Front clip

[hdixon]

Can anyone tell me how hard is it to install radiator support right & left fenders with the hood and line it up correctly should I let a body shop do it is it a big task are can someone with good hands on skill do it them self any pointer.

[mongocanfly]

It's a dance... thunk Martin Sr has a basic off basics on alignment...but first get the hood on and lined up with the cowl then set the fenders to the hood...sometimes it falls in place...sometimes it's a royal pain....are you using repop parts? If your not concerned with perfect gaps it's a little less painful...if your looking for perfection...well....
depending on how handy you are with your tools or not will depend on if you want a pro to align your parts....is it fresh paint?

[hdixon]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

It's a dance... thunk Martin Sr has a basic off basics on alignment...but first get the hood on and lined up with the cowl then set the fenders to the hood...sometimes it falls in place...sometimes it's a royal pain....are you using repop parts? If your not concerned with perfect gaps it's a little less painful...if your looking for perfection...well....
depending on how handy you are with your tools or not will depend on if you want a pro to align your parts....is it fresh paint?

Yes the paint is fresh I am handy enough to bolt it up but I have never had to align anything like this before I was going to try and do it to save on the funds however I have made it to this point don't want to mess things up after all it is the front of the vehicle that will be seen first I would like for it to look right

[MARTINSR]

It's not a big deal, but you will have to be damn careful. My first question I have is was it all trial fit to perfection before it was painted?

I will often see a project like that be handed to a body shop who doesn't know what they are doing and they paint all the parts off the car before they are even trail fit, BIG mistake!

Were these parts all bolted on and hopefully marked so you can bolt them back on without wrestling with them much? I don't care how they were marked, they often will still take a little "massaging" to get them as best as they can be. But if no marks were made that adds a lot to the task of reassembly.

If they were assembled on the truck EXACLY as they are going to be now, I am talking with the frame you have, with the rad support and how it mounts to the frame and all that, if it wasn't FULLY assembled prior to paint, you could very well have BIG problems.

Brian

[hdixon]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

It's not a big deal, but you will have to be damn careful. My first question I have is was it all trial fit to perfection before it was painted?

I will often see a project like that be handed to a body shop who doesn't know what they are doing and they paint all the parts off the car before they are even trail fit, BIG mistake!

Were these parts all bolted on and hopefully marked so you can bolt them back on without wrestling with them much? I don't care how they were marked, they often will still take a little "massaging" to get them as best as they can be. But if no marks were made that adds a lot to the task of reassembly.

If they were assembled on the truck EXACLY as they are going to be now, I am talking with the frame you have, with the rad support and how it mounts to the frame and all that, if it wasn't FULLY assembled prior to paint, you could very well have BIG problems.

Brian

I, don't think nothing was pre marked. The whole front clip is after market parts. Maybe I should take it back were all the body work was done they put the truck together so far. I left the front clip off because I wanted to install the motor, trans and any other item I could install while off but I want the truck to be nice. I was just trying to save a few buck by putting the clip on myself. However I don't want the front looking like it was rigged.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by hdixon

I, don't think nothing was pre marked. The whole front clip is after market parts. Maybe I should take it back were all the body work was done they put the truck together so far. I left the front clip off because I wanted to install the motor, trans and any other item I could install while off but I want the truck to be nice. I was just trying to save a few buck by putting the clip on myself. However I don't want the front looking like it was rigged.

WHOA there, all reproduction parts? It had BETTER been pre-installed and MODIFIED to fit or there is going to be BIG problems.

I would without a doubt let the shop do it. Unless they really know what they are doing I would bet a crisp $100 bill that at the very least one of those parts will end up getting re-painted even if installed by the shop.

With what you have told me, I would say YES have them do it!

Brian

[hdixon]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

WHOA there, all reproduction parts? It had BETTER been pre-installed and MODIFIED to fit or there is going to be BIG problems.

I would without a doubt let the shop do it. Unless they really know what they are doing I would bet a crisp $100 bill that at the very least one of those parts will end up getting re-painted even if installed by the shop.

With what you have told me, I would say YES have them do it!

Brian

Cool they can make them fit for sure but its going to cost a couple grand to mount the rad support, hood cowl, and fenders but it would look better I have come a long way to change up now for what I want out of the looks of the truck thanks for your input

[MARTINSR]

I seldom say to someone to have it done, you CAN do this stuff. But with yours I am thinking having it done is the best bet.

Brian

[mongocanfly]

Yikes!!!...new repop parts....like Martin says....pay the man....

[hdixon]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Yikes!!!...new repop parts....like Martin says....pay the man....

No problem I take it this is not a learning process if you want it done right I will show pic once it's all complete thanks everyone
Thanks Guys for all the input

[mongocanfly]

The issue with the repop stuff is it rarely just "fits"....That's why Martin is saying it should have been mocked up and checked before paint
What are you working on btw?

[hdixon]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

The issue with the repop stuff is it rarely just "fits"....That's why Martin is saying it should have been mocked up and checked before paint
What are you working on btw?

the guys that did all the body work and painted the truck dust far has done a pretty good job all is left is putting the front clip together I just want to install the engine and trans before placing the front clip on so I brought the truck home to install that stuff I will take it back and let them finish all the parts has been painted and in is my living room