Yikes! Trunk lid gaps

[Chlngrcrzy]

These gaps can't be right. I am replacing my trunk lid with a new one, and i am finding my gaps are horrendous. 
I have  a 1/2 gap all along the back of the lid, 1/4 gap down one side and 3/8 gap down the otherside. I am thinking that with the new dutch panel and trunk lid and new right quarter, i did a poor job getting things lined up.     I knew this a while back but figured it wouldn't be that big of a deal. Man was i wrong.  So here is my approach and please let me know if there might be someother way. I am going to tack weld thin rods down the sides to correct that gap and a thin strip or rod down the back side. After that i am going to lay in lead along that to fill in and then finish with filler. I hope this doesn't screw up a dang expensive peice of metal, but not sure what else to do. I can't live with the gap.   

[MoparCar]

I'm dealing with the same thing right now. Wrong gaps and wrong curvature. Cut, stretch, weld. Aren't repro parts fun! Grrrrrr.....
Wes

[OxfordMotorSports]

These gaps can't be right. I am replacing my trunk lid with a new one, and i am finding my gaps are horrendous. 
I have  a 1/2 gap all along the back of the lid, 1/4 gap down one side and 3/8 gap down the otherside. I am thinking that with the new dutch panel and trunk lid and new right quarter, i did a poor job getting things lined up.     I knew this a while back but figured it wouldn't be that big of a deal. Man was i wrong.  So here is my approach and please let me know if there might be someother way. I am going to tack weld thin rods down the sides to correct that gap and a thin strip or rod down the back side. After that i am going to lay in lead along that to fill in and then finish with filler. I hope this doesn't screw up a dang expensive peice of metal, but not sure what else to do. I can't live with the gap.   

Fill it in. You have no other choice unless you take it back apart. Try using three quarter inch wide flat steel bar for the fix. You can get some one sixteenth or an eighth inch thickness - lay it in the drip well - mark a line - flap wheel or grind it to fit.
I think that would be a bit easier than the method you described. You don't even have to go to the steel shop. Home Depot or Lowes has it.

Either way you have your hands full. I just recently stripped the paint off a 71 Cuda for a friend whose doors wouldn't line up to his quarters. What a mess. The new quarter skins were out a quarter of an inch. He's stuck and doesn't have the funds to fix it.

Good luck with your fix.

Todd

OMS

[OxfordMotorSports]

One more thing for you guys hanging new quarters. Invest in a set of Cleco fasteners. Set your new sheet metal with a few of those - mig your holes in when you take them out. You won't need a lot - they'll hold your panel in tight. You must bolt all the adjacent panels to the quarter BEFORE you weld it together. Align all of your car panels before you paint it. You can pull everything back off for paint and be assured that everything will fit.

AND DON'T USE CHEAP PAINT!

Todd

OMS

[Chryco Psycho]

I spent the extra $$ & bought a AMD trunk lid , it fits perfectly

[OxfordMotorSports]

I spent the extra $$ & bought a AMD trunk lid , it fits perfectly

In the end it all comes down to money. Whether it be the replacement parts you choose to bolt on your ride or the paint products you refinish it with. It's only going to look as good as your budget. So instead of cutting a corner to paint your car TODAY save up and do it right. 

Todd

[dutch]

if you still have the original decklid, try fitting that one and see what it looks like.  the seam on the passengerside is what worries me most. either the trunklid isn`t square or the quarterpanel isn`t... If the qtr panel is the problem, I`d keep this lid and weld some material around the edges to make it fit. If the decklid turns out to be the problem, return it and get a better one.  If the quarter is the problem, check how well the lower valance fits before doing anything else. good luck 

[Cuda Cody]

Are the quarter panels original?

[Chlngrcrzy]

Thanks for the input guys. To answer all your questions; It has a new right rear quarter(Goodmark), i fit the old trunk lid on while fabbing in the new quarter, and it looked pretty good. That is 1/4 or less gap. It has a new rear valence(Goodmark), which took a bit of work to make it fit. The reason why i went with a new trunk lid was because the other had a lot of underside rust that i did not want to deal with. The Trunk lid is an AMD ($425 or so), so it wasn't some cheap lid. I do not have my original lid now, so i cant compare it again.  In the meantime I decided to stop whining about the gaps and get after it. what is done is done. Money will never buy perfection regardless of the producer or material. (currently welding rod along the side edges and then i will weld a flat bar along the back). I am getting a 5/16 wide bar made with a slight bend to match the curve. Went with 3/32 thick rod and bar.   

[rallye73]

If it's tight on one side and big gap on the other then why not tweak the hinges. Raise the lid and give it a good strong push toward the side that has the most gap.

[Chryco Psycho]

OK so you did get a top quality lid ,so the 1/4 panel is the issue

[OxfordMotorSports]

And the dutch panel.

[Chlngrcrzy]

And the dutch panel.

Yeah, i think the dutch panel was my biggest problem. It must have been at least a 1/2 inch narrow.

[rhamson]

Check out this guys solution.


http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=5593100&page=1&fpart=4&vc=1

[OxfordMotorSports]

Check out this guys solution.


http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=5593100&page=1&fpart=4&vc=1

Very nice indeed.