hood hinges as a starting point...they don't change so it is a constant measurement.
Wheel base use the zert fitting in front to the rear shackles, again constant measurement
Here are two links that can help
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/iceburgh/library/truck
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/iceb...y/1953%20truck

Both have Camaro sub-frames

[PROB]

ok, im to the point where I need to get measurements for the radiator support, Im hoping someone has a body layout diagrahm with measurments so I can get the radiator support in right.

[PROB]

Here's a few pics from when I brought it home.

[PROB]

Orange has got to go!

[PROB]

The fenders that were on it lined up better but were rusted and covers with bondo around the grill edge.

[PROB]

My boy helping me bolt the new (old) front end on.

[PROB]

Ok I think I've got this picture thing figured out.

[PROB]

OK so after hours of tweeking, and numerous beer breaks, I came to the conclusion that the hood wasn't desined to fit right with the fenders!!! I took the radiator support out, bolted the grill in and everything looked pretty good, other than there was still to much gap at the back of the hood to fender. My only option at this point is to start drilling larger holes to let the fenders move up more in the rear. I was hoping I could get a few people to post some pics of there hood to fender gap so I could get an idea of whats normal. Ill post a few of mine when I get home.

[Iceburgh]

[PROB]

both those trucks look amazing, Its not the closest shot, but It looks about like the same gap as what I have on my truck, theres enough you can see the thru to the motor. I just don't know if I can live with that, after spending all the hours im going to on the body work. thank you for the pics

[oldman3]

Prob, I'm going to show you a bunch of pics and a few things I did, maybe it will help. This is how mine looked when I started putting everything back together.
Notice hood and fender gap, and hood and cowl gap.

[oldman3]

Here you can see gap along the whole fender and hood. If you visulize raising the rear of fender and dropping front of fender, then the gap becomes smaller and more in line.

[oldman3]

Now this is how they start to line up.