mac79vette

So the body on my 79 is back on and I reinstalled the same number of body mount shims in the same locations as where they came from. Now there is a large gap between the upper part of the fenders and the upper leading edge of the doors. It is the same on both side and the doors aligned just fine every where else. I tried removing the shims on both of the forward mounts #1 and 2 on both sides and that brought the back of the doors down and gave room to readjust the doors and make the gap smaller but it is still almost 1/2 of an inch. I then added shims to mounts 3 and 4 but that did not help and made nothing fit correctly.
I had earlier decided to take the car to a body shop to have it painted and thought maybe they can get it but they are also stumped. I even spent the afternoon there helping them. It is a dealership body shop and they have experience with Corvettes, just not older ones.
Any ideas?

wombvette

They tend to have rather large gaps there anyway. Adjust the door to the front fender as best you can, then lower #3 and increase #4.

gcusmano74

Since you have a coupe, you will not be able to move things much.
On a convertible, the shim changes can make dramatic differences in the front and rear door gaps. Sometimes you even have to realign the folding top attachments and window seals after a shim change.
Good luck to you, buddy...

DUB

With the steel joining your windshield frame to you "B" pillar area...getting the gaps to close up or widen on a coupe is really tough.

Stop and look at it and think about it. It makes sense....and if it was a convertible like gcusmano74 stated...this area can be changed quite easily due to steel not joining the "A" pillar to the "B" pillar.

DID you take very good gap measurements BEFORE you took it apart????

If so...did you have the frame straightened???

DUB
DUB

Sayfoo

If the doors are fine otherwise, have the body shop build up the edges of the door.

thegavel

I spent weeks trying to align my 74 coupes doors
after installing my Lambo door hinges.
It was driving me CRAZY !!!!
What I found was that the nose had drooped !!!
Might be something to consider.
When I finally get around to repainting her, I'm gonna do all the body mounts
then get doors as close as possible, then "glass" the gaps smaller.
Good Luck.
CHEERS,
GAV

havesometo

I'm assuming you put new body mounts on if so what kind did you use?

davidchristopher

The front end of my '73 dropped significantly when the rad support was removed...

mac79vette

I used stock rubber ones that I bought from Zip Corvette.

Might have been Ecklers.

mac79vette

I thought of that and removed the bolt that hold the rad support to the frame and gently lifted up on the front but no difference at the finder to door area.

havesometo

Ok body mounts should be fine. Someone else posted that the nose may have dropped. If you look in front of the front tires on the frame should be three bolts. This is what I had to do. loosen those bolts on both sides car put jack under front end and jack it up until the gap close. And while the jack is still jacked up tighten the bolts and see if that helps you out.