fenders don't line-up right..or shaker

Author Topic: fenders don't line-up right..or shaker  (Read 1549 times)

Offline 71fish

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1600
  • Bless you..
    • Ken's 71fish
fenders don't line-up right..or shaker
« on: June 23, 2004 - 09:04:17 AM »
Well I put my cuda back together & i'm f''n p!ssed. I threw on new hinges and lined the doors up "perfectly" to the rear 1/4 panels. I then installed the fenders, but the end by the windshiels is a 1/2" higher than the door and there's a big friggin gap from the fender to the door.. at the top by the windshiels.

If that weren't enuff.. the org shaker hood touches between the fenders towards the windshield end. I've loosened all the bolts (including the one underneath that pulls the fender down) and pulled the fenders out as far as I can.. and still BIG gaps and the hood is still too tight.. getting more p!ssed as I write this!!! :'( :'( :-\ Now the drivers side fender is no longer flush w/ the door.. it sticks out more.

GOD I WISH I WAS A BODY MAN!!  ArrggHHH..!! 

I must have lost a few shims  LMAO.. can someone pls point me in the right direction. At 20 ft.. cuda looks great.. up close.. well, i f#cked up.

71fish
71fish - Nobody better than an E-BODY!!




Offline 360 'CUDA

  • Sr. Resident
  • ******
  • Posts: 5784
Re: fenders don't line-up right..or shaker
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2004 - 01:53:47 AM »
Mine was like that too but You just gotta working on  it

Of course the doors are first but don't forget the alignment at the top front of the door to the
bottom of the windshield post. Look at other E-bodies and make yours the same. then the bottom
of the door, then the fenders, don't leave the little bracket under the top of the fender off even my
fiberglass fenders have that bracket.

you have to make the engine bay a square hole to match that hood with a tape measure and lots
of time with only the outer four bolts on the top of the fenders to start and don't do any hood aligning without all the hood bumpers and springs in place.
Shims should not be needed in a perfect world but since we don't live in a perfect world you might
have to hide a washer here or there to make it right.
You have the extra problem of the shaker but those never did line up very well from the factory
so you might have to fudge there too.

Now if this car was ever in an accident or on a frame machine your job will be that much harder
but try to get help 'cause 2 pairs of eyes are better then one :P

Don't forget to spend extra time on the passenger fender because they seem to droop a little down
for some reason when looking straight from the front
« Last Edit: June 24, 2004 - 02:15:02 AM by 360cuda »

Offline 71fish

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1600
  • Bless you..
    • Ken's 71fish
Re: fenders don't line-up right..or shaker
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2004 - 07:44:50 AM »
360cuda - thanks for your response. I'm not driving the car right now.. so I'll have to wait for the weekend. Many of your comments made alot of sense. One of my problems is that I put the header panel / grille etc back on, but that wopn't get in my way of loosening up all of the bolts.

The part i'm unclear of is when you say the hood should be square. The hood is "relatively square to the inside of the engine compartment because thats where the hood hinges bolt onto. My major problem is that its too tight between the fenders at the windshiels, but perhaps the door needs to come out at that end so the fenders would be flush.

I'll def have to wait until I can get a second pair of eyes. I appreciate your insights. and pls add if you can think of any other tips.

71fish
71fish - Nobody better than an E-BODY!!