Front grill shell 31 buick

Can anyone give advice on how to remove the front radiator shell from a 31 buick?? I have removed all the screws on both sides, the top bracket, yet the grill will not move...it does come forward a bit but will not clear the radiator cap opening...and the bottom does not budge at all. I cannot see how the radiator is mounted, and I may try to disconnect the hoses and try to move it..Any suggestions are welcomed. +

I think your 31 is similar to a 32 Buick. You must remove the hood from the car. disconnect the radiator hoses. Disconnect the top rod that runs from the cowl to the radiator shell at the top. Remove the 2 nuts under the car on the front cross member The entire grill and radiator assembly can then be lifted out of the car. Once on a bench, you can remove the screws that hold the radiator in the shell and disconnect the shutter linkage. You should then be able to lift the radiator out of the grill shelll.

I hope this helps. I can send photos of a 32 shell removed from the car if you need them.

Bob Engle

Followed your advice, and sure enough, I managed to pull the radiatorr, louvres and grill out, and disassembled it as you described. The grill will soon be on its way to be rechromed. Thank you so much Bob for your excellent advice. I did have a bit of trouble disconnecting the radiator hoses, and also forgot about the small coolant recovery hose, and some wiring for the trippe lights, but overall it was a lot easier when I discovered your secrets. Thank you so much!!!!

I think your 31 is similar to a 32 Buick. You must remove the hood from the car. disconnect the radiator hoses. Disconnect the top rod that runs from the cowl to the radiator shell at the top. Remove the 2 nuts under the car on the front cross member The entire grill and radiator assembly can then be lifted out of the car. Once on a bench, you can remove the screws that hold the radiator in the shell and disconnect the shutter linkage. You should then be able to lift the radiator out of the grill shelll.

I hope this helps. I can send photos of a 32 shell removed from the car if you need them.

Bob Engle

Glad it worked out for you. Don't forget to post a photo when back together.

If you get into any drivetrain issues, it is almost the same as my 32 and I'll be glad to help.

Bob

Thanks..I am having a problem with the "death wobble". It seems to occur when I go over 45 mph, or when I hit a bump in the road. Both tires seem to shake violently from side to side, and I have to come to a complete stop to make it stop. I dropped the air pressure in the tires to 28 lbs, and checked the front end when I had the car on jack stands...I seem to get some play in the gearbox, or in the pitman arm...Not sure what to check, but I plan on getting the tires balanced, and checked for alignment etc....but I still think the problem may be in the steering box. I did two adjustments on it, but it did not seem to make any difference....can you shed any light on this?? Thanks

It could be the tires. Try swapping the front for the back. I've had a similar thing happen in my '96 jeep Cherokee. It has a solid front axle too.

First I want to remind you about instalation of your grill assembly. The heigth of the assembly and the length of the top rod are important to hood alignment. You may need to adjust with shims on the bottom mounting studs and change the length of the top rod to get a good hood fit.

With respect to the death wobble, It usually is associated with wear in the suspension and steering linkage. Check the shock fluid level. Check the spring shackle bolts for wear, especailly the front bolt. Check for tierod wear. YOu may try adding some toe in to see if that helps. neutral toe will definitely cause a wobble. The next item to check would be king pins for wear. While the king pins are to be lubed with 600 wt oil, you can try pumping in a very heavy grease. If this helps, it will only be a temporary fix as the grease will get pushed out if there is wear in teh pins and bushings. Tire balance and bent wheels can also be a source. The least of my concerns would be the steering box. On model A's with this problem, a jab on the brakes usually stops the wobble for the moment.

I hope this helps.

Bob Engle

I thoroughly agree with Bob as I had the same problem with my 1931 Cadillac 355A. After trying shims, toe in, the casters, etc....it turned out that the steering box was the problem and I had to have it re-built. A frustrating process of elimination. I may go with the steering box first as you suggested in your post. My 1932 Buick has been a dream so far.

Jay

I agree and add that your tie rod may also need to be straightened before adjusting for tow in.