Reassembly is annoying!

[In The Ten Ring]

OK, so finally caught a break and could get back onto putting the truck back together BUT....

One last grill bracket hole will just not line up! *I wish I could post pics.* Dad is all for just cross threading the bolt in there but I won't have that.

Tomorrow I plan to remove the passenger side fender and use the Dremel Tool to open up the grill bracket hole a bit, allowing a bolt to pass through and be tightened.

*Fender is a NOS replacement and that grill bracket came from another truck.

Thoughts?

[GR8-68]

I would have to know what is not making it line up being an nos part and oem

[AussieinNC]

Loosen off all the other bolts, removing some totally if you have to.

Start again with the bolt that wont line up...

Dont tighten any fully until you get them all started...

Good luck...

[In The Ten Ring]

Update: good news.

Dad was able to come over again today and we are pretty sure the driver's side fender is where we want it. We have all the bolts on that side in and straight.

Passenger's side fender is also on but there are four bolts that just won't line up. Two go from core support forwards into the fender and two go from grill bracket into fender.....none of these four will line up enough to allow a bolt to go in and be straight.

I am going to try and see if I can have more luck tomorrow.

If all else fails, we could open up the two holes in both the core support and grill bracket, I'll keep you guys posted. Very happy about today's results though!

[special-K]

Maybe try loosening up on the cab, too, till all is together. Then see about alignment and tightening.

[In The Ten Ring]

Oh! I had not thought about rotating the cab.......thanks.

[jwinga]

Like said above, don't tighten the bolts until you have them all started.
In a component with more than one bolt, when you add it up there is a good bit of slack in all the holes. If you start one or two bolts then tighten them while not having bolts in all the other holes the slack can be slid to one side making some holes not line up. Once they are all started, get it in perfect position and only then start tightening.
Reassembly is the easy part because there aren't any rusted/stuck bolts.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by jwinga

Like said above, don't tighten the bolts until you have them all started.
In a component with more than one bolt, when you add it up there is a good bit of slack in all the holes. If you start one or two bolts then tighten them while not having bolts in all the other holes the slack can be slid to one side making some holes not line up. Once they are all started, get it in perfect position and only then start tightening.
Reassembly is the easy part because there aren't any rusted/stuck bolts.

Not to mention clean parts. Looking forward to reassembly. I've never built one, but seems not just the cab mounts as Special-K said, but the core support mounts as well.

[special-K]

Yeah, core support first. I assumed they had been loosened

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by jwinga

Like said above, don't tighten the bolts until you have them all started.
In a component with more than one bolt, when you add it up there is a good bit of slack in all the holes. If you start one or two bolts then tighten them while not having bolts in all the other holes the slack can be slid to one side making some holes not line up. Once they are all started, get it in perfect position and only then start tightening.
Reassembly is the easy part because there aren't any rusted/stuck bolts.

Tried that again today and just no luck.

Some holes just wouldn't line up.....I suspect the NOS outter fender is a bit "generous" as other forum members have said was their experience with NOS. Mostly, holes are just not big enough to make up for these variations I have found (or think I have found).

For now the fenders and grill are "together." Radiator core support bolts loosed and even removed to get to where it is now.

Problems.

Driver side: one grill bracket hole will just not line up.

Passenger side: one hole in core support will not line up with nut in fender.

Passenger side: two grill bracket holes will just not line up....very slightly off.

Thus, three bolts are cross threaded in and one is left out completely.


My father is the only help I can get (no friends closeby, neighbors too old, forum members not interested in coming over, even though I offered to pay any willing member and pay all travel, food, and lodging expenses) and my dad is only willing to go so far with this. I couldn't even get a body man to come to my garage.....one said he'd done that before but "after getting accused of stealing tools he never would again." Frankly my father really isn't in the right health to help but he's all I have and he knows it.

Personally I would remove both fenders and open up the offending holes a bit to allow things to fit but my only help is unwilling. It seems pretty sold now and I guess it'll do, at least until I have the time and money to pay for a proper restoration.

Comments?

[In The Ten Ring]

Update:

Decided to remove the cross threaded bolts and put in 1/4 inch standard bolts that I will nut on the inside. That will alleviate my OCD mentality to some extent.

Also, got the hood latch and hood latch support bracket back on.

[Ramjet51]

Originally Posted by In The Ten Ring

Update:

Decided to remove the cross threaded bolts and put in 1/4 inch standard bolts that I will nut on the inside. That will alleviate my OCD mentality to some extent.

Also, got the hood latch and hood latch support bracket back on.

Yep, sometimes it sucks, but sit back, have a cold one(any type), then just think a bit. You'll not be happy using those 1/4-20 and later it will eat at you....slow down and do it right..it took me two weeks to align the hood, fenders and grill on my 34 Ford, your C10 is a challenge...just slow down, you'll get it...

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by Ramjet51

Yep, sometimes it sucks, but sit back, have a cold one(any type), then just think a bit. You'll not be happy using those 1/4-20 and later it will eat at you....slow down and do it right..it took me two weeks to align the hood, fenders and grill on my 34 Ford, your C10 is a challenge...just slow down, you'll get it...

I have been thinking....a lot...essentially those bolts are ALL I have thought about!

I asked dad if he'd support me on the redo (removal of fenders, opening up of holes) and he was clearly against it! It was actually funny. He said "I think it's crazy but if you want to do this I'll support you." I then got into the process of how exactly we'd do that and he got a shocked look on his face and said "ARE YOU REALLY SERIOUS? THAT'S INSANE TO DO ALL THAT OVER!"

I then asked "were you really serious about supporting me?"

Dad said that was "obsessive" and I told him how one "must be obsessive to rebuild old vehicles."

He's afraid I'll run into other alignment problems and he might be right!

I'll call a body man I put a lot of faith in tomorrow and see what he says.

Surely others have had to do this......

A member replied to me "NOS parts can have generous tolerances." It's a NOS outer fender with the most bolt alignment issues.

Another member replied on here that he "did not hesitate to modify OEM parts as sometimes those are that much off." If I open up two holes in the fender brackets just 1/16 of an inch and one 1/4 of an inch, that will fix those problems. The core support (itself off another truck) needs a hole widened just 1/4 of an inch to be perfect.

[AussieinNC]

Just open up the holes the 1/16" to 1/4" and get it back together....

Remember that these were built as trucks, not precision instruments...its good to be diligent to process and ensuring all fasteners are in place and tight, but I dont think it is best practice to beat yourself up over it.

Suggest you take a step back, hug your Dad and look at the bigger picture...

This will get done in time.

Stay safe mate...and go hug your Dad...

[Ramjet51]

Originally Posted by AussieinNC

Just open up the holes the 1/16" to 1/4" and get it back together....

Remember that these were built as trucks, not precision instruments...its good to be diligent to process and ensuring all fasteners are in place and tight, but I dont think it is best practice to beat yourself up over it.

Suggest you take a step back, hug your Dad and look at the bigger picture...

This will get done in time.

Stay safe mate...and go hug your Dad...

I had to do the same on the lower front fender support holes, grind them out, used larger washers to achieve alignment, with repo front fenders, sometimes you have to do these things...

[In The Ten Ring]

Thanks guys, especially about "hugging my dad."

I just got off the phone with a body man in Montana I put a lot of stock in. He wonders if the core support is not bent in some way. *If it is I can't see it.

He suggested using a tapered punch but I've already tried that. He did say I could "open those holes up a bit." I will talk with him some more before I act.

I am rather fearful if I take it apart and open up those holes something else won't line up!

But if that's what you had to do Ramjet, then there is precedent. *My parts are all OEM or NOS, nothing reproduction, although I have read on here that even NOS may not line up.

[Ramjet51]

Yea, the old trucks were never "Foose" perfect.....so keep that in mind when you're building..

[In The Ten Ring]

Update.

Dad came over and after a brief bit of arguing over what to do first (sometimes we are like Fred Sanford and Lamont) we removed the grill and the passenger fender. Dad corrected the threads in three bolt holes that needed it.

I just now opened up the hole in the core support with a die grinder. Dad had to go home and feed mom (she has a feeding tube right now) and I am standing guard over my parts......I'll need his help holding the grill as I open up three bolt holes in it.

Keep wishing us lucky fellas, we might need it still.

[AussieinNC]

Ok, maybe time to share a little "dad level secret"

Cut yourself some studs from some scrap bolts that are same size as the misaligned bolts. Make them about 1 1/2" long. Cut a slot across the top of the unthreaded end for a flat screw driver. Now screw em into the mis aligned holes and trial fit it. You will find they tend to self align a lot of the time and you can figure out pretty quick which ones needs a grinder treatment.

I have done used this for years now, works 90% of the time.

[Curtb1971]

Originally Posted by Ramjet51

Yea, the old trucks were never "Foose" perfect.....so keep that in mind when you're building..

Thats for sure, I had the luxury of assembling the front clip before paint to fit the doors to the fenders for a good lines. This was when we were doing the bodywork on the cab. We had to use shims here and there then I marked where we put the shims for later assembly. Funny thing though is my dad and I both missed that the fenders we put all the work into were 68 and not 69-72 fenders! Had the darn things sandblasted, bodywork, primed and insides painted only to find out we had made a big mistake when it came time to put the hood and grill on. We were in the same boat as having to rotate the cab, loosen the core and use shims all with fresh paint when I did get the correct fenders. I takes lots of patience fitting everything. A few tips I can mention on reassembly is clean the threads in all your fixed nuts with a tap to remove any paint in the threads and use a drop of oil on the threads of the bolts. This helps protect rust and makes the process of tightening, loosening and repeating the process during fitting easier. Did I mention lots of patience. Ah take your time and enjoy it with the old man I sure do with mine.

[In The Ten Ring]

Good points on cleaning out the paint and the use of oil.

[In The Ten Ring]

Update 2:

I opened up the holes that would not align before. My small air compressor (for the cheap brad nailer) wouldn't hold enough air plus the attachment at the end of the air hose exploded. I'll have to buy another air hose I guess.

We switched over to my older and larger air compressor and it did great. Only thing is it won't allow the air to escape, we had to bleed it out the hose. I guess that valve dad put on the tank in 2005 isn't the greatest (something he had on hand). At some point I'll have to weld a patch on that tank anyway as it has a leak and when I do that I'll put on a new valve.

We opened up 3 holes on the grill brackets and one on the core support. This time, we got 3 out of the 4 holes that wouldn't align before aligned and bolted. 75% success rate.

On the second trial, a couple of the holes that we opened up aligned a lot better, we might not have had to open those up at all but the one on the core support, that one for sure needed to be relieved.

We only have one bolt holding out on us now....it aligned before so I guess we'll have to loosen everything again and keep trying with the punches. It got late and I was finally able to convince dad to go home (he has a tendency to work long into the night).

[special-K]

The core support is the foundation for the entire front end. If it is bent at all, and it's not always visible, it will ruin your day. Not sure how to tell you to check it, other than with a known good one present for comparison. Sounds like you are getting there with assembly...almost. But, then comes alignment.

[In The Ten Ring]

Alignment? What's that?

Seriously, what is that?

I know about getting the wheels aligned, is there more to do with the body panels?

[special-K]

You will see if the panels need alignment. There is factory-like alignment, then there is getting anal about it. I'm fine with how these trucks were built, personally. What this would be are gaps between panels, one sticking out farther than the other, as well as latches aligning with keepers. Like a drooped door or a hood spike that isn't centered with the latch. If two panels rub the paint could get damaged. Not trying to freak you out, but the bodies don't just bolt together...necessarily.