G'day,
I'm about to address the rather large door to top of front fender gaps in my '74 coupe. I remember a thread a few months ago and it's just a case of loosening the six bolts in the radiator support panel plus two on each side on the bracket welded to the vacuum reservoir, isn't it?

If someone has done it recently, I'd appreciate the heads up. BTW, where do you place the jack to lift the nose once the bolts are loose? Or do you lift it from the wheel arches? I don't want to break anything under there.

Thanks in advance, guys.

Regards from Down Under

aussiejohn
8 months to go

 

Hi AJ,
I haven't moved the front clip to help the door gap.
Remember these cars left the factory with large gaps at the top front edge of the doors, especially on the right side.
Jacking the front of the clip only works if the clip is LOOSE from the cowl. It if is you probably have a few more problems than gaps.
Often having good gaps at the door fronts involves body work.
Good Luck!
Happy New Year
Regards,
Alan

 

Post a pic so we can have a peek.

 

I wonder if he would be able to remove the door and then just add fiberglass to the fender to make up the gap? Then trim it back to make the desired gap.

 

Alan, Paul, 79,
Thanks for the response. The gaps are 20-25 mm at the top, but are touching at the bottom, so the nose has drooped. I have had the radiator ( and the support ) out at one time, and didn't know that this can cause the nose to droop.

But I did see a thread a few months ago on how to address this ( to a degree!!) by loosening the rad. support bolts and some others under the nose, and then lifting the nose up. This closes the gaps at the top adjacent to the doors and then the bolts are re-tightened before upward pressure on the nose is released.

Just need to know which bolts and how and where to lift the front so no damage occurs. Will post photos, but only when I know how!!! LOL.

Regards from Down Under

aussiejohn
8 months to go

 

If you have a bigger gap at the top than the bottom, simply raise the front of the door. Remove the kick panel, and use a 9/16" socket to loosen the the eight bolts that attach to the two hinges.

 

That is exactly what I did.
The gap on the passenger side was huge and there was no signs of the front clip sagging so I assumed it left the factory this way.

 

G'day Aussie John

sorry to hijack but just wanted to pop in and say its been a long time my friend

hope you get your problem resolved.

 

Robert,
G'day and thanks for the wave. I still think of you when I watch Horatio Cane and remember the time you were in Melbourne.

I'm still after someone who has lifted the nose on a Corvette, as I saw a thread on this earlier this year. I'm going to have a go at it this afternoon, but I'll probably loosen more bolts than required. As long as I do them all up, then things should be OK.

BTW, a whole gang of us are coming over in 8 months for the Caravan. We'll be landing in NY and joining the New England Caravan in Harrisburg. Are you planning to be in Bowling Green for the weekend? If so, it'll be good to catch up.

All the best for the Festive season to you and your family.

Regards from Down Under

aussiejohn
8 months to go

 

G'day,
Thanks for the photos, I may have to follow your example. My problem is that although the gaps are large at top, they have shrunk to zero at the bottom, so that's why I'm convinced that the nose has drooped. If I can get it "lifted" and tightened while it's up, I should be on the way.

Regards from Down Under

aussiejohn
8 months to go

 

I'd heard much the same things you had about 'adjusting' the upper front door gap by raising the front fiberglass. It doesn't work. While my 77 was apart I attempted to do so. I removed the bolts at the outer corners of the front bumper, and completely removed the core support. These are the only mechanical connections between the fiberglass and the frame. I then tried using a floor jack in various positions to try and raise the front fiberglass and close this gap. I learned that, as other posters have said, that the nose is quite securely bonded in the firewall area and this was NOT the way to resolve this problem.

Check/replace your hinge pins, adjust your hinges to get the best gap all around, and then use fiberglass mat & resin to fill the gapa. There was a recent post (last 3 months) that offered excellent advice and photos on doing this bodywork.

 

John,

I had to look up Horatio Cane :o I don't watch that show ...won't be doing the caravan. Hope you enjoy the trip

 

My 73 Assy manual shows shims under the radiator support between the RS and the big bumper support/vacuum tank assy. It shows two shims on each side. 73 and 74 are the same.

This would help reduce the gap at the the upper door.

But I'd be careful with 40 year old fiberglass and bonding.

And again, I'd start with simply raising the front of the door.

FWIW

 

I had my support out for 6 mos with the car on jack stands. I did notice the upper door gaps slightly larger than before removing the core support. When I went to bolt the support back in, the bolt holes din't line up completely. I gently jacked each front corner up by placing a block of wood under the front corner of the nose just in front of the chin spoiler (ouside the bonding area for the lower valance) and used a floor jack. The nose lifted about 1/4" and allowed the bolts to be placed and tightened. My upper door gaps were restored to "normal".

It sounds like your situation is more severe. I don't think there's much adjustment once the bolt holes line up but you could try removing the core to frame lower bolts, jacking up both nose corners simultaneoulsy and inserting shims below the core support to elevate the front of the nose. Careful not to crack the nose or the bond at the fire wall. I do agree with the other posts that you should check your hinge pins/ bushings and hinge adjustments before stressing the front fiberglass.

 

G'day Mate,
I think this maybe the thread you were refering to:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...-help-pic.html
I've got the same prob. with my '74, I've tried all the
adjustments with the hinges
(I've got the Lambo doors so my doors have been moved/adjusted/yelled at), it did get better but I
think as you do that the nose has drooped.
So I'll be keeping an eye on your progress.
Have a GREAT NEW YEAR,

GAV (from Werribee Vic.)

 

I added glass to the fender edge..here is a post that shows it...

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...or-primer.html

 

I've done a body off and then a tree-on and so my front clip is off - does your door still close properly? the shims on the body mounts flex the body a fair amount so if the door is not closing well then I'd look at the shims. When I first put the body back on with all new mounts etc the doors were terible but after a hour or so playing with the shims it closes better than when I got it and the gaps are even. I don't know if the rubber body mounts collapse or not. might be worth checking

 

G'day,
Got up early yesterday ( New Year's Day) and loosened all the radiator support bolts ( six ) and the two big ones each side where the bracket is bolted to the vacuum reservoir. By putting a pair of bottle jacks ( one per side ) under the brackets and sloooowwwwlllly jacking them up, the hood "undrooped" enough to see a noticable change in the door to fender gaps.

After tightening the bolts and letting the jacks down, the lower gaps closed up a bit ( the car was on jack stands from the beginning ) but when the car was allowed to rest on its wheels, the lower gaps opened up and the tops closed a little. I took measurements, and the upper gaps WERE about 20 mm, the lowers about 4 mm ( driver's side ) and zero ( Pass side ). Now, the uppers are about 10 mm and the lowers 8 and 6 mm. So, it appears that you CAN "undroop" the nose on SOME cars. I'm guessing that the bonding area in my car is a bit loose and I may have to one day, remove and re-glue it on.

Previously, I replaced the bushing in the driver's door upper hinge and both doors open and close well. A friend yesterday pointed out that the rear door gap on both sides is smaller than the front door gaps, and the beltline on the driver's door is lower than the belt line on the fender, so tomorrow, he and another friend are coming around and we will move the doors forward a millimetre or two only, and also up a few millimetres.

So, thanks for all of the helpful tips, I will consider the "extension" of the front fenders rearwards if the gaps cannot get close to 5 mm by adjusting the doors. One of my mates, Roy, who's coming tomorrow, just retired from GM Holden, where he was a draftsman who basically designed these door gaps in Holdens as well as the 2009 Camaro, so hopefully, the Corvette won't faze him too much.

I've taken photos of the before and after gaps and, as soon as I learn how to post them here, will show you the results.

Regards from Down Under

aussiejohn
7 months to go

 

This is perfect timing. I just had this problem with my 79. Drivers side gaps were great, passenger side had a huge gap at the top between the fender. Being a realtive newbie to vettes I went underneith the core support and very slowly jacked it up a little bit. Hadn't gone but 3/4" and I heard a very loud distinctive "pop". If you would have taken a picture of me it probably would have come out looking like that indian you always see on billboards crying when someone litters. Needless to say there is now a crack in my fiberglass around where the hood is about a foot up from the headlight. Measures about an inch long. Now I get to learn fiberglass work!

 

Sorry to hear about the 'pop' ging0023

setting the gaps when the car is on it's wheels is important as the cage seems to flex a fair amount - so either on it's wheels or supported 'as if' on its wheels.

Good to hear it's fixed