c3 frame extension placement
with frame extensions in place, radiator support and front cross member bolted tight, the front clip has approx. 3/4" vertical movement. What is proper placement of front clip before the front frame extensions are torqued in place?
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Re: c3 frame extension placement
Now that is a tough question, because I have been in that position.
If the car is essentially assembled on the rolling chassis, the answer is somewhat easier: See the trim height page in UPC 0 of the AIM. The dimension P to the top of the front wheel well opening is probably your best approximation of front clip height. Unfortunately, this height is also pretty far back from the point of the nose, but it should be close. All the other related dimensions, R, J, K will have to match as well or be adjusted accordingly.
If you have only the body mounted on a carrier, then the answer becomes more complicated. You can still use the trim height data, but you'll be using differences in dimensions rather than absolute numbers because your carrier likely bears no resemblance to actual vehicle ride height.
Several components of the front end are all going to all have to come together in harmony: the wiper door/plenum grill, the hood, the fenders, the front end/valance with headlight doors and grill. I would probably not torque any fasteners until the car was fully assembled on the chassis...then I would make the final adjustments to the front clip height to optimize all the fits.
HOWEVER...If you're going to have to adjust the height of the fenders to the inner fenders in order to match the hood, or make adjustments/repairs to the front hood surround panel to match the front edge of the hood, then you will need to figure THAT out much earlier, like before paint. -
Re: c3 frame extension placement
Remember,the hood has to clear the core supportDick WhittingtonComment
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Re: c3 frame extension placement
From his description, it sounds like he has the entire front end assembled to the front crossmember which is attached to the frame extensions...everything, including the core support and hood, moves up/down with the frame extensions.
Unless the radiator support reinforcement plates on the innner fenders have been tampered with, the hood should clear the support as well as it did when it was made.
My car had zero shims under the hood hinges, and I found the hood actually was just slightly higher than the fenders at the hinge points. You can optimize the way the hood fits the fenders as much as possible, but there's hardly any way to fix that problem without breaking a lot of things (e.g. forward inner fender bulkheads) and fixing them back. It's not worth the trouble...it's probably always been that way.
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