Builds My New Project (1 Viewer)

[J Mack]

Looks great!
Think I'll try the seam sealer when I get to my fenders.

 

[PabloCruise]

Oh yeah! What a difference that shot of primer makes, eh?!? It feels like you are getting somewhere!

 

[NikP]

I was working on my tailgate to get things lined up for continued bodywork. In the millions of times I was opening and closing the tailgate, I bent and broke part of the hinge that holds the torsion rod bolt. I'm hoping this welded washer will be sufficient.

I can't wait until I wrestle a newly painted tailgate and try to bolt it altogether without scratching and chipping it. It's a pain just working with it and I don't have the torsion bar attached. This ought to be fun. I guess I'll keep practicing so I know the best method by paint time.

 

[npulver]

I as well am not looking forward to the tail gate with as much trouble as it gives everyone. You working with it yourself or do you have help?

 

[NikP]

Working by myself. I found that if I place my portable welding table at the back of my pig it's the perfect height for the tailgate to site on while working with the hinges.

 

[PabloCruise]

I wish we could all get together on weekends for Pig clinics!
My wife would probably not think that was very cool...

 

[NikP]

My wife would laugh and tell stories about a shop full of guys who didn't have much to say to each other but had the greatest time of their life as they went about their tinkering.

 

[PabloCruise]

Yep, probably just lots of grunting, mixed with some swearing every once in a while!

 

[NikP]

I'm unhappy to report already that the fender seam sealer didn't hold up as I wanted it to. I think part of the problem was how I applied it. (I guess that's an obvious statement)

I think the issue is the stress placed on the seam after the apron/fenders are mounted on the vehicle. I applied the sealer with the fenders off the vehicle and let them dry for a period of time. With them off the vehicle, they're not necessarily in their final position (although they're close)

Then I hung them back on the vehicle and there appears to be enough stress on the seam that it causes the seam to spread. It took several weeks for it to appear.

I'm going to try again with them mounted.

 

[scrapdaddy]

Sorry to hear that. Are you just going to open up the crack a little and top coat, seems that would work.

 

[abqcruiser]

NikP, that's exactly what happened to mine. At least you are still in the primer stage. I put the final color on mine and then installed them. I've been procrastinating fixing the seams ever since.

 

[NikP]

I took an exacto knife to it and cut out the area that didn't seal. Now I'm trying to figure out what product to use since the last version was a bit flowable. If I do this with the fenders mounted, I need something that can be tooled but not flow out of place as it dries.

 

[NikP]

Scrapdaddy, I know how you body/paint guy felt hanging door. I've spent two days trying to put things together for a final fit and block sanding. I cannot get the front drivers side door/fender gap to look decent. The door itself is good on the opening but the gap at the top of the fender is monstrous compared to the gap at the bottom.

The passenger side came together just fine. I figure getting the door aligned in its opening is the most important step first step. I'm not sure hoed to approach this after and afternoon of fighting with it. Thoughts from those wiser or more patient than me?

 

[scrapdaddy]

NikP,

I feel the pain! Wish I had the right answers for you. How does the gap look at the bottom of the door, between the front and back doors. I've got a large gap all the way down.

 

[bobm]

ADJUST THE HINGES. THEY ARE ADJUSTABLE ON THE DOOR AND BODY. WORD TO THE WISE, STEEL STAMP WITH PRICK PUNCH BEFORE YOU REMOVE THEM

 

[NikP]

Too late on the punch idea. I needed that advice 3 years ago. I've moved and adjusted all I can without making the holes in the pillar larger.

If I adjust the make the gap even down the fender, my door doesn't fit nice in the opening. I noticed an extra hole in the fender apron where it bolts to the A-pillar. The PO must have drilled it to make take up the gap. I'll try it tomorrow and see if I can still bolt the rest of the fender in place.

Scrapdaddy, I don't have a wide gap in the seam between the two doors but I find that the back door might hit the front when it opens. I need to mount the striker to confirm. The striker may hold the front door out enough to provide clearance. I might have had a larger gap if I had compensated for the extra layer of metal I added when reinforcing the hinge attachment area. I may just have to add some adjustment room to the pillar holes.

 

[J Mack]

The door itself is good on the opening but the gap at the top of the fender is monstrous compared to the gap at the bottom.

To me it looks like you need to raise the front of your fenders up. Two things come to my mind after working on mine.

First you can raise and lower your core support with the front bushings to raise or lower you fenders together by adding washers or sanding the bushings themselves.

Second the lip on the inner fender can be bent up or down on a single side to adjust the offending outer fender, you’ll need to move both the bottom and top inner fender lips up together to adjust your gap. Mine will get 1/8” gasket material between the upper lip and the outer finder so I allowed for that thickness with 1/8” washers when I mocked it up.

 

[abqcruiser]

I had to do what JMack is suggesting. The gap is even but at least 3/8", if not more between the fender and door. If you try to get it any closer, the door will bind up on the fender when fully open. If I were you I would get your front and back doors aligned together, making sure they close properly, and then work on adjusting the fender to fit.

 

[NikP]

I'm going to take two weeks for vacation in Italy and ponder all this. I did look at my front end and it does appear low on the driver's side; so I'll need to fix that and hopefully it will rectify everything. After time off and several glasses if Italian wine this might make sense and I should be able to get it right. I think my door alignment is pretty good so working the fender last is probably smart.

Thanks everyone for the thoughts. It's good to get perspective and step back from it to see things differently.

 

[NikP]

As I sat on riviara in Italy pondering my fender/door gap issue I thought it might be because I have the wrong bushing/spacer under my front clip where it mounts to the frame below the radiator.

What's the proper bushing that goes there? Anyone have a picture?

Is it just the round rubber bushing like the other body mounts or something different? I had a box of them and I have a few left over so it got me thinking.

Thanks.