Just about ready for body and paint, have fitment issues

[jwsnake56]

I'm patiently waiting for my slot in Jeff Kleiner's work schedule. I'm trying to resolve a couple of fitment issues. I made the bulb seal across the cockpit back above the seats mistake and need to resolve that. But I have a couple of other issues as well. Does the small firewall extension on the passenger side (the one with the cutout for wire harness pass thru) have bulb seal added to the top of it? I added bulb seal there and it seems to be blocking my windshield post access through the cutout. You can see it in the photo below. My body sits high on the passenger side from the middle of the door opening forward. I can't get the bottom lip of the body to drop below the frame and fit on that side. Driver side fits great. The hinge on the PS wont open either because the body is just slightly high it seems. Looking from the front you can just see the 3/4" frame tube on the DS of the hood opening.
Any suggestions on resolving these issues?
Thanks,
John Schnettler
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[phileas_fogg]

Hi John,

To remove the bulb seal from across the back cockpit wall, you don't have to take the body completely off the car. An inch or two lift will give you enough clearance to slip that piece of bulb seal out.

The small firewall extension does get bulb seal. That particular piece of aluminum is sometimes a bit too tall, and may be contributing to why you can't get the lip down under the frame. Like the rear, get an inch or two of clearance and slip the bulb seal out. Then, with no bulb seal, see if you can fit the body correctly. If so, hold a Sharpie flush with the fiberglass body and mark the firewall extension to ensure there’s no interference. The distance between the side of the Sharpie (which is flush with the body) and the nib will provide adequate clearance for the bulb seal. You're aiming for 3/8" clearance, plus or minus 1/8". If the aluminum is too tall, you'll have to trim it.

Once you've got the firewall extension aluminum sorted, use two short pieces of bulb seal, one on each side of the notch in the firewall extension, and that will let you slip the windshield post into place no problem.

Finally, the front quick jack bolts hold the body up in the front. You need about 3/4" between underside of the body and the very front of the square tubing (where the outriggers attach). If you don't get the nose high enough the hood and hinges will hang up.


John

P.S. When you're happy with the vertical fit, check that the body is centered on the car. Measure from the top of the shock mounting bolt to the edge of the wheel lip. You should be able to get both left side front & right side front to within 1/8" - 1/4"; same for left side rear & right side rear. The front often gives people fits; loosen the quick jack bolts, and lift & tug the body in the direction it needs to go. You may find that the left side outrigger prevents you from moving the body far enough over to the right. Get a 2" x 4" and a big hammer and whang that outrigger where it needs to go. I had to move my outrigger 3/4" - 1". I didn't use the steel "eye brow" brackets because after moving the outrigger they were no longer in plane with the body (plus they interfered with the intake for my foot box vent system).

[edwardb]

Can't tell too much from your pics to be honest. But a couple points. You do need to cut a slot for the windshield post in that piece of bulb seal on the PS. It's pretty normal for the 3/4-inch frame along the hood opening to be offset some. The proper way to check the side-to-side body alignment in the front is by measuring from a fixed point on the suspension (e.g. one of the shock mounts) out to the edge of the wheel well opening. Should be the same on both sides. Not unusual to have to bump one or both of the frame horns on the front (e.g. where the quick jack mounts are) over to get the front properly positioned. Have you removed the bulb seal on the back wall? That could be preventing it from going all the way down.

Edit: John and I made similar points. He was just faster.

[jwsnake56]

Guys, Thanks for the tips. I had put the body on once before to check clearances and trimmed accordingly. There was no bulb seal on the car yet. I didn't have any problem with the passenger side clearance that time. So I guess I should take 3/8" off the extension and it should be just about right. The prospect of beating on my frame with a sledge and 2x4 makes me cringe.
John
Mk4 #8866
7 miles on the odometer!

[j.miller]

I'm betting your body is sitting on your dash at the outside curves. Cut 2.5 in off the end of the pass side dash and shove it back. Driver side can just be pushed back in the upper footbox. Dash needs to be mounted with 3/16in of dash hoop showing above the top of the dash on the outside ends of the hoop. Driver side outrigger needs to be smacked 3/4in inboard and the pass side 1/2in outboard. Body needs to be pulled forward so that the door jamb is just in front of mounting tab for door latch dovetail. If this makes no sense call Kleiner or myself Batcave....951-676-0191...da Bat

[rich grsc]

Don't be interrupting Captain O-ring, he's in the middle of a VERY important mission.

[j.miller]

Don't be interrupting Captain O-ring, he's in the middle of a VERY important mission.

…..YEAH ! HIS MOM TELLING HIM HE WOUL...….AND GROW HAIR ONNNNNN...….just can't do it.....epic Batfail

[Jeff Kleiner]

First thing I thought of was the right side of the dash being left long and getting wedged between the firewall extension and cowl---just like Miller said. Yes, the bulb seal needs to come off of the top of the rear cockpit wall and be cut away from the windshield post opening. Looks like the cowl lip is in hard contact with the dash preventing the body from coming forward---has it been trimmed back? In the PM you sent you mentioned defroster vents---not much room in front of the dash; you don't have the hoses holding the cowl up do you? Call me if you need to...

…..YEAH ! HIS MOM TELLING HIM HE WOUL...….AND GROW HAIR ONNNNNN...….just can't do it.....epic Batfail

When I was a kid my mom told me that someday I'd find out what my special purpose was...

Capt. O