Removable Front End (stock style/multi-piece)

I'm removing my inner wheel wells. It's opening up some access. I would like to take a bigger advantage of by also making my stock style front end completely removable like a one piece. I have some good ideas and I'm sure I'm not the first to do this. I'm hoping to see what others have done so I can incorporate their good ideas too
Thanks,
Jeff

My chromoly tube frame(A arm coilover front suspension) 1970 Cuda has the original steel front fenders,stock steel upper and lower valances with a stock grill rivited into a bunch alumimun support and inner fenderwells and so on. It slides off the front after removing two Dzuz fasterners on the moved back steel firewall and the lower four bolts that hold the back of the fenders to the stock rocker panels It is auckward(SP?) to remove even with two people due to having to raise the fenders up to clear the front tires but it is worth it when needing to work on the motor like checking the valve lash and so on The aluminum inner fender wells basically hold the front end together

Thanks I would love to see some pics. I don't have the upper valance and can tie it through the grill. Does your bumper come off with yours somehow? or do you have to remove it separately?

It has a glass front bumper mounted to the front group, it all slides off as one peice. The hood is fibreglas also and it lifts off seperatily I need to figure out how to attach pictures on here now, I haven't been able to since the change over last year to the new software I don't think I have any pictures of the front end off the car on a memory stick but I will check in the morning to make sure. The car is in the car trailer with 14 inches of snow in front of it right now. Send me a E mail to cabburge@wans.net with Cuda front end pictures in the subject line and I will send you any pictures I have of the car with the front end on and off on the reply, hopefully that will help

That will help quite a bit thanks I'll shoot you an email. Mine is the opposite of yours, fiberglass fenders, valance and with a steel bumper. I hope there is a few on how you tied the bumper into the mix.

on posting pictures just go to photobucket.com and set up an account. Afterwards you upload your pics there. Then copy and paste the stuff in the IMG box on the right.

Mine is all together with fiberglass panel glue

My plan is a little different than yours but if this helps I'll share.
I'm building a 65 AWB Coronet...reaching it to work on will be a huge PITA.
I used the factory end of the original frame and attached it to a set of leaf spring slider brackets attached to the new frame added for the chassis.
That allows the factory radiator support, fenders, bumper, grill and hood to be slid forward in one piece.
I'm doing mine as a flip nose but could easily be removed by taking out the two front bolts in the sliders.
Mine is still primitive and I haven't worked out all the bugs yet.
Here's a pic of what I have come up with so far...

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With this build I chose to use the street weight individual fiberglass panels that were previously used on the car with a stock front clip. I salvaged and chopped up the core support to use as the main mounting structure. It is secured to the upper cowl and front of rocker with quick fasteners. Its not exactly a light weight one piece, but it didn't cost anything other than time and it is a one piece I can manage by myself.

It looks much nicer finished, but I don't have any photos.

If the radiator is mounted on the chassis, a core support is useless. It serves no purpose other than to be heavy. All you need is some tubing to hold the fenders together and a bit of a lower frame to mount the nose to the car.

If you look at Jerry's pic, the stock core support he has left could easily be done from round tubing, mount right at the front of new rails and is likely less work. Unless you just WANT a factory looking support, which some do

It also mounts the grill and filler panel, after trimming it down the remaining core support doesn't weight much of anything, its the fiberglass fenders that are heavy. These pieces are about four times the thickness of race weight fiberglass. I considered your suggestion from the start, but this is stuff is bolt together and like I said didn't cost anything but time.

This gig still uses stock headlight buckets, grill, steel filler panel etc.

If I had the extra coin I would have purchased a one piece and went the tube support route.

Thanks guys, you have given me some good ideas. I like keeping a little of the core support for now to. I still have the stock grill, head light buckets, ect. gives a place to tie it all together. It will be a lot lighter when I'm done with it. Also the pics helped solve other issues.

I'll post some pics....ours use factory bumper brackets as our sliders...small square tubing frame...all lights...grill...etc retained...one hood pin on lower fender and 4 hood pins on hood is all that holds the whole front end on.

A Challenger grille and headlamp buckets all attach mainly to the fenders. Core support only needed to tie the fenders together.
Doug

In the upper left you can see the square tube recievers we built...just like a trailer hitch only smaller....thats what keeps the front end stable..



Grill area showing tubing frame that holds the grill and fenders....



4 hood pins and 1 lower hood pin is all that holds the whole nose on the car...



Little more detail on the frame ....supports headlight bucket...my dad made new reciever plates ....I used the factory bumper brackets on mine....just slotted the factory holes out like a tuning fork...then used longer bolts.



Radiator stays mounted via a tubing frame across the rails and the upper rods to stabilize it....it doesnt even wiggle...

With the way we did it we removed the lower front splash apron.... I can remove the engine and trans from the car in 37 mintues...

My front end is all bolted together Unlimited components. What do you guys use to adhere the metal structure to the fiberglass. Streetking mentioned fiberglass panel glue. I don't know anything about working with fiberglass. Is this a good adhesive for the metal mounting plates? Is this a common adhesive from an auto body supply?

Chassisman, I really like how you tied yours together to the bumper brackets. Thanks for the pics

I'll keep the top of the radiator support and chop off the bottom, It ties the fenders together and also lines up my hood supports I made. Challenger hoods hang over a ways and I have a rather large hole in the center. I don't want it to split in half

Mine is a stock front with a carbon fiber hood
that comes off as 1 piece.. it slips into the
main rails on the tube chassis.. sorry no pics

....thanks...that's my Dad's car....mine has a little less tubing....he OVER builds everything.....

i have a 1 piece front clip but mine is made from Kevlar. it's light, about 25lbs, very very strong & only requires 6 clips to hold it in place. due to its' construction it doesn't deflect at speed.

Very nice, I have never heard of Kevlar being used before.

I think Kevlar fabric is a composite type of carbon fibre

Kevlar is used big time in the boat building industry. It has a honeycomb substructure that gives it it's strength.