ptjsk

Getting ready to place the body back onto my frame ('63 Convertible). When I removed the body, the only stubborn bolts I ran across were the very last two in the back. I ended up having to cut both of these out.

Does anybody know the length of these two bolts? They come up right behind the spring loaded anchor's that secure the back hatch/deck.

Also, when I removed the body, I also identified and counted the number of body shims required. It sure seems there's a lot of shims, especially those along the side rails. I have a couple of places where 5 shims were used and a couple more places where 4 are used. I only have one located where there were no shims, and this is located at the very most rear anchor point.

Would you guy's suggest to place the exact number of shims back onto each location, or should I reduce the number of shims? Is there a specific order/process of which to determine where and how many shims to use? I do know that I'll have to mount the doors and utilize the shims as part of the adjustment process.

Thanks,

Pat

Railroadman

Waiting to learn.

Boyan

Critter1

Seeing five shims in one location while seeing zero in another is a bit unusual but it certainly happened. Frames weren't very straight when they were pulled from the welding fixture.

tbarb

Pat,

Put them in exactly as they came out, the 63 mounts are rigid so you will probably be very close.

On my 63 coupe I spent lots of time trying to understand the shim process except on my car the shims were already gone as the body was loose when I bought the car.

I have exactly the same issue as your car with 5-5-5-4 shims in the box area but it was all dictated by the rear most mounts where one has NO shims (drivers side) and the opposite side has three or four ( can't remember). There should be rubber spacers that sit on top of the rear crossmember so shim the rear mount so the space is the same side to side. If one of the rear mounts is welded high on the frame and requires no shim, shim the other side so the space is the same that way you know the body is on the frame flat and even.

When you work on rear or front frame mounts make sure car weight is on the tires because the frame will relax into a set position especially the rear. If for some reason you need to adjust the box section to get the best door fit the convertible body will flex much more than the coupe in ALL areas but you need that starting point and it all may fall right into place.

DansYellow66

Start out with the original number of shims but with a convertible especially, you will probably have to play around with the numbers to get the doors and lines to straighten up. If your frame has been worked on (metal replacement work, frame straightening, mounts replaced, replaced entire frame, etc) then that will be another story.

White Monster

ptjsk

Thanks Tim!

I will shim it as it was. On the rear mounts, only one side had a single shim, and the other didn't have any.

Also, I did keep and save the rubber spacers that sat on top of the cross-member. Surprisingly, they were in good shape.

I'm sure I'll be adjusting them when I put the doors back on.

Pat

ptjsk

Thanks for the information Dan.

Fortunately, the frame didn't need any work at all. I blasted it, and had it powder coated.

Pat

Critter1

The amount of shims used in production on the mount locations of the frame had nothing to do with the body. It was about adjusting the frame to conform to original design specifications. The dimension check and shim count was done at the St Louis plant hours before the body was installed. (for C3, the shim dimension check was done just minutes before body drop) This means that a body is not specific to a frame as the final dimensions as shimmed would be the same from one frame to another.

The body is built on a body truck (fixture) that is made to exact design specs. so when the body is installed on the frame, it would also be in spec.

Pic's below from the C3 era shows the large orange dimension check fixture being used to measure gaps and shim count. The fixture is lowered onto the frame and the tool shown in the last pic is used to measure the gap between the fixture and the frame. Each step on the tool equals one shim.

pop23235

Railroadman

Not trying to hijack Pat's question but mine is similar. If the frame is what governs the shim count, then it would follow that the same number of shims would be needed even if a different body is used? While I have not finalized the deal, I am talking to someone who plans a restomod and I may be buying that rolling chassis. If I understand the above correctly it would be helpful to have the body shop which does his body removal keep a good count of shims at each location, and that would be the number I'd probably need assuming I do wind up buying it. Correct?

Critter1

That's correct. The original shims installed on the frame at St Louis have nothing at all to do with the body. Their job is to bring the frame mount dimensions into spec.

I know everyone calls the shims "body shims" but that's not at all what they do. They are frame shims and should be kept with a frame.

ptjsk

Thanks for all the information with regards to the frame shims.

Now does anybody know how long the two rear body mount bolts are?

Pat

emccomas

Pat;

I am looking at the AIM for 1963. It appears that the bolts for the number 2 mounts, and the bolts for the number 4 mounts use the same bolt, part number 3797244.

My information is that 3797244 is 1 1/4 inches long (7/16 x 14 bolt).

If the bolts that came out of the number 2 mounts are OK, that is the bolt you also need for the number 4 mount.

Ed

ptjsk

Thanks a lot for the information Ed!

Pat