Front body panel fitment

[billywilly92]

I am starting to put the fenders and inner fenders on my 1986 regular cab long bed truck but they don't seem to fit. I am putting them on a different cab and core support. The cab is original and the fenders are oem reproductions made in the usa with the correct tooling. Now the core support is made in Taiwan and I think that the core support is the problem. The fenders fit on the cab great but I have to pull forward on the core support to get the fender bolts in but only some of them fit. Anyone else have this problem? Should I try getting an original core support?

[Captkaos]

You will probably find the same problem.  I put GM fenders on GM core supports and had the same issue.
On top of finding a rust free GM core support that isn't rusted or new.  Just enlarge the openings on the core support.

Who made the fenders in USA?  I would really like to know this.  Should be a stamp on them. 

If you are assuming the core support gets bolted down and then the fenders attached that would be incorrect.  The core goes on loosely since your only adjustment is with the body bushings, then you bolt the fenders up to it. 

[HAULIN IT]

As the Capt. said...Pulling forward isn't uncommon. At first your really only interested in the bolt up on top of the cowl...get the fender to door gap right there first, then either put a bolt in the upper rad support to fender (raise/lower the support on the busings to get the lower fender gap) or put the bottom bolt in the fender where you want it & raise/lower the rad support until the bolts line up to the fender, 6 of one..1/2 dozen of the other.
The "some holes don't line up"...that's just part of the repop deal. The other problem I've seen with the rad supports is you can often times nearly put your finger in between the hood & fender when it's all bolted up. Good Luck! Most of it just takes a little bit of effort to overcome. Lorne

[billywilly92]

Thanks for the help, I didn't know it was a common problem. I have the core support loose but it wont move forward anymore because the mounts wont let it. The inner fenders don't want to fit up with it either. If I put the inner fenders on the fender and then install both together it wont fit, I have to install them separately. Maybe I should just leave it to the body shop since they will be pulling off the panels to paint them. The front fenders were only made a couple of years ago and they said made in usa. Ill have to check the brand though.

[SUX2BU99]

How do you suggest to raise the core support on the body bushings? Fender washers? Conversely, how would you use the body bushings to lower it? Trim them?

I will be changing over to my 90 core support soon but now I'm concerned I'm going to be left with alignment frustrations. My fender/hood/door alignment isn't acceptable (to me) right now anyway so I guess that's a good time to tweak it, eh?

[Captkaos]

Have you tightened down the front mounts, you should have some adjustment in there.
Since they are mounted on a bushing, aligning it up/down is going to be trial/error since the up/down has to be adjusted AFTER you tighten it down.  You would have to add washer above the bushing to move it up, to lower you have to pretty much trim it.  I guess it really depends on how perfect you want it.  I haven't ever had to adjusted one up/down.

[SUX2BU99]

Going back to this, because I'm about to start my core support swap this weekend. So the idea is to get the fenders where you want them, and then adjust the core support to suit the fenders right?

I'm going back and forth wondering if now is a good time to try and realign my fenders for better door-fender gap but I don't know if this is going to be a snowball effect. My doors don't line up great either! Oy.

[Captkaos]

I would start at the back of the cab and work your way forward.  Not sure if that it the "best" way.  But your up/down in the front where the core support is going to be is pretty much non adjustable.  So bolt the fenders up loosely and align as best you can.

[4chevyman]

You're right, Capt.  Start at the back, the gap between the back of the door and the cab, and work your way forward.  That's the way they do it at the factory. 

[MarkS]

I have the same issue with front edge to core support hood gap on an orginal never wrecked unrestored 87. I know it depends on what you can live with as far as alignment and gaps on these trucks but after some novice investigation I found my cab sits lower on one side. The mounts and hardware look good with no cracks but the measurements don't lie. So am I correct to assume that if the cab isn't level (or in other words, the same on each side from the cab to the mount) it isn't going to line up with the core support? The cab to mount difference is almost exactly the differnce I see in the hood gap.

[1980c10]

I went through three fenders before I got one that would work. one just wouldn't line up, one was wavy and one came dented. maybe try lining up your old fender to see if it is your fender or header panel. that is if you still have it.

[SUX2BU99]

Now having finished my 90 nose swap I have some different panel gap issues than I had before. Driver side is actually decent for the hood-fender gap and hood-fender height. Passenger side is a different storey. Hood-fender gap is pretty big. Fender sticks out beyond the core support by about 1/4" and the hood sticks up above the fender about 3/16-1/4". Hood edge to core support is nice and flush though on both sides. So I guess it's my passenger fender I have to fiddle with. Passenger door doesn't line up worth squat either so I should probably start there before anything. And I didn't even remove my fenders, just loosened them for the swap. Used a GM core support too (pretty sure it's original).

[1980c10]

The hood sticking up above the fenders could also be because of a worn hood hinges.

[billywilly92]

Does anyone have a picture of where the cowl, cab, and fender meet? I am trying to align the fender first but I can't seem to get it high enough to line up with the cowl and the top part of the fender keeps hitting the cab.

[VileZambonie]

First make sure your body mounts are all good. Align the doors, then align the fenders with the doors. Install the hood and adjust the gaps. Have a slew of shims ready and have a rotary file on hand. Billywilly what year is your truck?