Frame / Springs: Body bolt holes do not line up

[LugNut]

1957 Golden Hawk-serial # 6I02660 on door jam,,57H-K7 2599 on cowling, Engine=PS 3709. I need help! While resetting the body back onto the frame I cannot get #1 body bolt to line up on frame hole. All the other bolts align just fine but the cowl bolt (#1 in the book) is located half way between the two holes in the frame. I tried to slide body to the rear enough to line up BUT no go! This car was dissassembled 30 years ago by someone else and was purchased with body off frame.

Can it be the wrong frame for this body? Is there a P/N on the frame anywhere? I searched for the frame serial number on the (bottom,back edge of the rearmost cross member) but was unable to see it.

How deep is this hole gonna be??

Thanks to anyone who can help.

[studegary]

Your Serial Number is 6102660. Studebaker used an I for a 1. This puts your Golden Hawk about mid-way in 1957 model production.

I can't quite visualize what your problem is. It is not like you have a 116 inch wb frame instead of a 120 inch wb frame, because you said that you tried to slide the body BACK to get alignment.
The only possible difference that I can think of is that you have a 120 inch wb President Classic frame instead of a C/K frame. I imagine that the sedan body mounts different from C/K models.
How far off is it from the holes being in alignment?

[57pack]

I had a devil of a time lining up the body bolts
on the bottom of the cowl to the "bat wing" on my 57 Packard.
These also were removed many years ago. I had to loosen all the bolts and
use a pry bar, and floor jack to get bolts some where close to get them in.
I didn't note any evidence of frame or body collision damage.
It may be a matter of the body "settling" while unattached to the chassis?

[LugNut]

Hi Gary, With all the other bolts lined up 2 thur 7, Bolt # 1 is about 1" too far toward the front! (There are 2 holes in the frame and bolt # 1 is in the middle of the 2 holes)

[LugNut]

The thing is,, all the other holes line up so nicely and the front one is off at least an inch.

[rockne10]

Both front bolts or just one side?
Is it possible someone did some work to the cowl flange that mounts to the frame and welded it in wrong or warped the bracket in welding?

[GinettaG12P]

I don't know what the cowl bolt is supposed to bolt to, but if it is the "bat wing," then perhaps the "bat wing" has been moved or is incorrect for your car (there are several part numbers listed for the 1510-08 and 1510-17 crossmembers.) I wonder if loosening the "bat wing" from the chassis will allow you to align the body bolt.

[LugNut]

The problem is with both bolts. This problem does not involve the bat wing, it is loose from the frame. Bolt # 1 is the bolt that secures the cowl horns to the frame.

[LugNut]

Broke out bottle to early!!

[karterfred88]

Is the frame on jack stands? Where are the stands located under the frame? Move them close together to allow more front and rear "sag" then retry. These frames are very flexible and may have "lost" the original "camber" (bow purposely put in the frame so that with the front and rear wheels are on the ground with full weight on the of the car, it winds up flat. Try just jacking the center of the frame on one side taking the weight off the jack stands, may fall right in the hole!!

[LugNut]

Nope no jack stands, the car is setting on the tires in a level garage. The engine and transmission are installed with drive shaft hooked up.

[RadioRoy]

Pardon my asking, but all the other bolts are loose, right? None of the ones that line up have been tightened?

Can you look at the cowl bolt on the side that does line up and see where it is different from the side that does not line up?Comparing the "good" versus the "bad" might yield the solution.

I like the idea of sagging the frame by lifting with a jack, but wonder if something is not off in one place only.

[karterfred88]

Nope no jack stands, the car is setting on the tires in a level garage. The engine and transmission are installed with drive shaft hooked up.

Great, put a jack under the frame rail that is affected, try different locations along the rail, jack till the engine weight starts to flex the frame, see what moves by jacking it in different spots. Since this body and frame were apart when you got it, there's no way to know if that bolt was ever actually installed. Remember, this was auto assembly in the 50's not 2014. using a jack, sledge hammer and lots of shims was the remedy to "correct" anything that didn't fit. Or if the worker couldn't make it fit, "nobody will ever notice" was a common outcome.

[LugNut]

Mornin, No its not just one side. Both sides are the same. All bolts are out and the frame is free to slide back and forth. At one point in this problem I placed 5/16" bolts with large washers down thur all the bolt holes #2 thur #7 on both sides this allowed slight movement. I then checked #1 bolt (cowling horns) and both sides are app.1" from lining up.

[Dick K]

Mornin, No its not just one side. Both sides are the same. All bolts are out and the frame is free to slide back and forth. At one point in this problem I placed 5/16" bolts with large washers down thur all the bolt holes #2 thur #7 on both sides this allowed slight movement. I then checked #1 bolt (cowling horns) and both sides are app.1" from lining up.

Had the same problem with my 62 Hawk. Suggestion (at least it worked for me)... loosen all bolts and just "place" them with the nuts just snugged up on them. Tighten from front to back going passenger side to driver side. Should pull your frame into alignment and you should end up with everything tight. Alignment will be the next issue. Just make sure you get it properly aligned or you'll run the tires off it !