Body shims
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
From: Morrisdale Pa
Body shims
Getting ready to bolt the body down on my 75, does anyone know how many body shims should be on each of the body mounts ? When I took the old frame out everything was so rusted away that you couldn't even tell if it had shims on the mounts. I just need a general idea for the new frame.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,080
Likes: 1
From: Frankfurt, Taunus Hills
Re: Body shims (slide)
Put the body back on and check if any of the mounts is free.
Add shims there. Check all 8 mounts.
It differs from car to car, you need to check yourself by measuring, sorry!
Add shims there. Check all 8 mounts.
It differs from car to car, you need to check yourself by measuring, sorry!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,833
Likes: 15
From: Southeast La
Re: Body shims (slide)
Slide,
You will have to shim yourself just like the factory did when they originally placed it. If you have had the body off and the frame straightened, original shim packages doesn't matter anyway. Most restorers wil finish the frame, and set the body and the tolerances, ie meaning door jambs, fender alignment....pull the body back off and complete the resto of the body. Doing it this way lessens the chances of chipping or damaging fresh paint.
Also, original frames from AO Smith had a very large delta in variance they were allowed to work with, meaning one corner of the frame could 1/2 inch off than the opposite corner. Today, if have a frame is straightened, you will get a much more 'finished' product than 30 yrs ago.
You will have to shim yourself just like the factory did when they originally placed it. If you have had the body off and the frame straightened, original shim packages doesn't matter anyway. Most restorers wil finish the frame, and set the body and the tolerances, ie meaning door jambs, fender alignment....pull the body back off and complete the resto of the body. Doing it this way lessens the chances of chipping or damaging fresh paint.
Also, original frames from AO Smith had a very large delta in variance they were allowed to work with, meaning one corner of the frame could 1/2 inch off than the opposite corner. Today, if have a frame is straightened, you will get a much more 'finished' product than 30 yrs ago.
