What causes this...? help! (pic)
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,327
Likes: 43
From: Vernon CT
What causes this...? help! (pic)
A huge gap where the door meets the nose and it gets wider near the top, it's NOT the camera angle. What causes this? Is this an after market nose on this 1972 Roaster? This always bothered me beyond belief but no one could give me a straight answer/solution. It's NOT the door, it's hung right and does not drop when open nor do I have to raise it to close it. Any ideas?
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,092
Likes: 2
From: walpole ma
You need to check if the nose has been replaced. Even though the factory never gapped these cars right, they were never that bad. From my experience most cases of body gaps like that are due to a prevoius hacked repair. Bird cage rust can sometimes be the cause(not often). Also a sagging front of the nose can cause it.
I would check to see if that is the original nose first.
No matter what, that CAN be fixed.
I am a stickler for nice gaps on cars so I know how you feel on this one.
We fix ill gapped vettes here at our shop all the time.
http://www.2ndgenrestorations.com
I would check to see if that is the original nose first.
No matter what, that CAN be fixed.
I am a stickler for nice gaps on cars so I know how you feel on this one.We fix ill gapped vettes here at our shop all the time.
http://www.2ndgenrestorations.com
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,327
Likes: 43
From: Vernon CT
The driver's side isnt as bad but you can also see it photo2 the aligment of the wiper and and all the nose gaps are off. (Forgive me; what's a "bird cage"?)
How do I tell it's been replaced or an aftermarket nose?
How do I tell it's been replaced or an aftermarket nose?
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,092
Likes: 2
From: walpole ma
The birdcage is the steel inner structure of the main body of the car. Your factory body panels are smooth on the inside from the factory. In a lot(not all) cases replacement panels are rough on the inside, a tell tale sign they have been replaced. Also check the nose and compare left side to right side on the inside of the panels for signs of previous work, such as previously repaired cracks, any anomaly in the way the glue was applied , or any bonding strips that are damaged.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,227
Likes: 4,321
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi 72/86,
The front clip can be replaced in 2 ways.
First, with a clip made the way the factory did it ... various pieces held together with 'bonding strips', look in the upper part of the wheel wells for these long , thin strips; or second, a clip... molded in one LARGE piece of molded fiberglass.
I think as RRV (The Man Who Knows) said the problems you see are probably caused by how well or poorly the front clip was installed.
The 'Birdcage' is the metal structure that surrounds the passenger compartment, has the fiberglass body parts bonded to it and supports the doors and windshield.
What do the gaps at the rear of the doors and around the hood look like?
Regards,
Alan
PS: You beat me Stan, I had to stop for the phone. How are you?
The front clip can be replaced in 2 ways.
First, with a clip made the way the factory did it ... various pieces held together with 'bonding strips', look in the upper part of the wheel wells for these long , thin strips; or second, a clip... molded in one LARGE piece of molded fiberglass.
I think as RRV (The Man Who Knows) said the problems you see are probably caused by how well or poorly the front clip was installed.
The 'Birdcage' is the metal structure that surrounds the passenger compartment, has the fiberglass body parts bonded to it and supports the doors and windshield.
What do the gaps at the rear of the doors and around the hood look like?
Regards,
Alan
PS: You beat me Stan, I had to stop for the phone. How are you?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 123
From: CA.
the bird cage is the structure around the cockpit. do a search on bird cage and you will see pics. i know how you feel about gaps. do a search on that too. i am going to have mine fixed this spring. its same door as yours. there are pics of mine on this subject also.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 688
Likes: 1
From: Stevens Point WI
Not to say your wrong on the door being OK but there are slotted holes in the door hinges which allow them to be moved forward and back and up and down.
It does not take much movement to make a gap look like you could throw a cat thru it
I went thru this just a few months ago when I finished my frame off on my 69. Good thing I had a bodyman of 35+ years expeirence to guide me thru it
It was a real PITA
It does not take much movement to make a gap look like you could throw a cat thru it
I went thru this just a few months ago when I finished my frame off on my 69. Good thing I had a bodyman of 35+ years expeirence to guide me thru it
It was a real PITA
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,327
Likes: 43
From: Vernon CT
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Easiest fix: upper door hinge bushings.
Ditto from Lee H.
Most probable cause: fender has come unbonded on the hinge post. Gently jack up the right front corner of the doghouse and see if the gap does not begin to close. Go slowly. You don't want to crack any fiberglass -- only raise the right front corner a little and watch the gap.
Ditto from Lee H.
Most probable cause: fender has come unbonded on the hinge post. Gently jack up the right front corner of the doghouse and see if the gap does not begin to close. Go slowly. You don't want to crack any fiberglass -- only raise the right front corner a little and watch the gap.
7th Gear
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
The gaps at the bottom of the door look very tight (although it's hard to tell from the camera angle) so I would check the door pins and bushings first. Open the door and see if you can wiggle it up and down on the hinges. If there is much play then the bushings and pins need to be replaced with something like this:
http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...8&dept_id=1445
I don't work at the body shop but this kit got the gaps in my drivers side door to be very close and it only took an afternoon and a few curses. There are tricks to getting the upper pin removed so search the forum if you decide to give this a try.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,327
Likes: 43
From: Vernon CT
I also noticed that the gap between the lower windshield trim is bigger on the side seen in the pic than the driver's side. It seems the trim is too far away from the windshield or am I crazy?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 123
From: CA.
Not to say your wrong on the door being OK but there are slotted holes in the door hinges which allow them to be moved forward and back and up and down.
It does not take much movement to make a gap look like you could throw a cat thru it
I went thru this just a few months ago when I finished my frame off on my 69. Good thing I had a bodyman of 35+ years expeirence to guide me thru it It was a real PITA
It does not take much movement to make a gap look like you could throw a cat thru it
I went thru this just a few months ago when I finished my frame off on my 69. Good thing I had a bodyman of 35+ years expeirence to guide me thru it
It was a real PITA
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,227
Likes: 4,321
From: Westminster Maryland
The 'S' shape you mention is a problem on all cars. The 'swoop' in the door doesn't match the 'swoop' in the fender. Adjusting the door can help to some degree but body work is the cure for a really bad fit.
Here are 3 pictures of the 'swoop' 'healing' on my 71.
I'm sure Stan can describe the way to go about this.
Regards,
Alan
Here are 3 pictures of the 'swoop' 'healing' on my 71.
I'm sure Stan can describe the way to go about this.
Regards,
Alan
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,220
Likes: 6
From: www.Z16.org North/West Pennsylvania