I am in process of putting '54 back together and I have not been able to get the hood and front fenders to cooperate very well with me. If you have been down this road, and can give me some suggestions/help, I would be much appreciative.

thank you in advance

 

Did you just need alignment help? Did you replace anything?
If you are just needing to make alignment perfect....check all your cab mounts and cab arms for sagging and if you are just installing a new front end.....as I have done a few times recently......then keep all the bolts loose till you can get the fit you want.

 

I assume you have the stock hood hinge setup.

Walford's advice on leaving the bolts loose until everything is where you want it is the good plan.

The key is in the order you set stuff. Set the hood gap at the cowl. Then adjust the radiator support to center of the hood latch. Then adjust the fender for gap and contour to the hood.

HINT: I have had the front of my truck on and off countless times. Unless you like this kind of hokey pokey adjustment everytime, once you have it perfectly set, drill two 1/8" holes between mating parts in their overlap seams thru the whole front end. Then use clecoes to relign everything to exactly where you want it next time. I did that with the front end and my doors. Piece of cake. Example: 1956 Ford F100 4x2 - Door Install

Good luck.

 

As mentioned, set the hood on 1st,..then align everything to it.

If you get to the point where the hood gap 'at the cowl ' is good at the windshield,..but the front of the fenders do not line up with the front edge of the hood,..stand back a few feet..and look at the truck from the side, if the side of the hood to cowl area has a gap that gets larger at the bottom..either the front (radiator support) needs to go "down",.. or more likely.. the front of the cab needs to go "up" as Bill mentioned.

Try a search for "this hood is killing me"..good info there

 

Thank you, for the three of you that offered me help.

I am finally getting to put the truck back together, and getting ready for paint. I have done a complete frame off, so the cab went back on with new cab mounts front and rear from Mid-Fifty. I have wrestled (and lost) the past two weekends,trying to get everything lined up and fit properly with good spacing. So, after I was unable to make it fit, I did what most guys do, if all else fails, ask for help!

I will use all of the ideas passed forward to me, starting with hood alignment, which I did not do first, that may make all of the difference in the world.

Thank you again for your help.