Author Topic: Wheel well & trunk gap issues (Read 4309 times)

Sean · « **on:** April 29, 2011 - 09:18:03 PM »

Hey Guys!
Got two issues I'm up against and would like your feedback...

1. First we�ll start with the driver�s side outer wheel house/drop off issue. The outer wheel house fits good at the forward part of the wheel opening but the outer wheel house starts to angle in as it goes to the rear. 1st pic is taken from inside the wheelwell looking towards the rear of the car and the second pic from inside the trunk. There�s an 1 inch gap between the outer wheel housing and the quarter panel.

So I measured from the inner/outer wheel house seam to the quarter panel. Both sides measured 7 inches. That leads me to believe that the outer wheel house needs to be widened at the rear. All that should take is cutting the outer wheel house and adding a long, pie shaped piece.

Dirver's side with repop outer wheel house:

Passenger's side with original outer wheel house:

Also, the gaps on the trunk are a little wide. Right now, we�re looking at a 1/4 inch on all 3 sides. Gonna look at the flanges where the quarter panels and tail panel meet to see if the flanges are pushing the quarters apart. I can also take up a little space by getting the dutchman panel to quarter panel together a little tighter.

Am I on the right path regarding the wheel house/drop off issue and any tips on how to tighten up the gaps around the deck lid?

Sean

CudaNut · « **Reply #1 on:** April 29, 2011 - 10:06:01 PM »

Whats the distance from the rear of the qtr (from one side to the other ) at the trunk lip. sometimes the inside of the qtr where it meets the t/panel have to be tweaked inward a little...looks like they are not tight enough against the t/panel? its all got to be level and tight, a little off in one place get magnified...

Sean · « **Reply #2 on:** April 29, 2011 - 11:00:40 PM »

Hey CudaNut,
I think I know what you're getting at. I did play around with bending the flanges back a little bit on both the edge of the tail panel and the quarters where they mate up. That did help a little. Maybe I just didn't do it enough. I'll go back out and try it some more and see what I can accomplish. Thanks!

Sean

Topcat · « **Reply #3 on:** April 29, 2011 - 11:10:00 PM »

Sean,

I used these to tighten gaps where Dutchman meets quarter up inside underneath.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1290755&clickid=prod_cs

Sean · « **Reply #4 on:** April 29, 2011 - 11:33:28 PM »

Mike,
I'll pick some up in the next couple of days and let you know how it worked out. Thanks!

Sean

CudaNut · « **Reply #5 on:** April 30, 2011 - 07:47:08 AM »

Do you have any wing nut style cleco's? if not I can loan you some if you could wait on the mail... They are stronger than the spring style. You can also wrap a wide strap around the qtrs to hold them tight, just dont get it so tight it distorts the sheet metal. On the dutchman you have to make sure whatever you use to clamp has large enough jaws to get around the flange and use plenty of clamps to get it really snug or the panel will trail off toward the rear....

72cudamaan · « **Reply #6 on:** April 30, 2011 - 07:54:05 AM »

Use a ratchet strap wrapped around the quarters. It holds them nicely.

Topcat · « **Reply #7 on:** April 30, 2011 - 11:33:25 AM »

Sean,

Are you planning on undercoat on the inside, the whole length of the quarters before you install them?
That's how it was done originally.

Sean · « **Reply #8 on:** April 30, 2011 - 04:43:59 PM »

Quote from: CudaNut on April 30, 2011 - 07:47:08 AM

Do you have any wing nut style cleco's? if not I can loan you some if you could wait on the mail... They are stronger than the spring style. You can also wrap a wide strap around the qtrs to hold them tight, just dont get it so tight it distorts the sheet metal. On the dutchman you have to make sure whatever you use to clamp has large enough jaws to get around the flange and use plenty of clamps to get it really snug or the panel will trail off toward the rear....

Thanks for the kind offer, but I'm going to have to pass. I'm on a roll right now but there's lots going on around here that can sideline me pretty quickly. I would feel bad for keeping them for an extended period of time. That lip on the quarter where it meets the dutchman panel will be a little of a bear, will need to get some clamps like Mike posted or something similar.

Thanks again!!!

Quote from: Topcat on April 30, 2011 - 11:33:25 AM

Sean,

Are you planning on undercoat on the inside, the whole length of the quarters before you install them?
That's how it was done originally.

Sure am Mike. You mentioning that made me thing of something - should I apply the undercoatin before I continue fitting the panels?

Thanks!

Sean

Topcat · « **Reply #9 on:** April 30, 2011 - 08:53:50 PM »

Quote from: Sean on April 30, 2011 - 04:43:59 PM

Sure am Mike. You mentioning that made me thing of something - should I apply the undercoatin before I continue fitting the panels?

Thanks!

Sean

Take em off and spray undercoating before you do the final fit up and installment.

I sprayed my qtr. with Rust Bullet first. Then undercoated over that. You might want to look at pics of how the factory did areas around the taillight mounting area prior to doing it. Try to duplicate the factory look. This is an OEM one showing the side how it was done. It actually went up sprayed up onto the sail panel.

Sean · « **Reply #10 on:** April 30, 2011 - 10:15:46 PM »

Quote from: Topcat on April 30, 2011 - 08:53:50 PM

Take em off and spray undercoating before you do the final fit up and installment.

I sprayed my qtr. with Rust Bullet first. Then undercoated over that. You might want to look at pics of how the factory did areas around the taillight mounting area prior to doing it. Try to duplicate the factory look. This is an OEM one showing the side how it was done. It actually went up sprayed up onto the sail panel.

Mike,
Thanks for the pic! My quarters only had undercoating about halfway up the quarters, slightly above where the dropoffs were. I'll look for pics for the tail panel undercoating.

Picked up a bunch of vice grips and clamps today and played around with the tailpanel flanges. I've got the trunk gaps closer by the tail panel. However the gaps up by the dutchman panel are still too big. I tried using clamps like Mike posted above to try to pull the seams tighter but didn't have much luck.

The in the pic below, I spaced the driver's side trunk gap by the tail panel using a paint stick and then placed the paint stick in the gap by the tailpanel on the passenger's side. Ther was very little wiggle on the passengers side, I think I'm really close in that area. But the gaps by the dutchman panel will still need work.

Sean

Sean

AARuFAST · « **Reply #11 on:** May 01, 2011 - 04:49:22 PM »

Take a look at my tail panel. it is original. Look how much tail panel is tucked into the quarters.
Looks like yours need to be tucked in more,
Don't forget the rear valance alignment and fit.

Gran Coupe Convertible

//////////// CUDA AAR
AARuFAST

Sean · « **Reply #12 on:** May 01, 2011 - 05:28:45 PM »

Looks like the tail panel in your picis set back about 1/8 to 3/16 of and inch. Most of the ones I've seen are flush, matching the inward angle. Is it common that they were set that far back?

Sean

Topcat · « **Reply #13 on:** May 01, 2011 - 11:05:36 PM »

Factory allowed quite a bit of tolorance. My drivers side has much less overhang than the passenger side from the factory.

Almost like the tail panel was twisted.
My car must of been worked on right after lunch.

Sean · « **Reply #14 on:** May 02, 2011 - 12:10:31 AM »

Appreciate the pic, Mike. Most of the pics that I've seen are of newly or newer restored cars. I think I'd be spot on saying that more care was taken when the cars were restored to get the panels perfect than the factory. No dig on the factory workers intended, but I'm sure they were rushed to get them down the line and didn't have the time to get everything as perfect as they would have liked.

Sean