Body alignment questions
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Joined: Apr 2007
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Body alignment questions
Hi everybody I have finally gotten to project "paint the woman's car".......... And I gotta do a nice job so she OWES ME BIG TIME.
I do industrial truck painting and NONE of it is on fiberglass, especially 27 year old fiberglass. So I need some help/advice.
I have a clear understanding of what and how to paint ON METAL. What is not clear is what to use or do differently BECAUSE it's fiberglass. I have already done the minor glass work and I'm ready to think about epoxy primer. At least I would if it was metal.
I want to seal the previous gosh knows what BEFORE I get busy making it straight and panel fitting. Like with PPG DP40LF to be exact. Is this an exceptable way to proceed on my wife's 1981 car?
However these two issues still need attention.
Sorry for the crappy photo but you get the idea that the car is not square on the frame,......... maybe?
If this was your car where would you start looking for what's wrong?
And this one is a bigger head scratcher for me anyway. The hood will not fit at the front of the car. There are NO shims under the hinges and is not the original hood either.
Thanks for the help
I do industrial truck painting and NONE of it is on fiberglass, especially 27 year old fiberglass. So I need some help/advice.
I have a clear understanding of what and how to paint ON METAL. What is not clear is what to use or do differently BECAUSE it's fiberglass. I have already done the minor glass work and I'm ready to think about epoxy primer. At least I would if it was metal.
I want to seal the previous gosh knows what BEFORE I get busy making it straight and panel fitting. Like with PPG DP40LF to be exact. Is this an exceptable way to proceed on my wife's 1981 car?
However these two issues still need attention.
Sorry for the crappy photo but you get the idea that the car is not square on the frame,......... maybe?
If this was your car where would you start looking for what's wrong?
And this one is a bigger head scratcher for me anyway. The hood will not fit at the front of the car. There are NO shims under the hinges and is not the original hood either.
Thanks for the help
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 758
Likes: 14
From: Ville de la Baie Quebec. A winner is just a loser who tried again.
I'm in the process of a body and paint job, and can tell you that my car does not line up perfectlly either if looking at the protruding tires. Even after changing all body mounts, replacing mouting brackets, realigning the body with levels and measurements. I still have a tire that slightlly sticks out,,, I'v dicided to live with it, because most likly the car did not come off the line in all perferction.
As for your hood, I do have a suggestion, because I was not happy with mine and made a correction that would be excellent in your case. I cut (with a zip cut wheel) 3-4 slits in the front curving portion of the two re-inforcement chanels under the hood. after doing a few fitting test I shapped some angle iron to the contour that I needed and rapped them with plastic tape (so they do not glue to the resin). prepared the joints and glassed it all, clamped the angles snug. This came out very good. if done properlly, the repairs will not be noticable.
As for your hood, I do have a suggestion, because I was not happy with mine and made a correction that would be excellent in your case. I cut (with a zip cut wheel) 3-4 slits in the front curving portion of the two re-inforcement chanels under the hood. after doing a few fitting test I shapped some angle iron to the contour that I needed and rapped them with plastic tape (so they do not glue to the resin). prepared the joints and glassed it all, clamped the angles snug. This came out very good. if done properlly, the repairs will not be noticable.
Advanced
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 71
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From: Minnedosa MB
I can't see how you would fix the wheels from sticking out more to one side short of loosening everybody mount and trying to shift the whole body over and then tighten it back up just like a pickup truck box. I'm doing body work on mine right now and the hood doesn't fit well either. The front corners are both up about an 1/4" without any shims I was going to start grinding on both the hood and the support possibly the hinges. Every gap I look at has problems I have to choose to leave them or fix them, mostly I'm fixing them.
Use epoxy resin for your matting repairs or evercoats SMC resin regular polyester resin doesn't stick to smc.
You need to take a couple of photos from a distance so we can see the overall picture of problems.
The headlights are adjustable three bolts per side they have alot of play for getting them right.
PPG dp40lf or 90 what ever color is great epoxy primer. I have yet to spray a better epoxy. It is what I use to cover bare metal, fiberglass, SMC and repairs.
Just look the the yellow C3 in the top left corner it has a hood which looks like it up bit high at the front. I guess they couldn't get it.
Use epoxy resin for your matting repairs or evercoats SMC resin regular polyester resin doesn't stick to smc.
You need to take a couple of photos from a distance so we can see the overall picture of problems.
The headlights are adjustable three bolts per side they have alot of play for getting them right.
PPG dp40lf or 90 what ever color is great epoxy primer. I have yet to spray a better epoxy. It is what I use to cover bare metal, fiberglass, SMC and repairs.
Just look the the yellow C3 in the top left corner it has a hood which looks like it up bit high at the front. I guess they couldn't get it.
Last edited by lincoln9; May 30, 2007 at 12:10 AM. Reason: More info
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