What is the front clip? - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

  #1  

What is the front clip?

All i know is ive got one and its misaligned. Instinct tells me its not cheap and not something i will want to fix. The vehicle in question is a '70 pontiac firebird.

  #2  

generally when a person refers to the "front clip" they are refering to the fenders grille and hood.

On your pontiac it sounds like you have some trashed SUBFRAME bushings and or mounting points.

1'st and 2'nd gen F-body GM cars use a goofy a$$'ed half unibody half body on frame construction. The front subframe is kinda like half of a normal automobile frame has the engine mounts and front suspension mounted to i. This in turn bolts to the rear unitized body structure. In most cases the bushings completely crap out and your car starts to go all noodle like in the middle. You can buy aftermarket subframe connecters that can improve apoun this otherwize retarded body structure setup.

The above coming from a big GM fan.

  #3  

  #4  

I thought it meant if you cut the frame at the firewall and everything on that piece of frame was the "Front clip"

ie: Clipping off.... the front portion

  #5  

krochus it sounds as if you have experience in the gm field? If this is true i may bug you from time to time with pms if thats ok. This firebird is going to be restored and is my first gm so ill need some help.

So how hard is it to replace these bushings?

  #6  

It souldn't be too much trouble they'll pretty much be like replacing any body bushing. Just DO NOT remove more than one at a time and support the body and frame with jackstands while doing so.

Do yourself a favor and buy a can of PB blaster and drench those bolts with it off and on for a week before attempting to loosen the mounting bolts. Because you're screwed if you twist one off. If I reccollect correctly the the plate that the bolts thread into is enclosed in the bodywork with no access from the outside.

I've owned a couple of F-bodys and Novas (they are bacically the same) as well as a host of other GM RWD models. I'll help you out when I can.

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  #8  

Essentially, yes, but there's no point in cutting the frame, as it would be useless and have to be removed from the salvaged parts anyway.

  #9  

I'm used to watching the guys at Navajo auto wreckers (now Buck's)

that's how they did it.....with the fire wrench

12-28-2006 | 10:03 PM

On many old cars the front clip can be removed as one unit from the car, without unbolting fenders from nose. I think on that car you could.

12-29-2006 | 03:23 AM

12-29-2006 | 05:14 PM

If you're buying a front clip for a unitized body, you can order it two ways. You can get a bolt off or a cut off. The bolt off is just what it says, the front sheet metal and accessories that are held on by bolts. A cut off is where they take a torch and cut the entire front off at the windshield posts (hopefully) and you get the inner welded panels and frame rails with it.