[donmlewis]

This weekend, I'm going to look at a 1945 Chevy p/u frame with a Monte Carlo clip as a possibility for my '46 panel. I haven't seen the frame, don't know the guys and have no experience with clip grafting. What should be on the lookout for and how do I check it out?

[willys36@aol.com]

Here is a photo essay of how I installed one on a '57 Chevy pickup. Look for good welds, clean graft. Those things go on the mid-50s frame so well there is no need for cobbled up joints. Should be almost undetectable in fact. Take some measurements for squareness and trueness. Try to determine the ride height he set up. See how he set up the engine mounts and especially the tranny X-member and try to figure out of there is any firewall interference. See if he used the Monte power steering gear and stock location. As my pictures show, that can easily be done but if he changed it, geometry may be messed up. See where he mounted the radiator mounts and if they seem to be i the right place. The entire front sheet metal clip of the truck depends on them bing precisely placed.