Cut the bolts off and save yourself some trouble. Replacement bolt sets for the rear fenders are available from a couple of houses (including Mac's & LMC).

If you are pulling off the front clip, you'll be hours ahead by removing the fenders / grille / valance as a single piece - this is about 8 bolts. Then you can access the ~40 bolts holding the whole thing together.

DW

 

Hmm that is a good idea to remove the whole clip in one piece. If I can round up some help ill do it that way. If not ill have to piece by piece it. Ill have to drag a hose and my cut off wheel out there and just go to town.

 

You can cut/remove the bolts as a solo act. Getting the whole clip separated from the frame will take another set of hands. The clip isn't that heavy - it certainly is clumsy to handle.

I would also suggest that as you are ready to take the clip off, have a landing location in mind that doesn't cause new tears or bending on the fenders.

Good luck!

DW

 

Mine were mostly gone when I got the truck. I air-chiseled the rest out and replaced them with stainless allen drive screws.

 

I've removed many front clips by myself. Once you're done cutting and unbolting the bolts holding the clip assembly in place, get yourself a 4-wheel movers dolly (not the little one) and place it in front of the truck just about where the grille of the front clip would land once you pick up the clip. Then, pick up the clip from one side and slowly move and place the grille portion onto the dolly. The clip will stand right up and you'll be able to move it around by yourself.

 

I may have been able to inlist the help of a co worker. I buy some beer and that may be all it takes for some help lol. Will be nice cutting bolts and have someone to hold things so they don't drop on my face.

 

WELP so much for having help, least I'm use to doing things by myself lol.
I spent about three hours to night working on my truck. The cut off wheel made my life thousands of times easier.

pulled the gas tank and heater


pulled off the monster of a rear bumper


cut the bed bolts and running board bolts to fenders. I ended up proping up the bed enough that the fenders cleared the tires and then i slide the bed to one side. I put down a heavy thick moving blanket and carefully rolled bed over.


can finally see the rear frame and springs..10 i believe in main leaf and 3 in overload..


took drivers running board off


went to work removing hood.


hood is off and safely set over in corner


Following several peoples advice i removed the bolts needed and pulled the whole front clip in one piece.




now i can FINALLY see how bad my frame is bent up front



And now i have a question....Does my passenger side cab to frame mount look bent or tweaked a little??? it looks different from the drivers side as far as how straight it sets.

 

Hey Steve,
You've been busy - wow! What's your plan for that frame?
I can't see that the mount is tweaked but let's see what others say.
Go crack open a cold one - you've earned it!

Ben in Austin
1950 F1

 

Thanks yup about 3 or so hours and a cut off wheel, and a air hammer made shirt work of everything. As far as the frame goes I'm going to try and straighten and fix the front of it the best I can.
I wasn't sure about the cab mount so thanks again. I'm going to try tomorrow to get all the fenders off and unbolted. I was so dirty after laying under neith the truck using the cut off wheel and air hammer making dirt rain down on me, the water ran black during a shower.

 

"If it doesn't make you bleed, or at least very dirty, then it's not really your truck!"

Well I guess you just earned your truck!!!!!

I remember needing a whole day to fully seperate a front clip.......just sayin'....

Oh......and get some 'old guy technology' for straightening that frame, cos 'rebending it the other way' aint the same thing as straightening it!!!!

 

Yup, you've got some issues with that frame. The helper springs make me wonder if you have an F1 there. The stiffer springs only showed up on the F2s and larger trucks, I understood. Your bed looks to be the shorter F1 version. hummmm Well, I'm a bit baffled on this one.

The work space you have makes me want to put up that pole shed...

DW

 

Helper springs were available on the F1s. Both my 51 and my 52 have them. The 51 had them originally and I added a set to my 52.

The cab mount could be tweaked slightly. The force of the impact came from the right side, causing a "sway" to the left. This could also have shifted the cab to the left (from the right side impact), causing a slight twist.

You can get the frame straightened at a body shop that has a frame machine. A frame machine that has a laser measuring system would ensure that the frame is straightened to spec. You'll need to provide the frame specs to the shop and they can plug it into the computer and then hang the target points on the frame. It's a time consuming project.

You can also just "eye-ball" it when straightening. You can also do the straigthening with a floor pull system.

 

Thanks for the replies everyone.
I worked for a few hours today and got the rest of the fenders and front end all apart.

 

I remember this stage of the project. When you open the shop door and your only thought is "What the $#@^%& did I do".
Hang in there, when you start putting back together the good feelings are worth the aggravation.

 

been a while and while i wait out my time i thought id practice some body stuff. I tried my hand at taking out dents.
I dont have any schooling on this, i basically watched a few youtube videos and just started doing it figuring out what works, and what doesn't. Thinking of buying a stinger type dent puller with slider hammer. Even if i only use it on this truck and race cars it would be worth it.

old picture is all i have of the dent on right rear fender


started taking out the dent


a few beers later




right front fender i worked on a few of the smaller dents leaving the HUGE on for later.













feel free to give advice or critique me as well..... just don't be to harsh lol.