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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Body, Glass & Paint => Topic started by: 87454westernhauler on November 18, 2010, 07:32:03 am

Title: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: 87454westernhauler on November 18, 2010, 07:32:03 am
i have an 87 chevy r10 305, i decided to replace the front clip[ with one off of a 79 k3500, i have the fenders bolted on right now. problem is is that the radiator support bolts are way off and the bolts on top of the fender under the hood are way off to like it is to big?? help
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: ccz145a on November 18, 2010, 09:17:12 am
pics? you have the whole clip from the 79 right?
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: VileZambonie on November 18, 2010, 09:53:45 am
pics? you have the whole clip from the 79 right?

This
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: topp on November 18, 2010, 11:15:54 am
You need the radiator support from the 79 as well.
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: 87454westernhauler on November 18, 2010, 05:50:31 pm
i have the entire fronjt clip from the 79 that i bolted on to the 87
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: Irish_Alley on November 18, 2010, 06:41:43 pm
Do you have the front clip bolted solid. Like the Rad bolted to the fender
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: Blazin on November 18, 2010, 09:56:10 pm
Your using the 85 core support bushings / mounts? You have the 79 inner fenders? Try lifting the core support up and getting the fenders bolted to it, Then try setting it down on the frame.
Don't forget to swap out the 79 Wiper arm stubs. The older hood will clean the 85 stubs right off the first time you close it.
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: 87454westernhauler on November 19, 2010, 07:44:33 am
i will try to get the radiator bushing out of it because i used the 87 one, but the 79 ones are to small for the hole that they sit in on the frame. the clip it rilly solid and i cant get it to lift up or down very much.
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: 80stepsideguy on November 19, 2010, 03:58:17 pm
You need to use the mounts from the other clip cause the body mount hangers are totally different from 73-80 then to 81-7.Plus like blazin said your gonna need to change out your wiper arms are to long on the truck and to accept the 73/80 nose you need the shorter ones.It should be a direct fit with just some small modifications..

thanks
pat
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: Blazin on November 19, 2010, 06:06:41 pm
Use the mounts that go with the frame.
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: 87454westernhauler on November 22, 2010, 09:02:29 am
do those bolt on or are riveted???
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: 80stepsideguy on November 22, 2010, 10:20:36 am
Use the rubber mounts that come off , don`t need to swap mount perches.Use the 87 rubber radiator core support body mounts is what i `m referring to.

thanks
pat
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: Blazin on November 22, 2010, 03:04:38 pm
What he said!!
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: 87454westernhauler on November 23, 2010, 07:06:58 am
problem with that is that the holes in the front clip are about 2 inches to far ahead od the bracket on the frame. not shure what to do on this... ???
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: jaredts on November 23, 2010, 09:00:34 am
Are you trying to put the whole doghouse on as an assembly?  It sounds like you need to assemble the radiator support to the frame with mounts and then bolt the fenders to it.  I may have misunderstood though.  I just couldn't see how you would know it was too far forward unless you are trying to line the fenders up at the same time.
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: 87454westernhauler on November 23, 2010, 01:12:32 pm
i am trying to bolt the front clip to the cab. i have the clip bolted to the cab and lined up fairly well, but the hole for the radiator suport are about 2 inches to far ahead of the frame.  :-\
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: ccz145a on November 23, 2010, 03:04:36 pm
it's not supposed to be this hard. maybe some pictures would help us help you.
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: Blazin on November 23, 2010, 05:54:56 pm
I have swapped many front clips as a whole on these trucks. Allot of them were interchanging years from 73-87. They lined up every time. There is no way the core support mounts can be 2" farther ahead than the frame brackets.
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: 87454westernhauler on November 24, 2010, 09:46:54 am
it is, i currently don't have a camera, could the fact that i took it off of a 1 ton dually crew cab have anything to do with this? kind of stuck on this. but the clip is fairly solid without bolting the core support down to the frame.
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: Irish_Alley on November 24, 2010, 09:52:20 am
The clip would be the same 1/2 ton to 1 ton
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: 87454westernhauler on November 24, 2010, 09:56:15 am
ok. kind of stuck?
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: jaredts on November 24, 2010, 12:20:17 pm
Are you able to take some pics that show the 2" and the fitment of the fenders?  You'll get it and its probably gonna take a eureka moment to understand whats wrong.  I promise I won't say it again...but if it were me I'd get the core support down on the bushings without the bolts into the fenders.  I know it doesn't have to be done that way, but you're stuck and it might help you figure out what's up.  Maybe someone else can come up with a different next step.
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: VileZambonie on November 24, 2010, 12:49:51 pm
Unbolt the radiator support from the front fenders. Are your body mounts correct? Are the rear cab mounts loose? Everything should be loose until ALL bolts are started in their respective holes. Next work on your alignment and gaps then start tightening.
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: 1984k30 on November 24, 2010, 01:14:52 pm
Measure your distance from the center of the front cab mount bolt to the center of the core support hold down body mount.  it would be easier to measure with 2 people.  I dropped 2 plumb bobs from the center of the bolts and made a mark on the floor  and measured the floor.  Mine was 55 3/4 inches.  See if yours is close to that
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: junkman. on November 25, 2010, 01:42:54 am
I'm putting a 82 cab W/clip on a 73 frame and after measuring the core support mount on my 82 frame and 73 frame the mount are in a different locations so here's what i think you should do
#1 you have a complete 79 clip right
#2 bolt the fenders to the cab and core support (don't bolt the core support to the frame yet) use a piece of wood to keep the clip level for now then put your hood on make sure it all works 
#3 now check the core support bolt location   if its off you will have to move the frame mounts
you can grind off the rivet head and punch them out or however you like to remove them
#4 using the insulators for your frame bolt the mounts to the core support at this point you can drill and bolt them back or weld them

hope this has help out  JM         
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: Blazin on November 25, 2010, 02:17:28 am
I have swapped older cab, and clip onto newer frame. I have swapped newer cab, and clip onto older frame. I have swapped older front clip onto newer cab, and frame. I have swapped newer front clip onto older cab, and frame. I have swapped miss matched newer / older cabs, and newer / older clips onto Blazer frames. Never have I ever run into the frame mounts for the core support being in the wrong location.
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: VileZambonie on November 25, 2010, 07:12:33 am
I have a stripped down 2wd 1974 frame in my garage right now. I can take some measurements. If someone has a stripped down 81 up frame perhaps they can take some measurements and we can see if and where there is a difference.
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: onelow84 on November 25, 2010, 11:47:28 am
I do, where do you want the measurements from?
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: VileZambonie on November 25, 2010, 01:34:43 pm
Measure from the the center of the cab mount to the center of the hole for the radiator support
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: junkman. on November 26, 2010, 01:36:53 am
westernhauler i sent you a link from this sight with a guy putting a late clip on a early frame
search  round to square front clip   fourth down the page

ether the clip fits or it doesn't   JM
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: 87454westernhauler on November 27, 2010, 12:03:29 pm
ok shoot, more work than i wanted it to be.  :'(
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: onelow84 on November 29, 2010, 06:46:41 pm
kinda late but my 84 is 56 3/4 too and 7 inches from the tip of the front edge of the frame to the center of the core support mount hole
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: VileZambonie on November 29, 2010, 07:31:53 pm
I'll try to remember to measure my 74 tomorrow. IIRC several others have had to move them too.
Title: Re: front clip doesnt fit
Post by: 87454westernhauler on December 07, 2010, 11:26:45 am
went to start it up and drive it into the shop to weld the frame brackets and i havent started it for a couple of weeks since i took the clip off and the flipin distributor is throghing fits again >:( >:( >:( >:( and wont start