How hard would this be to fix
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Car: 91 Z28 Coupe
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
How hard would this be to fix
So, I know for a fact my car was in one accident ( I was in it ), and these issues may have been present before the accident. The body shop I used did an AMAZING job fixing the damage, and even put the car on the rack to straighten the fender frame rails. I have been getting more **** with the body and have noticed some panel adjustment issues. There is an problem with the pass door meeting the fender (1/16" - 1/8" off) and with the hood alignment (driver side 1/16" off to the fender) and some overhang on the front corners.
I know the pics are not the best, but it gives you an idea. (Need to get my "Big Boy" camera out)
I know the pics are not the best, but it gives you an idea. (Need to get my "Big Boy" camera out)
Last edited by Stauf; 05-18-2015 at 06:52 PM.
#3
Re: How hard would this be to fix
You should check the Plastic factory push pins and see if they are secure.
if they broke off, your front bumper would be misaligned.
As far as the door, my 92 had the same gap from the factory so IDK if you can fix that one.
if they broke off, your front bumper would be misaligned.
As far as the door, my 92 had the same gap from the factory so IDK if you can fix that one.
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Car: 91 Z28 Coupe
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
Re: How hard would this be to fix
All of the push pins are secure (well, they shoud be) I supplied all new pins after the accident. Do we chock the other issues up to awsome 90's GM engineering? I guess I could take it to a body shop and drop 1K, or I could try to do it myself, and then take to a body shop to fix it.
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Car: 88 GTA Notchback
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
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Re: How hard would this be to fix
To the OP, as far as door alignment, check your hinge bushings and striker adjustment.
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Car: 91 G92 Z28
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 342
Re: How hard would this be to fix
Is that your front fender and door in that first photo? My front fenders were sticking out further than my doors on both sides. Previous owners must have jacked the car from the bottom of the fenders and pushed them all out of whack.
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#9
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Car: 91 Z28 Coupe
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
Re: How hard would this be to fix
Yes that is the first pic. I have looked underneath, and NOTHING seems damaged. When I bought the car, it had the original tires. So I doubt the PO jacked the car for no reason. I am seriously thinking that it is just the original alignment. I will probably end up taking it to a shop for their input
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Car: 91 G92 Z28
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 342
Re: How hard would this be to fix
I had to take a BFH and vice grips to the bent flange on the bottoms of mine. Then it still took some fiddling with the rest of the fender to get it to line up better. It just takes patience in loosening and tightening the fender bolts all around until it looks better. Maybe some shims too.
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Car: 1985 Trans Am T-Top
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: T-5 5 Speed
Axle/Gears: 3.42 posi 1LE 10 bolt
Re: How hard would this be to fix
Can't really tell about the fenders without seeing the car and how they are mounted but I'm pretty sure the bumper cover isn't mounted properly. It is probably missing the metal brackets or plastic tabs or both that bolt the bumper cover to the fenders.
#13
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Re: How hard would this be to fix
WHAT?? you joking right?? When ever a guy does body work before paint and are fitting panels, you always adjust them flat and perfect. hell some people sand from door to fender to get it perfectly flat. No way do they off set them so they dont whistle.... you been drinking??/ lol High end company like bougadi/ ferri Porsche have zero tollerances for gaps and panel alignment..
#14
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Re: How hard would this be to fix
honestly from the pictures it doesn't look that bad, I'm not sure I'd notice if I saw it. You probably just need to loosen a few bolts and see if you can move it to the position you'd like. I'd just leave it though. Looks pretty clean.
I'd guess it came from the factory that way.
I'd guess it came from the factory that way.
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#16
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Re: How hard would this be to fix
WHAT?? you joking right?? When ever a guy does body work before paint and are fitting panels, you always adjust them flat and perfect. hell some people sand from door to fender to get it perfectly flat. No way do they off set them so they dont whistle.... you been drinking??/ lol High end company like bougadi/ ferri Porsche have zero tollerances for gaps and panel alignment..
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...ment-help.html
However, I will say that I was incorrect as per:
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...alignment.html
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Car: 91 Z28 Coupe
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
Re: How hard would this be to fix
WHAT?? you joking right?? When ever a guy does body work before paint and are fitting panels, you always adjust them flat and perfect. hell some people sand from door to fender to get it perfectly flat. No way do they off set them so they dont whistle.... you been drinking??/ lol High end company like bougadi/ ferri Porsche have zero tollerances for gaps and panel alignment..
#20
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Re: How hard would this be to fix
The fender to door alignment is common. Check the fender mount on the bottom and see if it's been bent up. Mileage means nothing. My car had 6k miles on it and the flange was bent parallel to the ground. I had to do all kinds of metal work to fix it. My door and fender are now perfectly aligned, thanks to me!
As for the alignment from the factory, it was never spot on for the fenders, rear hatch or the hood. I've been looking at new cars lately and I've noticed the leading edge of a panel is slightly inward to the rear of the preceding panel. It might be slight, but it's there.
Just because a body shop will over restore and sand from one panel to the other for perfect alignment doesn't mean that's how the factory did it. What many people refer to as shoddy workmanship from the big three might actually have been done by design.
As for the alignment from the factory, it was never spot on for the fenders, rear hatch or the hood. I've been looking at new cars lately and I've noticed the leading edge of a panel is slightly inward to the rear of the preceding panel. It might be slight, but it's there.
Just because a body shop will over restore and sand from one panel to the other for perfect alignment doesn't mean that's how the factory did it. What many people refer to as shoddy workmanship from the big three might actually have been done by design.
#21
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Car: 91 Z28 Coupe
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
Re: How hard would this be to fix
REALLY took a look under the passenger fender side tonight. Yup... the piece is bent towards the center of the car. Also saw some other issues that had me scratching my head (concerned).This shows, that no matter how low the milage, somebody, PO or shop, didnt know what they were doing. Tomorrow I will go underneath with the Visegrips and hammer and try to straighten it out.
Do I need to unbolt the fender first? Its not a big deal. Just wondering if it will make it easier
Do I need to unbolt the fender first? Its not a big deal. Just wondering if it will make it easier
Last edited by Stauf; 05-20-2015 at 09:05 PM.
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Car: 1988 GTA Black on Black Hardtop
Engine: 383 miniram/ Ebl
Transmission: 700r4/Performabuilt/3000 Stall
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt / 3.27
Re: How hard would this be to fix
straighten out the tab then loosen the bolt. theres a lot of room for adjustment. you may also need to put a body shim or two between the fender and mounting point. your fender is probably bowed out from the person using the jack in that spot to lift the car,quite common, you can easily massage the fender in by applying pressure on the fender with your hands. be careful though the fenders are pretty weak there when unbolted. don't push to hard or it will kink. good luck.
Tim
Tim
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Car: 91 Z28 Coupe
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
Re: How hard would this be to fix
Starting to put 2 & 2 together. Given that I had to replace my pass side bent spindle LY and the bent fender tab. I am ASSUMING that the PO curbed the car on the passenger side. The fender is original, but the front and back wheels were swapped at sometime (that has been fixed). I guess I never really looked into that detail when I bought the car. Makes more sense now.
Kinda pissed.
Kinda pissed.
#25
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Re: How hard would this be to fix
I left mine bolted together while straightening the flange. Afterwards, to fine tune the alignment, I loosened the bolts and applied slight pressure on the body line while retightening the bolts. Nice and aligned.
BTW, be careful with the vise grips. They will destroy the paint on the flange and it doesn't look pretty.
BTW, be careful with the vise grips. They will destroy the paint on the flange and it doesn't look pretty.
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Re: How hard would this be to fix
I left mine bolted together while straightening the flange. Afterwards, to fine tune the alignment, I loosened the bolts and applied slight pressure on the body line while retightening the bolts. Nice and aligned.
BTW, be careful with the vise grips. They will destroy the paint on the flange and it doesn't look pretty.
BTW, be careful with the vise grips. They will destroy the paint on the flange and it doesn't look pretty.
#27
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Car: 91 Z28 Coupe
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Re: How hard would this be to fix
That is exactly what I did. I only spent about 15 minutes on it today, and the fender offset is about 50% better. The flange underneath is pretty screwed up. Its bent and curled, so it is going to take some more work to straighten it.
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Re: How hard would this be to fix
Hey, so I did a bunch of searching and asking my auto body friends about this. They say, from the factory, they off set the fender (1/8" or so) so that road debris and sand/dirt doesn't fill the door. Makes sense. so the fender sticks out. Never thought about that. think of if the door stuck out. it would catch and fill full of fine dust and junk over the years.
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Car: 1985 Trans Am T-Top
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Axle/Gears: 3.42 posi 1LE 10 bolt
Re: How hard would this be to fix
What a bunch of crap.
Debris gets in gaps, doesn't matter how you offset them. You can't fine tune whistles with panel alignment.
The goal of panel alignment is always the most even, straight, an level you can make them.
That's it. Everything else is silly excuses.
Your bumper cover is terrible. It might be because the fenders are so far out, but the factory did better than that I guarantee.
Debris gets in gaps, doesn't matter how you offset them. You can't fine tune whistles with panel alignment.
The goal of panel alignment is always the most even, straight, an level you can make them.
That's it. Everything else is silly excuses.
Your bumper cover is terrible. It might be because the fenders are so far out, but the factory did better than that I guarantee.
#30
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Re: How hard would this be to fix
What a bunch of crap.
Debris gets in gaps, doesn't matter how you offset them. You can't fine tune whistles with panel alignment.
The goal of panel alignment is always the most even, straight, an level you can make them.
That's it. Everything else is silly excuses.
Your bumper cover is terrible. It might be because the fenders are so far out, but the factory did better than that I guarantee.
Debris gets in gaps, doesn't matter how you offset them. You can't fine tune whistles with panel alignment.
The goal of panel alignment is always the most even, straight, an level you can make them.
That's it. Everything else is silly excuses.
Your bumper cover is terrible. It might be because the fenders are so far out, but the factory did better than that I guarantee.
#31
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Re: How hard would this be to fix
For the alignment of the front edge of the hood to the bumper headlight opening I adjusted the hood on the hinges. I moved hood back towards windshield. Just watch your gaps on fenders and the gap between the front of hood and the front bumper.
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