1959 C-1 Drooping Nose

[Dave H.]

My car was restored about 15 years ago but driven little. The nose was fine when I bought it 2 years ago, but after 5,000 miles of driving the nose has started to droop a bit as evidenced by a very slight telltale bulge above the front wheel wells.

Before attempting a fix by shimming the rad support, I removed the bumpers to free up the body from the frame. I also loosened the radiator support bolts. In jacking on both sides of the rad support I noticed that instead of the radiator/body being raised, the entire front end of the car was coming off the ground in one piece. Obviously not good.

I see that the fan shroud is connected to both the radiator mounting and the frame but I find it hard to believe that there's enough strength there to raise the entire front of the car with no slop.

Where am I going wrong?

Thanks,

Dave.

[Mark S. Lovejoy]

Re: 1959 C-1 Drooping Nose

Dave,

Did you remove the two bolts attaching the bottom center of the radiator support to the front crossmember? That is the only support for the front end of the body.

[Dave H.]

Re: 1959 C-1 Drooping Nose

Hi Mark,

I have removed the two bolts.

The issue is that after loosening the third arm rad support bolts and then jacking on either side of the third arm (not under the crossmember, just under the rad) the whole front end of the car rises up. So there's no gap appearing between the rad support in which to install shims.

I also loosened the three bolts that attach the upper fan shroud to the rad support, and the rear bolt that attaches the upper fan shroud to the frame (the front bolt is in a tight spot and I cannot easily get to it)

It seems to me that there should now be no substantial connection between the radiator/front body assembly on the one hand and the frame/suspension assembly on the other (except of course the body/frame connections further back). So when I jack to either side of the third arm rad support the radiator/front body assembly should rise, while the third arm/frame/suspension should stay put, leaving a nice gap into which to add shims.

Is it realistic that the whole front of the car should lift up, then gradually the weight of the frame, front suspension, and engine should force a gap into which the shims should be placed? I'm a little leery of leaving the car supported that way.

Dave.

[Roy B.]

Re: 1959 C-1 Drooping Nose

Be sure it has no HT on and doors need to be open

[William B.]

Re: 1959 C-1 Drooping Nose

The radiator support holds up the front end. You have 2 bolts each side of the rad support, which are bolted to the fender wells. Then if you jack up the rad support the front end will lift enough to put shims under the support and on top of the third arm. You can try loosening the side rad bolts to adjust the height or even elogating the holes, keep an eye on your hood fit after you do this it may need readjusting.