The Ford Barn

John Spragg · 02-23-2025, 11:39 PM

Please advise me if I can raise up the radiator and shell to adjust the hood on my 1930 coupe I originally put packers under the front body section to the thickness of abour 1 inch and it has aligned it and I am not happy with this I am now returning to original engine supports not float a motor front and rear. Will the radiator shell and radiator lifting help me fix this? Or is it the worst news a bent chasis if so I am selling it as I have no means to fix this.

Bruce of MN · 02-24-2025, 12:44 AM

Have you seen this https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=346597

nkaminar · 02-24-2025, 07:31 AM

One inch is a lot. Some photos would help. Some additional information would help. Are you reverting to the original engine mounts to fix the alignment of the hand crank hole in the radiator shell? Are you removing the "packers" or did you do this already?

John Spragg · 02-24-2025, 11:52 PM

Sorry no photos as I have not removed the packers as yet, yes I am reverting to the original mounts to help align the hood, engine ia out at engineering shop being rebuilt and hood is off , radiator out and front guards off for waiting for painting. I figure it could be a good time to do something about the alignment but what? I did watch the video clip and it worries me if I have lift the body to straighten the frame, any suggestiond please?

nkaminar · 02-25-2025, 06:37 AM

Since you have the front end apart to this degree, you should be able to sight down the top of the frame rails to judge if they are bent. You can straighten the frame with the body on but it involves chaining down both ends of the frame and using a 20 ton bottle jack to push up on the frame at the rear engine mount (where they are normally bent). A frame that was damaged in an accident will require the body to be removed to be fixed.

My Fordor had the symptoms of a bent frame but it turned out to be badly compressed rubber pads. I replaced the pads to cure the problem and adjusted the number of pads in certain places to align the doors.

How is reverting to the original engine mounts going to help with the hood alignment?

John Spragg · 02-25-2025, 08:12 PM

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Thank you all for your advice, maybe the original engine mounts will not help with the hood alignment but it will give me a good starting point to work from. I will keep rou informed as to my progress. John Spragg, Australia.

Bob Bidonde · 02-27-2025, 11:33 AM

This slide should help you.

02-23-2025, 11:39 PM	#1
John Spragg Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 58	Hood alignment Please advise me if I can raise up the radiator and shell to adjust the hood on my 1930 coupe I originally put packers under the front body section to the thickness of abour 1 inch and it has aligned it and I am not happy with this I am now returning to original engine supports not float a motor front and rear. Will the radiator shell and radiator lifting help me fix this? Or is it the worst news a bent chasis if so I am selling it as I have no means to fix this.

02-24-2025, 12:44 AM	#2
Bruce of MN Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: VA Posts: 1,808	Re: Hood alignment Have you seen this https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=346597

02-24-2025, 07:31 AM	#3
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 5,874	Re: Hood alignment One inch is a lot. Some photos would help. Some additional information would help. Are you reverting to the original engine mounts to fix the alignment of the hand crank hole in the radiator shell? Are you removing the "packers" or did you do this already? __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.

02-24-2025, 11:52 PM	#4
John Spragg Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 58	Re: Hood alignment Sorry no photos as I have not removed the packers as yet, yes I am reverting to the original mounts to help align the hood, engine ia out at engineering shop being rebuilt and hood is off , radiator out and front guards off for waiting for painting. I figure it could be a good time to do something about the alignment but what? I did watch the video clip and it worries me if I have lift the body to straighten the frame, any suggestiond please?

02-25-2025, 06:37 AM	#5
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 5,874	Re: Hood alignment Since you have the front end apart to this degree, you should be able to sight down the top of the frame rails to judge if they are bent. You can straighten the frame with the body on but it involves chaining down both ends of the frame and using a 20 ton bottle jack to push up on the frame at the rear engine mount (where they are normally bent). A frame that was damaged in an accident will require the body to be removed to be fixed. My Fordor had the symptoms of a bent frame but it turned out to be badly compressed rubber pads. I replaced the pads to cure the problem and adjusted the number of pads in certain places to align the doors. How is reverting to the original engine mounts going to help with the hood alignment? __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past. Last edited by nkaminar; 02-25-2025 at 06:42 AM.

02-25-2025, 08:12 PM	#6
John Spragg Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 58	Re: Hood alignment Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Thank you all for your advice, maybe the original engine mounts will not help with the hood alignment but it will give me a good starting point to work from. I will keep rou informed as to my progress. John Spragg, Australia.