This is what Ken and myself have as a challenge ahead of us this weekend. Any suggestions or experience will be appreciated. This is a 1980 Camaro front clip, we got to make a 1953 3100 front end fit on it. We're gona have MUCHO Fun , wish the rest of you could be here... Now, to tell the truth, Ken may not need any suggestions , but this particular process is new to me . See pics posted below. Thanks, TB'sD
Boop's Dad, I can't help you but I have a request. Keep the camera handy and post as many pics as you can. Even if you have to dedicate a member gallery to it. My uneducated guess is, since the whole front end is dependent on the radiator bracket, that once you get it mounted (after a thousand measurements) it should go from there. I think I would even make the radiator mount adjustable fore and aft by slotting the frame crossmember. That way you would have some wiggle room. But what do I know, I'm just a goat farmer. Gater
I welded a piece of angle iron in this area for the radiator support to sit on. Its what I had lying in the garage at the time,but you could use a piece of square stock to make cleaner lines.
More Pics of the job ahead of us We rolled-er out a da tent for some pics before the front goes on.... I got confidenccccccce in Ken, HE'S Gona make things happen The Boops, should I say EXCITED!
Take a couple of measurements for me 1) distance between the frame rails in front. and 2) distance from the front wheel spindle to the front edge of the frame. Also, do we have the original radiator support?
Measurments 1) distance between the frame rails in front. and 2) distance from the front wheel spindle to the front edge of the frame. Also, do we have the original radiator support? Ken, distances are (1) 38 inches, (2) 22 inches. I have all original parts EXCEPT the cross member that the radiator support bolts too. I also have 5 other AD truck frames that will gladly become doner trucks if need be. I also have a cutting torch We'll make er work somehow We can make any measurments we need on the old doner trucks, they are only about 4 miles away TB'sD
Thanks Mike! I think i'll email Mr. Smith and see if he'll drop everything and come over from sunny California to supervise! Glad to hear we have donor trucks. My biggest worry was getting the right height for the fabbed crossmember so that the radiator support would be in the correct starting position to hang the inner fender panels and fenders. We also need to shrink the distance between the frame rails in front to 25 1/2 inches so that the bumper brackets hang right. Thanks to everyone who has chimed in so far. My ETA in beautiful downtown Gallatin is 1:00 pm tomorrow, so don't be shy. Chime away!
Now that's funny. I guess I should have paid attention. I just realized that the camaro front end is already on. I must have spring fever real bad. Big Mike
Never pay attention when you can have fun! Some of our best ideas come when we don't pay attention! Bailing wire, Duct tape, and J-B weld and East Texas, here i come!!
I believe you'll have to cut out a little chunck of front inner fender to get it to come down over the frame. The guy here in town always puts a clip on his rides and there is always the frame ends sticking through. Not that that matters 'cause he always rolls a front pan for it anyway. When you drop them down like that, what's a bumper got to do anyway? (All those wires hanging around... a shiver just went up my spine...) May God be with you! Good luck!
So what are you guys trying to get accomplished this weekend. Installing the radiator and hearing it run?, Installing the front fenders and hood? All I know is I'm jealous. I wanna go and work on it so bad. I know you guys will have a good time. Paul I think you see the wiring and shiver because you know what you have to look forward to. The way around that feeling is just look at a small portion of it and get it figured out then move to another portion. Leave the whole picture alone because if that's all you look at then it will overwelm you and be very discouraging. Really your wiring project is not going to be that bad once you dive into it and understand all the components you'll be wiring up.
Great Advice!!! Hey Kevin, that's great advice. If one looks at all that needs to be done, it can be alittle discouraging. Alittle at a time and before you know it, your crusin to your favorite burger joint on a friday night. Boop's Dad, truck is lookin real good! Let's all keep up the good work!! Big Mike
I know, I know... I'm a neat freak, I guess- I have this thing about keeping things pulled together with those cool twist ties for neatness. Labels are cool too! May I say again- May the peace and the glory of God be with you as you fit that front end on the Boop's ride! We are with you!
Here's a few tips that might be useful. Back before we had a shop with all the bells and whistles like jig tables and laser measuring stuff we poor boyed and common sensed clip installs and they came out pretty darn good. Before starting any cuts have the truck at the stance you want and measure from the bottom of the frame to the floor and write that figure ON THE TRUCK with a Sharpie. Now you can raise it up to a level your back will thank you for as long as the raise is the same at all four points (like 36"). Before cutting off the new clip run a straight edge across the top A-frame above the front and rear bushing and set an angle finder on it, this gives you the anti-dive factor designed into the geometry. Try to get this same angle after it's installed on the truck. Before removing anything from the truck measure, measure, measure. Measure from the front fender rod brace hole in the firewall straight ahead to the core support. Do this on both sides, file a small knick at the point you measured to on the core support and write this ON THE FIREWALL. Now get some diagonals from the side of the firewall(Mark) to the outer bolt where the core support angle bracket bolts to the fender. Set wheels facing straight ahead, remove dust caps, and hang a plumb bob so the string passes across the center of the spindle and the point of the bob is almost touching the floor. If your floor is clean put a strip of tape under the bob and a mark, other wise scratch the floor under the point. Repeat on the other side. Remove bottom core support bolts and hang plumb bob string from the center of the bolt holes down to the floor and mark. Also measure from the core support mount to the floor and record. When you install the new clip this will put your wheels in the exact same location in the fender openings and when you fabricate the new core support it will hold the front sheetmetal in the exact same place as before. you shouldn't even need any drift punches to align things. Here two pics of two methods of joining the frames. One looks nicer and the other is stronger. In this case the stronger one was in a truck that will be pulling it's front wheels and banging down so pretty was secondary. Of course there's still the steering, trimming the inner fenders to clear, etc., etc., but this will make the truck sit right and the panels align. Good luck--lots of it
I ain't gonna steal Boop's thunder but.. BE PREPARED TO BE IMPRESSED! Man, what a weekend! Not only is she is cute as a bug, but the young lady can cook up a mean batch of fried chicken! Thanks for the hospitality and thanks for teaching me some tricks of the trade!
