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Front clip install update

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Old Feb 7, 2006 | 01:50 PM
  #1  
DR.Jay's Avatar
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Burning Brakes
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From: Leander Texas
Default Front clip install update

Here are some pics of the front clip instalation progress.

head lights installed

The core support adjustment tool I made from threaded 3/8 rod & door shims (thanks Big-G). It is used to push or pull the core support to align the hood to hood surround.

Right fender door gap after bonding. (masking tape is used to hold the fender in place while adhesive cures.

left fender bonding area preped

Left fender.

You can see in the photos the red marks I made for referance points when I pre-fit the panels together prior to bonding. You can also see the screws that I used to make height adjustments to the panels while the adhesive cured.
The Evercoat Adhesive Big- G recomended works great!

DR. Jay
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Old Feb 7, 2006 | 02:00 PM
  #2  
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SmokedTires
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From: B'Ville NY
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St. Jude Donor '05
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It looks like you're doing one heck of a job. I can't believe how nice and tight the door gaps are
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Old Feb 7, 2006 | 02:11 PM
  #3  
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DR.Jay
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Burning Brakes
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From: Leander Texas
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Originally Posted by SmokedTires
It looks like you're doing one heck of a job. I can't believe how nice and tight the door gaps are
Thanks,
It took alot of patients, and triming with a cut off wheel on my die grinder. I used a large piece of card stock to make a rubbing of the door edge of the old damaged fender that I cut out, and taped to the new fender for a rough trim in. Then I just trimed a little off at time until the doors opened without rubbing.

I owe Big-G alot of thanks for his valuable advice.

DR. Jay
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Old Feb 8, 2006 | 04:55 AM
  #4  
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c3_guy
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From: Wheaton Illinois
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Dr J, you are doing a great job. I haven't done any body work yet. Has it been harder than you thought it would be?

I noticed you rivoted the fender in place in the upper rear corners. Will you leave those there or drill them out and fill them in? I noticed on my car that that bond has seperated a little if you look at it with the door open. I hadn't really thought about repair yet but I guess working bonding agent in between the layers and drawing it tight with fasteners until dry would work.

Keep up the good work.
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Old Feb 8, 2006 | 07:46 AM
  #5  
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DR.Jay
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Burning Brakes
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From: Leander Texas
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Originally Posted by c3_guy
Dr J, you are doing a great job. I haven't done any body work yet. Has it been harder than you thought it would be?

I noticed you rivoted the fender in place in the upper rear corners. Will you leave those there or drill them out and fill them in? I noticed on my car that that bond has seperated a little if you look at it with the door open. I hadn't really thought about repair yet but I guess working bonding agent in between the layers and drawing it tight with fasteners until dry would work.

Keep up the good work.
C3-Guy
The body work hasn't been very hard. It's just very time consuming. Being that the panels are bonded onto the car everything must be pre fitted prior to applying adhesive, you trim your parts, line them up make referance marks. It's not like regular body work on a metal bodied car where you can losen fastners to make adjustments there are no adjustments after the adhesive cures. If you don't get it right you would have to remove the panels, and start over again.

In the upper rear corners of the fenders I am using screws to adjust the height of the panels in relation to the other panels. You just remove the screws, and fill in the holes when the adhesive cures.

On your car is the fender or hood surround seperating from the bond strip? It may have not been porperly bonded at the factory and has a gap where they didn't put adhesive the entire length of the bond strip.

Post some pics so we can see the problem.

Thanks for the compliment.

DR. Jay
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Old Feb 8, 2006 | 08:59 AM
  #6  
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Default It's a challenge

I have just installed a complete front fender I bought from Ecklers. As you said it is very time comsuming and the pieces don't ever fit right. I had to make several alterations to the new fender to get it to fit correctly.
Tom
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