Stovebolt.com Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Body panels not playing nicely.

I fit the inner fenders and rad support together before paint. Now I am trying to fit fenders and it is blowing up.

Hung doors yesterday. I am pleased with how they came out. Gaps are decent.

Problem 1.

Fender on right side seems to have a different curve than the door.
The gap grows top to bottom. Currently I have the rad support on the frame with no rubber spacer at all. I have bent the inner fender out and down to make things better but I am at a stop right now. I fear pulling the rear most bolt causing a wrinkle in the fender.

Left side things lined up ok.

Problem 2.

Gave up trying to attach grill support and ripped the fenders back off and bolted them to the grill support. It is looking like dog shat. Only thing I can think of is elongation every single hole.

An idea that popped into my head while trying to understand your dilemma

Is it possible the back of the cab to frame is a bit too much gap
Or the front of the cab gap to frame too closed?

This might help with just one of your fitment issues
But I’m not a body doctor

Just an idea to check out
-s

2manyyrucks,

I have new rubber mounts in. I don't think how it sits on the frame will have any impact. This all bolts together independent of the frame.

Kk I was thinking like the earlier trucks I own where if the cab were tilted forward the front fenders wouldn’t play nice
I have no experience with the generation you are working on
Hope you find the issue
-s

As far as the grill surround to fender nose fit; it is a struggle ( my experience). I started there and got that sorted before I worried much about the door gaps. Everything (cab, inners, rad support) loose until happier with fit. And I did have to elongate holes and
pry and clamp. It did result in multiple tries and frustration.

I just went thru this last week on my 66 c10. On the grille shell to fender connection, I ended up leaving all other fender bolts out then started those two upper bolts. Once I had the grille shell to fender joint where I wanted it (perfect on one side & about 90% on the other) I tightened those bolt down. Then proceeded to get the others started. Yes, it took a lot of prying with phillips screw drivers to get the other grille shell & fender bolts to align, but eventually got them all in.

On the right door to fender gap, I had problems there too. I ended up using a large c clamp (maybe10 " or so) & hooked it on the front cab support & behind the rear fender brace near the rear lower bolt is located & just cranked it back till I had a gap I could live with. I had to shim my fender out a little, but looks like yours is just the opposite. Maybe the front of the door needs to be adjusted out a little.

Don't have any good photos, sorry.

RLB,

Interesting method to solve problems. If I have time this weekend I am going to try. I am hesitant to shim the door cause I have it fitting so well now.

So is the top of fender to top of grill support the most important? Cause I can't keep the body lines from fender to grill and keep the top even. Here are pics from one side to the other. Left side i have body lines in the grill support lined up, and right side I have the top lined up. Can't have both

Split the difference between each side?

I can get the ledt side same as the right by elongation holes. Just don't know which lines are more important. I think it needs to be flush on top. Just need some confirmation.

Even before all the sheet metal started getting stamped out overseas by teenaged slave laborers, the body man's friend was an oversized hole and a "fender washer". Fortunately, it's impossible to see both sides of the vehicle at the same time, so short of doing major reconstruction of the panels, "If it looks good, it is good". Body work has never been an exact science, but now with the poor quality parts seem to be the rule, rather than the exception. Just do the best you can- - - -which is a sad commentary on the stare of the repop sheet metal that's available these days.
Jerry

The importing things are the fitment of the doors and hood so they close and latch properly. Everything else is just cosmetic and what your willing to live with. You may have to reshape some of the pieces to get them to fit better. As HRL has already pointed out, the repop sheetmetal is not very good.

Lugnuts sent me a pic of the front. Looks like I need to get the top of the fender even with the grill support and the rest of the lines are hidden by the grill that does not mate up well with the support. More elongating holes to get it good.

So I figured out a fix. Decent or not I don't know.

I needed up elongating about every hole between the fenders and the grill support but I got the top edges even which are the most important I think.

I tried shimming the door but I didn't like what it did to the rest of the door fitment.

So to fix the problem I had which was the right fender was too fat out even though it was tight against the cab, I removed the fender and took a 10lb hammer and beat the mounting area in about 3/8 of an inch. I figured if I went too far I could shim it out but it ended up perfect.

Will have to remove to get things into primer, but one last time together and I will have it i think.

I've been following this post and it looks like you've did a good job of solving the fitment issues.

I’ll tell ya, Ferris, these tasks require at times hours of thought, a lot of back and forth, sleeping on it, and study. But sometimes in the end, the old BFH tends to make quick work for many dilemmas. Looks good, man! Keep going.

Looks like your persistence has payed off. Great work!