Not quite to the final front sheet metal ***embly point yet, but trial fitting my fenders, braces & headlamp bar before any painting to ensure everything falls in place (using the term loosely I might add). It makes one wonder why olde Henry designed such an uncommon headlamp bar fastener with an angled head & strange shoulder coupled with a headlamp bar & fender relief that all need to index properly. All that of course without marring the finish or cracking the paint when tightening everything down. I do recall first fitting the dropped bar a few years ago & found it necessary to loosen the fender braces & keep everything mobile with plenty of protective masking at hand. Probably not as daunting a task with an original ch***is, o.e.m.unmolested fenders & braces etc..... but then, throw in some 90 odd years of who knows what body work, collision damage an after-market fender or brace & all bets are off things will easily, shall we say fall in place. tips & comments welcome. Ron
Yes a lot easier use 2 bolts on each brace & a few threads Leaving out outer fender bead bolt to install headlight bar. Want's both sides Then adjust & tighten , I do not recall seeing a photo , wonder if both fender & brace's & bar where pre ***embled then as body came down line front clip was put on , then braces bolted to frame running boards ?
Pita is right. I mocked mine up before sending it to paint. The idea was to pre ***emble all the sheet metal finger tight all holes aligned with no ovals. Got it back after paint, you guessed it, out came the step drill. After painting I had to ***emble all the front fenders and brackets loose to get that pesky bar bolts in
The dropped headlight bar from U.P.I. I'm using while seemingly top-notch stuff, who knows how accurate they might be at the flange where it mates the fender, difficult to compare an original undropped example side by side with all the deviation in design. I have seen some fenders & braces that out of frustration fell victim to the step bit, as well as a bolt shoulder trimmed off..... sort of do as needed remedy to get it done.
Ya know - I'm sorry that ya'll had trouble with that pesky headlight bar - but I'm awfully glad that ya'll shared how you overcame this cause Bubba's getting ready to task this on my 30 coupe and I can't thank you kindly enough for sharing - thanks for the post and help given my fellow Hambers
I've never in all my years been able to LOOSLY in stall a dropped bar with out taking half the car loose... PITA
The production line photos reveal the fender braces are in place as the ch***is advances down the ***embly order, we can tell little if totally secured or left lose to enable jiggle room when the fenders & headlamp bar come into play, lest we forget this is as good as it ever gets with oem genuine Ford pieces & parts all coming together on a likewise ch***is.
Something to consider before you are all done, tire rub on the bolts. When turning I’d get the tires rubbing on one of the bolts. So I measured where it protruded through the fender brace, cut it off there plus another 1/16th. Then had my machinist buddy chuck it in his lathe to bore and thread a hole for a #10 (IIRC) round headed machine screw. One bolt remains full size for strength on each side.
The Jalopy Journal
