Hood alignment after new radiator

[spinelll]

I’m really having a hard time with my hood alignment. I just installed a new radiator, and the hood is way off.
It’s sitting so high that I can’t even latch it closed.
It’s not the front/back rod adjustment, but I did notice that the front hinge pin rod is not fully seated in the little bracket that sits on the radiator shell, even with the rods fully adjusted in.
I could potentially move the radiator slightly left or right as the holes in the frame are oval and not round. But I don’t see how that will help.

Has anyone had a similar issue?

Thanks
Leo

 

[BW]

I would look at your old radiator and compare it to the new one. Something may be different between the two that is causing your problem.

 

[Bob Bidonde]

The post above guides you to check the relationship of the new radiator's mounting brackets to the old radiator. This sketch shows one of the brackets in question. The relationship of the bracket shown to the radiator shell's mounting brackets establishes the hoods elevation at the front.

 

[Marshall V. Daut]

Please post photos of the problem area, both sides.
Marshall

 

[john in illinois]

If your frame has sag that will affect this issue.

John

 

[SAXBY2]

Who's the radiator supplier ? As stated where are the misfit gaps, etc via photos ? If '30-'31, the rear center hinge support also slides laterally by raising the hood sections and finding the support screws.

 

[spinelll]

Please post photos of the problem area, both sides.
Marshall

Which picture angles would be helpful?

I'm gonna remove the radiator to compare it with the old.

Thanks
Leo

 

[spinelll]

Who's the radiator supplier ? As stated where are the misfit gaps, etc via photos ? If '30-'31, the rear center hinge support also slides laterally by raising the hood sections and finding the support screws.

Brassworks via Snyder's.

At this point I could probably live with some gaps, but in my case the hood is so high that the latches don't reach to engage.

Sorry, I'm not clear on "the rear center hinge support also slides laterally..."
You're referring to the support on the cowl? I don't see how it slides.

Thanks

 

[Marshall V. Daut]

"Which picture angles would be helpful?"

The areas that you're not happy with the fit. It would be helpful for us to see whether the gaps are normal for a high production car like the Model A or whether they truly are an alignment and fit problem.
Marshall

 

[Keith True]

To be clear,this is on your existing car that you removed the radiator from,and the old one fit correctly,right?And,you made no other changes other than the radiator,correct? A ask this because about 20 years ago I went back and forth on the phone helping a guy,thinking it was the car he'd been driving for years.It was,but he'd taken it apart to put a better frame under it.If the radiator is built wrong there is only so far you can go to help it.You can only drop the radiator a fraction because it will hit the spring U-bolts.Unless it was assembled too high to begin with.You can also only drop the shell just so far,the sides will rest on the fenders if dropped down.I have bought two incorrectly assembled radiators,and both were over 15 years ago.

 

[spinelll]

To be clear,this is on your existing car that you removed the radiator from, and the old one fit correctly,right?

Correct.

 

[rotorwrench]

If the car is the one in your photo, make sure it has a 1930/31 type front crossmember. The 1928/29 member has a raised radiator mount with a shorter radiator. The later cars were set up for the taller radiator. Crossmembers liked to crack and I've found frames with mismatched members before.

Brassworks generally has the correct dimensions but a person never knows till something like this happens. A lot of older radiators were already replaced years ago due to corrosion or other damage so a person doesn't always know the origin of the radiator at the time of purchase. I may have been original but it requires close inspection and knowledge of original parts to know for sure.

 

[Tinbasher]

I had the same problem with a 30-31 Brassworks rad. it was 1/8" to high. And yes the frame was straight.
I put thinner rubber under the rad and ovaled the holes in the rad shroud to get the hood down.
It bugs me because the original fit with excellent gaps.

 

[Big hammer]

On my late 31 I had to finagle the radiator feet under the fender, like twist and turn it. If it would sit above it would be maybe 3/16 too high, the feet stick out a good deal under the fenders apron.

 

[spinelll]

I took a few measurements of the old and new. It's all real close.
Let me know if that picture with all of the lines is understandable.

I've also attached 2 pictures of the cross member.

There is a slight (and I mean very slight) difference in the dimples at the top of the radiator where the front hood bracket bolts intrude. The old a a hair deeper.

Also the old has that indentation running up and down.

Thanks
Leo

 

[rotorwrench]

It has the correct crossmember but there is a bit of intrusion with the fenders. That may be normal. The top tank dimensions seem to indicate that it's a bit deeper so it would be a bit wider due to that. All in all it's pretty close but the support rod hanger may be a bit off. The radiator shell might be setting too high as well.

A person can check the cowl mounts for a shimming problem. That can effect the rest of the body mounts if it needs adjustment.

 

[spinelll]

I noticed 2 things.
1. When compared to the old one, the mounting bracket is a bit lower; at least 1/4 inch. This makes the radiator sit higher. I rested both radiators on their respective brackets on two 4x4s. You can see the difference. (I'm not referring to the neck.) It may not look like much, but it's enough to keep the latches from closing.

2. When I first tried mounting the hood. The front hinge rod didn't fully seat into the bracket on the shell. It's off by at least 1/2 an inch, even with the supports rods fully adjusted back. I see why that is; Compared with the old, the distance is greater from the top front of the tank to the very end of the bracket. In effect, the tank + bracket is longer.

See the attached pics for both issues.

 

[spinelll]

And this is why the hood hinge pin is not seated. The new bracket extends out further than the old.
Frustration.

 

[rotorwrench]

That mount location being higher off the frame at all appears to be your problem. I think the support rod situation can be compensated for but the excess mount height is enough to either alter the radiator mount ears or reshim the entire body up to compensate. The body already sits on the frame webbing and the running board aprons so compensation would require shims under all the body blocks. 3/16" to 1/4" is a lot to compensate for. Rubber pads compress so metal shims with pads would be the only other recourse if the radiator mounting ears are left the way they are. The hood shelf blocks would also be affected. That would put into question if the body bolts would be too short. Even the steering column to body fit could be in question. If the mount left the radiator short off the frame than it would only need extra pads or shims under it to compensate. That would be an easier situation to deal with.

Generally a person would have to contact the source that the radiator was purchased from to question a poor fit and warranty consideration. If purchased direct from the manufacturer then it would be a direct warranty claim. All that depends on how long it's been since purchase and a sales receipt for the product. It might be easier to bring a good welder/fabricator into the picture to move those mounts up enough to make the difference. What a sour pickle we end up with sometimes. Those radiators are expensive so a person expects them to fit like they should. Anything less that that is poor quality in my book.

 

[TerryO]

I don't know if this helps but here is a quote from Brassworks web site...



"Use of aftermarket stay rods (often in chrome or stainless) will cause your radiator to tilt forward and result in hood-to-shell separation".


I had to change my rods when I bought one last year.


TOB