Initial Body Fitting Questions

[Papa]

First, I want to thank Jeff for his write-up on fitting the body onto the chassis. I've read it several times and it has helped quite a bit. Right now, I don't have any of the bulb seals or other rubber in place. I'm looking for general fit and clearance of all the panels that the rubber will go to be sure there is plenty of room for the body to sit without being propped up too high because of a clearance issue. I do have the front splash guards cleco'd in place to the F-panel, but not attached to the body.

How should the hood hinge mounts sit relative to the hood opening? Right now mine is sitting with the driver's side about flush with the lip of the hood opening and the passenger side is recessed quite a bit.

Driver's side:




Passenger side:




It seems like the body will need to move over toward the passenger side in the front.

[j.miller]

I move almost all my driver side out-riggers 3/4 in to the pass side and move the pass side 1/2 further outboard. Allows the body to come over to the pass side the needed 1/4 -3/8 in to line up even over the hinges and puts the QJ mounting hole in better alignment with mounting holes. I check each one before I pull the body off to determine how much I need to move them . I also trim the rolled edges to 1/2 in from the radius. It allows movement fore and aft of the body. Above all....THE DOOR JAMBS NEED TO BE IN FRONT (not even with) in FRONT OF THE MOUNTING PLATES FOR THE STRIKERS.

[Papa]

I move almost all my driver side out-riggers 3/4 in to the pass side and move the pass side 1/2 further outboard. Allows the body to come over to the pass side the needed 1/4 -3/8 in to line up even over the hinges and puts the QJ mounting hole in better alignment with mounting holes. I check each one before I pull the body off to determine how much I need to move them . I also trim the rolled edges to 1/2 in from the radius. It allows movement fore and aft of the body. Above all....THE DOOR JAMBS NEED TO BE IN FRONT (not even with) in FRONT OF THE MOUNTING PLATES FOR THE STRIKERS.

Okay - my door openings are flush with the striker plate mounts, so I should try to get the body forward a bit more? How much?





Right now, the body is right up against the dash:



Is this the rolled edge you trim?

What do you mean by moving the driver's side out-riggers?

Thanks,
Dave

[Jeff Kleiner]

Dave,
Yep, based on your pics of the body in relation to the door striker plates you need to go forward and it looks like it will require trimming of the cowl return lip (i.e., rolled edge) to get it there. "Outriggers" refers to the square tubing triangles that extend forward to the mounting plate which the quick jack tubes attach to. RE: the hood lip compared to the hood hinge mounts---if you look from the front through the radiator opening the underside of the body should be around 3/4" above the point where the upper "outrigger" tube angles downward. The body is held up in this position by the quick jack tubes and (on the cars that have them) the brackets behind the parking light/turn signal.

Jeff

[Papa]

Dave,
Yep, based on your pics of the body in relation to the door striker plates you need to go forward and it looks like it will require trimming of the cowl return lip (i.e., rolled edge) to get it there. "Outriggers" refers to the square tubing triangles that extend forward to the mounting plate which the quick jack tubes attach to. RE: the hood lip compared to the hood hinge mounts---if you look from the front through the radiator opening the underside of the body should be around 3/4" above the point where the upper "outrigger" tube angles downward. The body is held up in this position by the quick jack tubes and (on the cars that have them) the brackets behind the parking light/turn signal.

Jeff

Thanks, Jeff. That clears it up. So, I think I'll trim the edge along the dash before making any other adjustments. Now that I know what the out-riggers are, are you suggesting they be adjusted by bending them? That sounds intimidating. Any hints you can offer to avoid a disaster?

Dave

[j.miller]

Papa, trim the rolled edges back......with the body off 1. measure the distance between the outriggers. B. I like to place a block of wood on the QJ mounting point. 4. AND WHACK IT WITH A BIG HAMMER . They actually move without too much trouble. If it moves too much you can move it back... just use your initial measurement to keep the R&L side even... da bat....and Kleiner, thanks for translating.....don't get me talkin about snakes again !

[Jeff Kleiner]

.....don't get me talkin about snakes again !

You keep the snakes. I don't like those little bastages

Looks like we're tag teaming this one.

Jeff

[Papa]

Papa, trim the rolled edges back......with the body off 1. measure the distance between the outriggers. B. I like to place a block of wood on the QJ mounting point. 4. AND WHACK IT WITH A BIG HAMMER . They actually move without too much trouble. If it moves too much you can move it back... just use your initial measurement to keep the R&L side even... da bat....and Kleiner, thanks for translating.....don't get me talkin about snakes again !

Ha! The BFH; my favorite adjusting tool. I was imagining exactly that. I thought I could attach a 2x4 to the front of the mounting points and move them both together. I can use a laser to a reference point on the chassis to measure the movement.

I'll start with this adjustment and go from there.

Thanks again,
Dave

[j.miller]

OH GOOD LORD HE'S BRINGING OUT THE LASER ! REALLY ! You don't want them to move the same....it's all about lining the frame holes with the QJ holes in the body The measurement is just to keep track of your progress.....a laser....you crack me up! TO INFINITY AND BEYOND ! lol...da Bat

[broku518]

Following this. I don't fully understand the terminology used here, but really appreciate the before/after pics.

Thanks!

[Jeff Kleiner]

...I don't fully understand the terminology used here...

What's not to understand about "BFH" and "WHACK IT"?

Jeff

[Straversi]

Measure with a laser, adjust with a sledgehammer. Dude has skills!
-Steve

[rich grsc]

NO NO NO. It's measure with a yard stick, mark it with a crayon, beat it with a hammer till it fits.

[initiator]

The Boeing approach: Hammer to fit, paint to match.

[Fixit]

Oh Gosh... Laser alignment...
You guys must have never worked on '60s Muscle Car stuff.
Plus/Minus 1/8" for panel gaps was totally acceptable for anything rolling out of Detroit in the late '60s! Pull fender bolts and 35 shims would fall out on the floor, Brute force twisting and 2x4's for levering is common practice to get something "close". Forget about the body, how 'bout what's holding the front wheels on??... an inch + of shims to get the steering aligned to within 3 degrees of eachother?

Things to remember... "You can't see both sides at once", "Bodywork is an illusion", and "There are no straight lines in Nature".

All kidding aside - I'm the same way. In my brain +/- a few thousanths is HUGE, but I've learned to allow in certain factors that +/- sixty-two point five (.0625-1/16") noboby will know but me.

[Papa]

OH GOOD LORD HE'S BRINGING OUT THE LASER ! REALLY ! You don't want them to move the same....it's all about lining the frame holes with the QJ holes in the body The measurement is just to keep track of your progress.....a laser....you crack me up! TO INFINITY AND BEYOND ! lol...da Bat

Measure with a laser, adjust with a sledgehammer. Dude has skills!
-Steve

Oh Gosh... Laser alignment...
You guys must have never worked on '60s Muscle Car stuff.
Plus/Minus 1/8" for panel gaps was totally acceptable for anything rolling out of Detroit in the late '60s! Pull fender bolts and 35 shims would fall out on the floor, Brute force twisting and 2x4's for levering is common practice to get something "close". Forget about the body, how 'bout what's holding the front wheels on??... an inch + of shims to get the steering aligned to within 3 degrees of eachother?

Things to remember... "You can't see both sides at once", "Bodywork is an illusion", and "There are no straight lines in Nature".

All kidding aside - I'm the same way. In my brain +/- a few thousanths is HUGE, but I've learned to allow in certain factors that +/- sixty-two point five (.0625-1/16") noboby will know but me.

NO NO NO. It's measure with a yard stick, mark it with a crayon, beat it with a hammer till it fits.

The Boeing approach: Hammer to fit, paint to match.

What's the frickin problem with using a "laser"?



Okay, I'll skip the "laser" and just whack it till ... so, about 3/4 of an inch you say? Riiight...

[Scubasommer]

What's the frickin problem with using a "laser"?



Okay, I'll skip the "laser" and just whack it till ... so, about 3/4 of an inch you say? Riiight...

Papa
your killin me smalls.......Roflmao

Jimmy

[Jstanding]

First, I want to thank Jeff for his write-up on fitting the body onto the chassis. I've read it several times and it has helped quite a bit. Right now, I don't have any of the bulb seals or other rubber in place. I'm looking for general fit and clearance of all the panels that the rubber will go to be sure there is plenty of room for the body to sit without being propped up too high because of a clearance issue. I do have the front splash guards cleco'd in place to the F-panel, but not attached to the body.

How should the hood hinge mounts sit relative to the hood opening? Right now mine is sitting with the driver's side about flush with the lip of the hood opening and the passenger side is recessed quite a bit.

Driver's side:




Passenger side:




It seems like the body will need to move over toward the passenger side in the front.

where can i find this write up on body fitting by jeff?

[Papa]

where can i find this write up on body fitting by jeff?

I've quoted it in my build thread - post #477

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/show...l=1#post318773

Dave

[Just puttering]

I think for the laser to work properly you need sharks.

I am reading your build thread right now, but not to the end yet, although i jumped forward to see your go cart. Looks very nice!

[Papa]

I think for the laser to work properly you need sharks.

I am reading your build thread right now, but not to the end yet, although i jumped forward to see your go cart. Looks very nice!

Or a secret moon base? Hope you enjoy reading the thread. By the way, you're in my old stomping grounds. I grew up in Lodi.

Dave

[CraigS]

One caution on the left/right body fit. While it is still on the car, take the front wheels off and measure from the top shock mount bolts out to the fender flare outer edge. Both should be the same. I am not sure how your alignment is now so looking at the tires/fender flares could be misleading.