C2 body seams and gaps

[John D.]

While looking for a C2 to purchase I have paid particular attention to the consistency of the body seams. I have looked at the photos of several cars advertised as "no-hit" cars that display un-even gaps around the headlights. My questions are, were cars delivered from the factory like this, and is it possible to adjust the side to side gap using some type of shim? Is it possible to adjusted the hood side to side?

In addition, I've noticed numerous cars where the stainless trim around the windshield either has a large gap between the body and the stainless or a gap between the glass and the stainless. Is this a result of poor windshield installation or is something else the problem? Is installing this trim difficult?

[Wayne W.]

Re: C2 body seams and gaps

The gaps on a midyear are supposed to be between 1/8 to 3/16 wide, but they are very inconsistent. Some will be very tight and others loose even on the same vehicle. As for the gaps on the headlight doors, the design of the pivots, one being mounted on the outside and the other on the inside of the bucket, makes them sit to the outside naturally. You have to work at getting them centered and most are not centered from the factory. As for the stainless trim around the windshield most are fairly good, but not perfect sometimes. Most cars that have large gaps there probably have been messed with.

[Wayne K.]

Re: C2 body seams and gaps

John,

Welcome to the world of midyears. When I seached for a car I saw exactly what your seeing. As a teenager at the time and as fit & finish of American iron improved over the years I realized that I had forgotten how poor and inconsistant it was back then. A friend of mine has a 65 that looks like a modern day car and during my hunt I asked him how long it took to find a near perfect car. He laughed and said I wouldn't want to know how much it cost to get it that way. I ended up with an average car from what I've seen. Yes, there are some things that have been made worse because of poor workmanship but as a rule I think these cars are far from perfection. Look at the total package and how it will meet your desires, then enjoy.

Wayne

[John D.]

Re: C2 body seams and gaps

Thanks for the response. That actually makes me feel better about some of the cars I looked at.