66 body back on frame problem/ question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 216
Likes: 1
From: Savannah GA
66 body back on frame problem/ question
When I put the body back on the frame of my 66 Convertible and tighten down on the frame bolts to factory specs---- the doors will not open? When the bolts a losly snug but not tighten the lines in the door are perfect and open and close perfectly. But when I tighten to specs, the door binds and will not open. What am I doing wrong? All the body shims were numbered and replace back to original at each location.
Thanks,
Thanks,
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,272
Likes: 4,363
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi 68,
I think this question about 'sequence' often comes up.
Even when the shim count is known, I'm not sure that it's wise to do final alignment of the doors and hood until the body is back on the frame.
You need to have the body FIRMLY in place on the frame and THEN begin aligning the doors and hood to set the gaps and transitions.
Regards,
Alan
I think this question about 'sequence' often comes up.
Even when the shim count is known, I'm not sure that it's wise to do final alignment of the doors and hood until the body is back on the frame.
You need to have the body FIRMLY in place on the frame and THEN begin aligning the doors and hood to set the gaps and transitions.
Regards,
Alan
Last edited by Alan 71; Sep 5, 2017 at 12:06 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 216
Likes: 1
From: Savannah GA
Hi 68,
I think this question about 'sequence' often comes up.
Even when the shim count is known, I'm not sure that it's wise to do final alignment of the doors and hood until the body is back on the frame.
You need to have the body FIRMLY in place on the frame and THEN begin aligning the doors and hood to set the gaps and transitions.
Regards,
Alan
I think this question about 'sequence' often comes up.
Even when the shim count is known, I'm not sure that it's wise to do final alignment of the doors and hood until the body is back on the frame.
You need to have the body FIRMLY in place on the frame and THEN begin aligning the doors and hood to set the gaps and transitions.
Regards,
Alan
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 397
Likes: 77
From: Jasper, GA
Hi 68,
I think this question about 'sequence' often comes up.
Even when the shim count is known, I'm not sure that it's wise to do final alignment of the doors and hood until the body is back on the frame.
You need to have the body FIRMLY in place on the frame and THEN begin aligning the doors and hood to set the gaps and transitions.
Regards,
Alan
I think this question about 'sequence' often comes up.
Even when the shim count is known, I'm not sure that it's wise to do final alignment of the doors and hood until the body is back on the frame.
You need to have the body FIRMLY in place on the frame and THEN begin aligning the doors and hood to set the gaps and transitions.
Regards,
Alan
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-the-body.html
Richard
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 216
Likes: 1
From: Savannah GA
There is a great previous link where the body shimming was discussed:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-the-body.html
Richard
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-the-body.html
Richard
So, I'm stumped!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,272
Likes: 4,363
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi,
Remember the frame was 'measured' in a jig, and the shim count was determined, BEFORE the frame/chassis ever had the body put on it.
I'd think that if the frame is in relatively good condition, and there's not reason to think it's been 'tweaked', putting the 'known' number shims on each mount and then setting the body in place BEFORE beginning to align the hood/doors and setting the gaps is a good way to proceed.
Regards,
Alan
Here's the chassis getting 'wrapped', note the shims are on the body mounts, but NOT covered with plastic.
Here's the body being placed on the chassis. Note the single sheet of plastic covering everything INCLUDING the body mounts. Once the car the body work was completed and the car was painted and home again I worked at each mount location to remove the plastic that had been trapped at the mount.
Remember the frame was 'measured' in a jig, and the shim count was determined, BEFORE the frame/chassis ever had the body put on it.
I'd think that if the frame is in relatively good condition, and there's not reason to think it's been 'tweaked', putting the 'known' number shims on each mount and then setting the body in place BEFORE beginning to align the hood/doors and setting the gaps is a good way to proceed.
Regards,
Alan
Here's the chassis getting 'wrapped', note the shims are on the body mounts, but NOT covered with plastic.
Here's the body being placed on the chassis. Note the single sheet of plastic covering everything INCLUDING the body mounts. Once the car the body work was completed and the car was painted and home again I worked at each mount location to remove the plastic that had been trapped at the mount.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 23,375
Likes: 1,067
From: Virginia USA
If everything lines up and looks good with the bolts loose then you tighten up the bolts and stuff goes south what I would do is add shims until everything is good with all the bolts tight. I know you counted the shims etc. but any time you take something apart it will not go back together in the exact same way. It probably won't take much.
Think about digging a hole then filling it in. Why is there less dirt and an indentation in the ground where the hole was every time even though you used the same pile of dirt you took out of the hole to fill it?
Good luck!
Think about digging a hole then filling it in. Why is there less dirt and an indentation in the ground where the hole was every time even though you used the same pile of dirt you took out of the hole to fill it?
Good luck!
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From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Are you positive of the shim count... because nothing should have changed.
One issue we have here is when we pull the body the shims are either rotten to the core or completely gone. This makes it almost impossible to find the correct alignment without doing a complete re-shim. We just did a frame swap on a 1971 and the issues that came with this were horrendous. All the shims were rotted away so we started with nothing and a different frame.
So.. while you may know the original shims per mount and when you tighten the bolts it goes out the window, it sounds to me as if you need to add one shim to the mount in front of the rear wheels.
Sometimes using the original shim count works.. sometimes it doesn't.
IMHO,
Willcox
One issue we have here is when we pull the body the shims are either rotten to the core or completely gone. This makes it almost impossible to find the correct alignment without doing a complete re-shim. We just did a frame swap on a 1971 and the issues that came with this were horrendous. All the shims were rotted away so we started with nothing and a different frame.
So.. while you may know the original shims per mount and when you tighten the bolts it goes out the window, it sounds to me as if you need to add one shim to the mount in front of the rear wheels.
Sometimes using the original shim count works.. sometimes it doesn't.
IMHO,
Willcox