Wadoka

Recently I had to have my rear bumper cover removed and replaced on my 2017 GS, due to being rear-ended at a stoplight by a distracted driver.

When I got the car back from the repair shop, the fit between the upper bumper cover, and the rear quarter panels, appeared - and still appear - to be wider than they should be.

Do any of you have access to what the plant considers "in spec" for major panel gaps and panel alignment?

Bill Dearborn

Why not go back and let the shop adjust fascia? My wife's Terrain was rear ended and when we went to pick up the car the rear fascia was slightly out of line with the rear tail gate. I asked them to fix it and they had it done in 15 minutes.

Bill

jagamajajaran

I'll see if I can get the gap tolerances for you.

Wadoka

Bill, I won't be able to re-align my schedule well enough to allow me to get back to the shop, for at least another full month. Not even for a bare 15 minutes onsite - if that were all it would take.

When I am able to get back to the shop (who I've already engaged with my concern), I don't need them to use the argument "We said it would be good as new - and those panel gaps are within factory spec."

CRABBYJ

From this article, for what it's worth.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/28/m...ps-and-26-mpg/

"In a passing comment regarding the exterior panels of the new Corvette, Jeuchter told us, "Whereas previously the body panels were assembled with a five-millimeter gap between them to account for heat expansion of the fiberglass in hot weather, the fiberglass today on the Stingray maintains a year-round three-millimeter gap." This, no doubt, lends something to the crisp look of the overall design."

GarryL

I'm assuming the rear fascia connects similarly like the front one and I looked very close at how the front one installs and fits when I had my factory sent pre-painted front bumper fascia replaced under warranty. There are a series of "snap features" which if snapped in correctly, would not allow for any difference in the gap providing the molded fascia dimensions had not changed from your original to the new one you got. I'm wondering if a snap was missed? Are the height of the panel surfaces even?

Silver C7

I did watch the C7 episode of "How It's Made" last night. The brief segment where they showed the technician using the "gap tool" was fascinating. It also made me realize how difficult it would be to dupilcate or come close to assembly line specs in a body shop, unless they at the very least, had the same Corvette specfic tools.

Wadoka

The panel gaps are indeed less than 3mm. 3mm still seems like a lot, as I remember the original fit being nearly no gap at all.

The panel alignment, vertically, appears to be fine.

LT4CMG

I took upclose pics when I removed my front bumper to swap to a Z06 grille. I reassembled it and thought I screwed up, gaps looked "perfect" before. I swapped my Z51 QP grilles for the Z06 ones. Finished both sides and hated the fact that I had "misaligned" my quarter panels. However, upon close inspection of my photos of factory vs my panel alignment, my alignment is considerably better.

Point is, we buy a brand new car and since it just came from the factory, we automatically assume it's perfect. We are often times wrong. Without seeing pics, I have no idea how your gaps look, maybe they indeed screwed up, but keep in mind you perhaps failed to notice the factory gaps before because we all assume they're perfect.

djnice

At what temperature do you set the 3 mm gap. LOL.

proexpert

3mm must be the gap between the hood and surrounding panels. No way should there be a 3mm gap between the bumper cover and the rear quarter panel. 3mm is about the size of the grand canyon.