I've got a 80 vet with a body alignment problem maybe one of you guys can help me solve. The body has a little lean to the right looking from the back. I took measurements at the wheels and the rear suspension and this is what I came up with. The height from the floor to the top of the wheel well on the front driver side car is 29 1/8 passenger side is 28 3/8 back driver side is 29 7/8 passenger side is 29 1/2. I measured the rear leaf spring at the spring mount bolts and they were 8 1/2 on the driver side and 8 on the passenger side from the ground. The spacers and bushings totaled 2in on driver side and 1 1/2 on the passenger side. There is definitely a difference in the bow of the leaf spring the driver side is straighter than the passenger. I think that is one problem in the lean. I probably need to also put new body mount bushings in they are not that bad but it is probably a contributing factor. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. The other thing is the tires are not square underneath the body. Looking from the back of the car the tires on the drivers side stick out about a 1/4 in beyond the wheel well. The passenger side are about 3/4 in inside the wheel well. I read some posts that say you can move the body roughly an inch if it has shifted due to worn body mounts. I suspect that might be my dilema. However, when I checked the clearance of the rocker panel to the frame I only have about a 1/4 in gap and the body would need to be shifted more than that toward the drivers side to put the wheels back in the correct appearance. The frame appears to fine. If anybody has any ideas or suggestions it would be greatly appreciated before I start tinkering.
Thanks
Jeff

 

First you need to determine if it is frame or suspension related. You need to block the frame up level and then look at the body. There are six slots in the side rail of the frame. Measure to the floor from each and set the frame level from that. Then measure the frame mounts at the rear and front to see if the frame is bent. Look at the body when level to see if it is still off. If it is reasonably straight, then look at suspension issues.