Hood fit with 29 cross member

[wuga]

We just removed an early 28 front cross member (totally rusted out) and replaced it with a 1930 cross member. We were aware of the rad mount, but the rivet holed don't line up. Did they move the holes about a half hole distance in either direction?
Warren

[Russell Reay]

That part of the project was a couple years ago, and I don't recall that hole alignment was an issue. The rivets had been replace with nuts and bolts, and I replaced those with grade 8 of the proper size ---I know, nuts and bolts aren't proper if rivets are speced.

[Joe K]

Originally Posted by wuga

We just removed an early 28 front cross member (totally rusted out) and replaced it with a 1930 cross member. We were aware of the rad mount, but the rivet holed don't line up. Did they move the holes about a half hole distance in either direction?
Warren

I have seen differences in the location of the rivets. I think the assembly modus was to clamp an "alignment jig" (which was possibly "loose" and at approximate location by the operator) then drill through the two thicknesses, then without moving the jig, rivet without moving any of the parts. This way they assured alignment and totally filling the rivet hole.

Thus frame construction was largely "hand work" albeit with powered tools, with the same actions repeated over and over until the frame and the rivet count were complete.

Repair today would likely best be done similarly except you might try for a "best fit" - and then fill the holes on both sides with MIG, grind flat, and then re-drill and re-rivet. There would be a possibility of mis-alignment and the MIG going through from part A to part B, and attaching the two together "spot weld" style. I don't look on this as a bad thing. And the rivets are still there for "show" and function.

Thus, those like me with a frame minus the center crossmember, it's not as simple as simply buying another crossmember on Ebay or somewhere, bolting it in place, and then one by one doing a bolt replacement/re-riveting. One may be forced to a more "basic" alignment/re-riveting like the original construction modus.

Joe K