Off Line Body Adjustment

[Terry F.]

Re: Slight Adjustment

First off, I bet that is you in the picture:)

It looks like you are attempting to bend the door flange so the height of the door surface will meet the height of the fender.

Wow! I sure it can be done but wow!

Terry

[Jean C.]

I think I now understand

Michael,
I reckon The General's list of tools for the early Corvette line read something like this.

Tool 1 - Hammer, Misalignment; Severity Class 1
Tool 2 - Hammer, bigger, Misalignment; Severity Class 2
Tool 3 - Hammer, biggest, Misalignment; Severity Class 3(A)
Tool 4 - Wood, hickory 2"x4"x36", Force Fit; Class 1
Tool 5 - Wood, hickory 2"x4"x48", Force Fit; Class 2
Tool 6 - Wood, hickory 2"x4"x60", Force Fit; Class 3(A)

(A) When Tool 3 is used in conjunction with Tool 6, extreme care should be taken in order to not mar the finish of the part(s)..

Best regards
Charlie

[Ray C.]

Re: I think I now understand

Hi!

I installed a new fuel tank and straps in a 1963 SWC this past weekend. I work for a day trying to get the filler tube aligned with the opening, bending and adjusting straps, bending the seam flange to provide clearance for the straps and working the tank toward the rear of the car. I finally got the tube close but not perfect. I then took a piece of wood, stuck it into the filler neck and pried. Too my surprise the tube became perfectly aligned with the opening. What crude tool did they use on the production line.

Ray

[Tracy C.]

Re: I've been at Beechcraft for 27 years and I agr

Bet you're glad to bailed before the sellout to Onex... Hope we can stay away from that game until I retire in 2020.

tc

[Frank C.]

Re: I wonder if all these PRECISION

adjustments are the reasons one my '63 coupes has excess resin on the front of the RR 1/4 and the front of the R door. It's a Sept '62 build maybe there were some early alignment problems?

[mike mccagh]

Re: I've been at Beechcraft for 27 years and I agr

retire in 2020? why the hell you working till you're 85 ? mike

[Michael H.]

Re: Slight Adjustment

Yup, that's me in the picture. Was the day before I retired on my 65th birthday. So, I'd be, what, 90 something today? I've grown about 6" since then also.

I don't remember exactly what part of the door or fender that he was wailing on but when he was through, everything fit nicely and the unit went back on line.

[Michael H.]

Re: I think I now understand

In the early part of the C2 and C3 era, these tools were included in the new Kent-Moore "essential Tools" kit that was sent to each Chevrolet dealer for the new model year. No one ever used them though.

I hope I haven't given readers the wrong impression. This "off line" adjustment was NOT something that happened to most of the jobs. Actually, it was quite uncommon to see one pulled off line for major repair. Things usually rolled along smoothly but there were some "bad days".

[Terry F.]

Re: Slight Adjustment

I have played with the doors in such a way and was amazed at how easy it moved. I used a large rubber mallet and a short length of 2x4. I was amazed that the original glue held without breaking. It was summer time and everything was fairly warm though. I ended up throwing those doors away. Too rusted out to repair. I even tried to twist them with a steel post. I thought for sure they would break. The rubber mallet method did leave the surface a slight bit rippled but that would come out with surface sanding, etc. Take care, Terry

[Scott Marzahl]

Re: I've been at Beechcraft for 27 years and I agr

Mike, we would never do that in Everett..