they're so awesome! haha thank you for taking a look at it!
Fender Alignment
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Southern Illinois
Fender Alignment
Does anyone know how to adjust the alignment of the fender? I have a 1979 vette and my left fender (as well as my right - just not as bad) is just a little misaligned.
I'm aware that I will most likely need to take it into a body shop, but I didn't know if anyone knew a way that I could slightly adjust the fender. It seems to be raised on the drivers side a bit. There's a larger gap than I want between the fender and the door, and too small of a gap between the fender and the hood!
Anyone had any luck with adjusting this?
I'm aware that I will most likely need to take it into a body shop, but I didn't know if anyone knew a way that I could slightly adjust the fender. It seems to be raised on the drivers side a bit. There's a larger gap than I want between the fender and the door, and too small of a gap between the fender and the hood!
Anyone had any luck with adjusting this?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
Does anyone know how to adjust the alignment of the fender? I have a 1979 vette and my left fender (as well as my right - just not as bad) is just a little misaligned.
I'm aware that I will most likely need to take it into a body shop, but I didn't know if anyone knew a way that I could slightly adjust the fender. It seems to be raised on the drivers side a bit. There's a larger gap than I want between the fender and the door, and too small of a gap between the fender and the hood!
Anyone had any luck with adjusting this?
I'm aware that I will most likely need to take it into a body shop, but I didn't know if anyone knew a way that I could slightly adjust the fender. It seems to be raised on the drivers side a bit. There's a larger gap than I want between the fender and the door, and too small of a gap between the fender and the hood!
Anyone had any luck with adjusting this?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Southern Illinois
wow, that's amazing that they let those go from the factory that way?? The door definitely isn't sagging or anything, but I guess I may be able to try to get it a little tighter in there.
my friend knows a guy who has a shop and only works on vettes, he hasn't gotten me a number yet, but he wouldn't even be able to do anything about it?
my friend knows a guy who has a shop and only works on vettes, he hasn't gotten me a number yet, but he wouldn't even be able to do anything about it?
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Not exactly true. All body work was inspected before paint and several times after that. Anything outside of GM fit specifications would have been rejected.
BLAKE: Post a pic of your left fender and let's see what's going on.
BLAKE: Post a pic of your left fender and let's see what's going on.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Southern Illinois
Alignment
I posted this first picture, so you could see that the door isn't sagging and looks pretty decent
This picture is a view of the gap between the door and the fender
This is an arial view over the hood and the fender, you can see the gap is so small that it's rubbed up against it and even chipped paint.
And here's my passenger side. I put this picture up because I think the alignment on this side needs improvement, but I could live with it. And the whole fender is one big piece, so I thought if one side is messed up, it's probably affecting the other side as well!
This picture is a view of the gap between the door and the fender
This is an arial view over the hood and the fender, you can see the gap is so small that it's rubbed up against it and even chipped paint.
And here's my passenger side. I put this picture up because I think the alignment on this side needs improvement, but I could live with it. And the whole fender is one big piece, so I thought if one side is messed up, it's probably affecting the other side as well!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
Blake, I'm inclined to agree with Mike, the factory wouldn't ordinarily send them out with the gaps this far off. Particularly so because the hood gap is so tight.
One thing I would examine first off is the door hinge pins & bushings. These doors were somewhat notorious for wearing the bushings out over time. Open the door slightly and with your hand under the door, try lifting it. If the hinge pins and particularly the bushings are worn the door will show play when you lift the door. If they are worn they are not difficult to replace and will definitely raise the rear of the door and improve the rear gap.
Because of the tight gaps on the hood, I would also try to determine if perhaps the front end has been off at one point and wasn't installed as professionally as we would like. There is definitely some adjustment available in the hood, but it is mostly just centering it between the fenders. If both gaps look the same you might be left with having the hood "trimmed" to improve the gap, unless the fenders are removed and repositioned.
Good luck and let us know about the hinge pins and bushings.
GUSTO
One thing I would examine first off is the door hinge pins & bushings. These doors were somewhat notorious for wearing the bushings out over time. Open the door slightly and with your hand under the door, try lifting it. If the hinge pins and particularly the bushings are worn the door will show play when you lift the door. If they are worn they are not difficult to replace and will definitely raise the rear of the door and improve the rear gap.
Because of the tight gaps on the hood, I would also try to determine if perhaps the front end has been off at one point and wasn't installed as professionally as we would like. There is definitely some adjustment available in the hood, but it is mostly just centering it between the fenders. If both gaps look the same you might be left with having the hood "trimmed" to improve the gap, unless the fenders are removed and repositioned.
Good luck and let us know about the hinge pins and bushings.
GUSTO
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Southern Illinois
Gusto, I will try and see about the hinge pins and bushings!
When you talk about Trimming the hood, is there anywhere I can read up on how to do that or do you have any advice? I'm thinking that if it comes down to needing to realign the fender, that might really cost me some money to get that done, won't it? Or do you know how I could go about that myself?
When you talk about Trimming the hood, is there anywhere I can read up on how to do that or do you have any advice? I'm thinking that if it comes down to needing to realign the fender, that might really cost me some money to get that done, won't it? Or do you know how I could go about that myself?
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
I have been working on them since these babies were new, and if you think they weren't that way, you have some things to learn. Factory quality control was a joke in these years.
One of my customers brought a new `78 anniversary car to me straight from the dealership in `78. It had 12 runs in the paint, a body that looked somewhat like the one here, and 16 grit sanding marks painted over at the edge of the surround panel. They did sand and repaint the fender edge where they ground it off to meet the door before they spotted that in. They were mostly disasters inside, outside and mechanically. A dark time in Corvette history.
Last edited by wombvette; Nov 30, 2010 at 06:49 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
When you talk about Trimming the hood, is there anywhere I can read up on how to do that or do you have any advice? I'm thinking that if it comes down to needing to realign the fender, that might really cost me some money to get that done, won't it? Or do you know how I could go about that myself?
Good luck... GUSTO
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Blake: do not trim anything yet. It looks like the clip has come unbonded at the upper door posts. Make this repair before you reset the doors.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Dec 1, 2010 at 12:25 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 115
Likes: 1
From: New Hartford Iowa
My '73 parts car looked like that when I got it. When I took the front end off I discovered most of the bonding compound was rock hard and the fiberglass had separated from it. If you open the door and look from the door opening forward you will probably see the gap between the fender and the firewall / birdcage.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 2,609
Likes: 12
From: Massapequa Park NY
I would take a close look at a few things;
1 - the gap between the rocker molding & bottom of the front fender to see if it's parallel & even
2 - the radiator support for any rot, especially at the bottom
3 - the front cross member for rot & to see if there is any evidence that it has moved
4 - the fan, it should be centered in the shroud opening
Looks like the front supports have sagged, the nose drops in the front and creates those gaps at the fender tops. Put a hydraulic jack under the front cross member & raise the front slowly and see if any thing moves or if the gaps get smaller.
Once you get the door gaps figured out then take another look at the hood gaps. As the nose droops the backs of the fenders (at the windshield) tend to lift upwards & curl in toward the hood.
Jim
1 - the gap between the rocker molding & bottom of the front fender to see if it's parallel & even
2 - the radiator support for any rot, especially at the bottom
3 - the front cross member for rot & to see if there is any evidence that it has moved
4 - the fan, it should be centered in the shroud opening
Looks like the front supports have sagged, the nose drops in the front and creates those gaps at the fender tops. Put a hydraulic jack under the front cross member & raise the front slowly and see if any thing moves or if the gaps get smaller.
Once you get the door gaps figured out then take another look at the hood gaps. As the nose droops the backs of the fenders (at the windshield) tend to lift upwards & curl in toward the hood.
Jim
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 34
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From: Southern Illinois
wow, you guys are awesome! ok, I'm gonna try and get to all of this over the next couple days! you don't know how much I appreciate your help! I'm always open to suggestions because I'm limited in my knowledge of all of this!
Again, thank you! I'll let you guys know what I find when I test all of this!
Again, thank you! I'll let you guys know what I find when I test all of this!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
This was a time when the factory was still trying to bond SMC with polyester products. It just didn't work well, and many separated from the cowl if it sustained a hit. Most hacks don't get in there and re-bond, and this kind of situation is the result. If a body sustained a perpendicular hit on the bumper bar, they would often pop right off the cowl. I have several times removed the front from the car, cleaned up the cowl, and replaced the same front. The front was almost undamaged.
