Body On Frame Could use all the help as Possible.
 

Finally position the body of my 62 resto mod on a corvette correction frame ( very nice Frame ) . For the last 10 months I have been building the chassis and repairing all the structural damage underneath the body and finally got to the point of installing it on the chassis for the first time.
I purchase this car all taken apart so I have no shim information, front clip was just sitting on the chassis in pieces and upper firewall with crappy repairs and in two pieces. The front end is being replaced as well as the upper firewall.
I need advise on how to process from here. I'm thinking I should first shim the body and fit the door, then go to the upper firewall follow by the front clip. Any advise on the process would be appreciated. AIM really doesn't take you through it. Any help before I start cutting, bending, and reinventing the wheel would be great

I believe that Billy sells a solid body mount kit for his frames. Give him a call.

oWEN

Billy sells a set of neoprene rubber mounts in two different thickness and are use as shims. I'm looking for help with the process of shimming the body to the chassis, door alignment and so fourth. What is the sequence? Beside having to do those two things, I also have to install an upper firewall and a front clip. What's the best order to do these things and the best way to do them?

I wouldn't worry too much about getting a correct "shim" on the body at this point. Put the body on the frame, with an even amount of shims on each pad. I usually use about 1/2" of shim stock. . Don't worry about the inboard mount points, as they are for floor support only, and have no bearing on how straight the car is. Install the doors, and align the back edge, and the bottom of the door to the body. Once the door is "square" in the opening (bottom and rear of door), then do all of your bodywork, install the nose, etc. Make sure that when you install the front end, that you have the radiator support in place, and shimmed off of the front of the frame.

Mike Coletta

When I was working on my '59 I needed to use thicker than normal shims, so I used 1/8" thru 1/2" plywood shims to mock everything up until I got all the clearances correct. Then I made the correct thickness shims out of a aluminum stock with a piece of rubber roofing material on the top of each shim.

Charles

Hi Mike, I installed 1/2 inch shim stock on the 6 body points. For some reason the body is sitting high by 3/4 on an inch on the passenger side. Noticeable by looking at the car from the rear and measuring the clearance between the top of the rear tires and the rear quarter panel wheel opening lip. Can't see anything interfering with the body from underneath other that I can see the wider gap between the body and the rear pass. frame arch. I may have a warped body.

Do you have the radiator support in and shimmed at the front? Is the body sitting flat on top of the shims at each of the six locations from the cowl back? Dimension between the kick up and the body in the rear fender wells should be pretty even. Can you push down on the body and make the gap go away? Did you check to make sure that an old shim is not stuck to the bottom of the body? Look at each mount point and make sure that the body is sitting flat on top of your half inch shims.

Mike Coletta

I don't have a radiator support installed yet. Just the body with no front clip or inner skirts, the upper firewall is just position in place but not bonded. With no shims, all mount point rest on the chassis flat for the exception of the pass rear cabin mount point. 1/2 inches gap. The front section of the drivers side kick up is as close to the body as it can be with out touching. I may be able to slip a sheet of paper through it. The same are on the pass, side has a 1/2 gap like at the mount.
When I installed the 1/2 shims on the six points. I still have the 1/2 gap on the pass rear cabin mount, but I now have more clearance on the drivers side kick up but even a wider gap on the pass side.
I can push down on it and I can tighten it down flush with the shims..
Body flexes that far. However, the aft body is still high on the pass. rear. I was thinking maybe I need to remove some shims from the pass rear mount or add to the drivers rear mount. Maybe both! The upper rear door gap, that is usually adjusted by shimming the rear mounts are right on the money right now.

Hi Charles, I position the body on the car this morning temporally to see where I need to trim the inner fender to fit Billy's frame and I now can see why you went with the softer C5 front spring. With 16" tires the front clip looks like it's a gasser. I'll post some pictures as soon as my photo bucket account starts working again.

After installing the 1/2 inch shims I when ahead and adjusted the doors rear and lower gaps and didn't pay attention to the difference in height in the rear. I'll worry about that once the front clip is bonded on. Yes, for the exception of the passenger side rear mount, all the mounts laid flat on the shims. On the one that did not, I could push down on it as you asked so I just tighten it down. Tomorrow I'll bond the upper firewall and keep going from there. Finishing one thing before continuing. It's a stage of the build that makes you want to just throw parts on the car. I keep reminding myself of what I want to see when I'm done, then it's ok to accept that most of it will come back apart for paint.!

Dale,
How's the progress going? I'm getting ready to do the exact same thing with my 61.
Mark

Mark, Body and firewall installed now finishing up the fitting of the front clip. Hope to have it bonded by next weekend.