Body / Glass: hood clearanc R series, 56 to 49

[Stude Ranch]

I have a 56 R series C cab with the cab and front end from a 49 , as the 56 had bad rust problems. Just about have it ready for the road, went to put the hood on. The 56 hood fits, but not well, and the 49 won't close as the radiator is about 1 or 2 inches too tall. The 56 has the 224 v-8 and corresponding radiator. Would a 53 or 54 hood for a v-8 work, or is there any difference? If that does'nt work, What radiator combination might work? I think that it would fairly easy to cut down the radiator surround. I think the hood for the 49 would fit the fenders and grill better and would cretainly look better than the 56 hood. Thanks Shane

[Skip Lackie]

There are really only two different hood designs: 49-55, and 56-64. The 56-64 hoods are taller to allow for a taller radiator, but there is no difference in the width in between the fenders. There are several different radiator mounts, though they differ in the vertical dimensions only (the amount of room allowed for the radiator itself), not in the distance between the fenders. All 49-55 trucks got the same radiator mount and the same hood. Beginning in 56, there were two radiator mounts -- one for the HD 289, and one for everything else. Your problem may be that the 56 hood latch won't match up with the 2R grille. If that is the problem, then maybe the easiest solution would be to get a 2R radiator miount and use the 2R hood. The 224 was available in 55 and used the lower radiator and mount.

[Stude Ranch]

Thanks for replying. Problem is that the 56 hood seems to be too long for the fenders by a quarter inch or so compared to the 49 grill. also the sides of the hood seem to fit down into the fenders too far, and seems to be a little to narrow. When the 49 hood is installed, it hits the radiator mount about 1.5 inches before it closes. So for now the 56 hood is installed, but doesn't look right. I guess that we could start looking for a shorter radiator that might fit, and cut down the mount. Could it be that at one time the p.u. had a HD 289 and that it was changed out? It had the false grill over the top of the fenders like a 56 and the tall hood, but the engine serial looked like it was a 54 by the numbers here on the web page. I would have to go out to the shop to get them. Was there a v-8 option in 54, and could the motor have been switched at some time. It has a 3 spd and overdrive.
Thanks Shane

[Skip Lackie]

I don't think you have an engine size problem -- you have a sheet metal alignment problem. The HD 289 was very rarely installed in anything except the E40 HD 2-ton. Obviously, such an engine could have been installed in anything, but was unlikely to ever need the cooling power of the E40 radiator. If your engine is a 224, it can live comfortably with any Stude truck radiator except the small one designed for the Champion 6.

The 2R hood may be too shallow to go over the taller 2E radiator mount without interference -- I don't know, I've never tried that combination. But all that means is that you will need to use the 2E hood unless you install a 2R radiator mount. If you didn't get the one off the 49, there are plenty of them around used -- they don't wear out. Although it's possible, I can't think of a reason that the 2E hood latch wouldn't align with the 2R grille -- the same hood was used in 57-59 with the Scotsman grille, which was essentially a slightly modified 2R grille. That said, if the front fenders had originally been on the 2E, it's possible that they did not have the correct mounting holes to mount the 2R grille -- but you said you're using all the 2R sheet metal except the hood. In any case, the fenders are identical except for the placement of mounting holes.

The alignment of virtually all the front end sheet metal is adjustable. The parts book shows a variety of shims being available for almost everywhere two pieces of sheet metal are bolted together. The radiator mount sits on a single large T-shaped bolt that can be shimmed (or not). Most of the mounting holes are elongated to allow fore and aft adjustments. There is a long rubber shim/damper that goes between the back of each fender and the cab. And there are 3 or 4 rubber bumpers that attach along the inside of each fender to keep the hood from going down too low and binding. In other words, you should be able to adjust things to allow the use of the 2E hood. Except for the greater height to clear the taller radiator mount, the 2E hood is dimensionally identical to the 2R hood.