Myself and an experienced friend have been working to install a jiged front end from Shermershine on my 69 coupe. We have fitted and bonded the front end and find that the driver side is 3/4 inch higher than the passenger side. Both sides line up with the core support. We loosened the core support cross member from the frame horn brackets and the front end from the sides of the core support but nothing seems to work. Can someone advise me as what to do? We are at a loss. Thanks, Art Ives
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Re: C3 Body Alignment
Where is it higher? Front, back, wheelwell? -
Re: C3 Body Alignment
Where is it higher? Front, back, wheelwell?Comment
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Re: C3 Body Alignment
You will need to cut it off and do it again till it suits you. How close to perfect is the hood fit as it will tell you what you need to do. The good thing is you will learn how not to do the next front end. It took me twice on my first front end. LyleLyle
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Re: C3 Body Alignment
You will need to cut it off and do it again till it suits you. How close to perfect is the hood fit as it will tell you what you need to do. The good thing is you will learn how not to do the next front end. It took me twice on my first front end. LyleLyle
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Re: C3 Body Alignment
Wayne, It is high over the left front wheel well but the hood surround is also high. Art IvesComment
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Re: C3 Body Alignment
Wayne, It is high over the left front wheel well but the hood surround is also high. Art IvesComment
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Re: C3 Body Alignment
Lyle, The hood was a little long from front to back but had a large gap at the back driver side edge. The thing that puzzles me is that it lined up with the core support holes. How do you cut it back off? With saw blades. Art IvesComment
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Re: C3 Body Alignment
Lyle, The hood was a little long from front to back but had a large gap at the back driver side edge. The thing that puzzles me is that it lined up with the core support holes. How do you cut it back off? With saw blades. Art IvesComment
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Re: C3 Body Alignment
Art, it is not fun at all to take it back off but it can be done. You will have to peal it off very carefully. It won't come off perfectly. A strong putty knife will work well. Carefully tap it in between the bonded surfaces. Grind those areas that you have access to. Not fun at all but can be done. Go slowly. Hopefully, you may not have preped the surfaces that well and it will pop off fairly easy. It is a good way to find out how well you preped the bonding surfaces. The tough part will be the gill area if you you did a good job.
If you do take it off again, try supporting the front end with blocks stacked on top of the tires. That is a great place to support it and allows it to hang in a good position. Get the position you want it in then put tape on the panels and use a marker on the tape to make aligment marks.
3/4 of an inch is nothing if your hood looks good. Very few of these cars were very symetrical. I have measured a few and have been amazed by how far off they were from one side of the car to the other.
If you do it again. Try bonding one side and letting it set up. The do the other side on another day. You have to make alignment marks to really know the location of the front end once it is in place.
Hope this helps. I have bonded panels on only to grind them right back off. Sorry to hear you had less than desirable results. Take your time and study it. You can get it done. Let me know precisely where it is off at. TerryComment
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Re: C3 Body Alignment
Art, it is not fun at all to take it back off but it can be done. You will have to peal it off very carefully. It won't come off perfectly. A strong putty knife will work well. Carefully tap it in between the bonded surfaces. Grind those areas that you have access to. Not fun at all but can be done. Go slowly. Hopefully, you may not have preped the surfaces that well and it will pop off fairly easy. It is a good way to find out how well you preped the bonding surfaces. The tough part will be the gill area if you you did a good job.
If you do take it off again, try supporting the front end with blocks stacked on top of the tires. That is a great place to support it and allows it to hang in a good position. Get the position you want it in then put tape on the panels and use a marker on the tape to make aligment marks.
3/4 of an inch is nothing if your hood looks good. Very few of these cars were very symetrical. I have measured a few and have been amazed by how far off they were from one side of the car to the other.
If you do it again. Try bonding one side and letting it set up. The do the other side on another day. You have to make alignment marks to really know the location of the front end once it is in place.
Hope this helps. I have bonded panels on only to grind them right back off. Sorry to hear you had less than desirable results. Take your time and study it. You can get it done. Let me know precisely where it is off at. TerryComment
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Re: C3 Body Alignment
I read your first post again. You may be aware of this already. Sometimes there are shims located between the core support and the fender supports to adjust the width of the hood opening. Also, I believe you should have shims under each side of the radiator support that can adjust the height of the core support and thus the fenders. But, there is not that much to play with. I am mainly familiar with my 68 in this area.
I am still not sure where the 3/4 inch you are talking about is. Are you saying that the peak of the fender well above the tire on one side is 3/4 in higher than the other side. If all else looked right, I would say that is no big deal at all. Geting the hood to meet the alignment of the fender is the tough part. Are the fender skirts in? TerryComment
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Re: C3 Body Alignment
I read your first post again. You may be aware of this already. Sometimes there are shims located between the core support and the fender supports to adjust the width of the hood opening. Also, I believe you should have shims under each side of the radiator support that can adjust the height of the core support and thus the fenders. But, there is not that much to play with. I am mainly familiar with my 68 in this area.
I am still not sure where the 3/4 inch you are talking about is. Are you saying that the peak of the fender well above the tire on one side is 3/4 in higher than the other side. If all else looked right, I would say that is no big deal at all. Geting the hood to meet the alignment of the fender is the tough part. Are the fender skirts in? TerryComment
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Re: C3 Body Alignment
Art, you said 3/4 inch difference in height, but is this in reference to the frame or to the ground?
If it is to the frame, you have a problem, but maybe not as bad as you think.
If to the ground, then two things: frame may have a twist or the floor may not be level. Surprising how many "flat" concrete floors are not really flat. Try moving the car to a different section of the floor and measure again.
Also don't assume jack stands sit the same height.
Not if it is to the frame, I think Terry already hit on the shims under the hood and the shims under the radiator support. Chack them.
If the front end is still high on one side, it could be that the fenderskirt is bonded in a bit too thick on one side or thin on the other. You could split it from the front end, grind it down some, and bond it back on.
Or the easy way would be to check the holes in the metal skirt supprt that bolts to the radiator support. The holes could be drilled wrong or yu could redrill them to move the front.Comment
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Re: C3 Body Alignment
Art, you said 3/4 inch difference in height, but is this in reference to the frame or to the ground?
If it is to the frame, you have a problem, but maybe not as bad as you think.
If to the ground, then two things: frame may have a twist or the floor may not be level. Surprising how many "flat" concrete floors are not really flat. Try moving the car to a different section of the floor and measure again.
Also don't assume jack stands sit the same height.
Not if it is to the frame, I think Terry already hit on the shims under the hood and the shims under the radiator support. Chack them.
If the front end is still high on one side, it could be that the fenderskirt is bonded in a bit too thick on one side or thin on the other. You could split it from the front end, grind it down some, and bond it back on.
Or the easy way would be to check the holes in the metal skirt supprt that bolts to the radiator support. The holes could be drilled wrong or yu could redrill them to move the front.Comment
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