'67 body panel and door fit

**Wayne W.** · February 24, 2003, 09:23 AM

Re: '67 body panel and door fit

It is common , specially on the LH side for the door to be off in that manner. There are six points that you would like to have line up. Three points on the front and three on the rear. If five of them fit and the other does not, something is wrong, but you have no choice. You must make some adjustments if you get all of them to fit. You can move the door up slightly adjust the side body line and cheat a little at the bottom. You can take a little off the upper area of the deck area at the back of the door if possible. Sometimes this is not possible because of the original pannel thickness. Then add a little onto the rear of the door. The problem being that this makes the door thickness to great. You can then take a little off the inside edge of the door edge to reduce that thickness. Beyond that, there is little that you can do. But remember, they were never perfect and the guy that worked the LH side at St. Louis in 67 was notorious for sloppiness.

**john pickens** · February 24, 2003, 12:41 PM

Re: '67 body panel and door fit

My 65 roadster has a gap high on the LH vent window /door leading edge
between it and the new molding of the windshield pillar. Maximun distance
1/4 to 1/2 inch, enough to see daylight. Rest of the door seems to fit well.
Is this a door hang issue, could this be a door from another vehicle, or were these
types of tolerances allowed on a mid 60's assembly line?

**Craig S.** · February 24, 2003, 02:29 PM

Re: '67 body panel and door fit

John - heard a story from George Bartos on that, they used 2X4's to "adjust the door fit" on midyear coupes.....would make the restorer cringe....Craig

**Wayne W.** · February 24, 2003, 08:29 PM

Re: '67 body panel and door fit

The vent window frame is adjustable. Usually you can make it fit fairly well.

**Scott Marzahl** · February 25, 2003, 02:15 PM

What are the thoughts on glassing seams?

I have my new quarter panel bonded on now. One book I have suggests glassing the seams, the other reference book doesn't make any reference to this process.
I know the factory didn't do it, but is it better to glass them in?

**Wayne W.** · February 25, 2003, 07:38 PM

Re: What are the thoughts on glassing seams?

Its up to you. Glassing will not show as much later, but is not the way it was done originally.

**Donald O.** · February 25, 2003, 08:11 PM

Re: What are the thoughts on glassing seams?

Scott,

Here's my $.02
I recommend it highly. There are alot of complaints, many on this forum, about paint lifting, bubbling,seams popping, etc. Do it once. Do it forever. And yes, this how I did my 67. It now looks as the engineers/designer intended it to.

The factory didn't because of cost, time and materials.

on

**Mike McKown** · February 25, 2003, 09:24 PM

Hey uh, 17357 Donald

Have you been an ENGINEER long enough to know that manufacturing PROCESSES and manufacturing TOOLING and manufacturing BUDGETS all originate from ENGINEERING speculation! Many times (I've personally seen this) when the engineering goals are not met in the assembly plant due to poor processes, poor tooling or inadequate budget as established by engineering forecasts, the blame is cast upon the manufacturing entity which is entirely defenseless because for whatever political reason, they accepted this situation into their assembly plant.

My whole point is, let's don't be too quick to blame the guy in the assembly plant with the two by four. You see back in the '60's the manufacturing engineers wrote an assembly manual that specified all the tools ( among other things) required to build the vehicle. I believe nowhere in these manuals will you find a tool description for a two by four, a drift pin or a two pound ball peen hammer. But, if you went into any of the Big Three's assembly plants back then, (even now) you will find all three of these tools on the line. 'Nuff said!

Mike

**Donald O.** · February 25, 2003, 10:53 PM

Re: Hey uh, 17357 Donald

Mike,

I have never blamed the guys on the line for any questions on quality, fit, finish, or process used. These were all decisions made by the bean counters and division heads. Their only concern WAS and IS the cost per unit and to get more units out to lower the unit cost. It was not to build a classic sports car or a grocery getter. They were in business to do one thing...to make money. I have been an automotive engineer for 25 years and in the automotive industry for 40 (da*n, am I getting that old?) and have worked for all of the big 4 makers as well as a truck/engine mfg co. and now as a consultant. I do not blame the guys on the line, I know where it lies.
Enough soap box

Don

'67 body panel and door fit

'67 body panel and door fit

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