Test fitting the body

[tbl100]

I'm test fitting the body looking for issues. I have a question on the door opening. I'm assuming that the body needs to be on the outside of the frame but I'd like to know by how much. Hard to explain please see photos. This is the driver side rear. The passenger side is the same. The body is as far forward as it can go because it is making contact with the trunk sheet metal flange at the bottom of the trunk and its about in contact with the trunk side panels that are contoured to the body. I'm thinking I may have to trim these trunk panels in order to get the body to move forward a bit. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Photos of what it should be like would be real helpful.

Thank you,
Tim

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[egchewy79]

I'm test fitting the body looking for issues. I have a question on the door opening. I'm assuming that the body needs to be on the outside of the frame but I'd like to know by how much. Hard to explain please see photos. This is the driver side rear. The passenger side is the same. The body is as far forward as it can go because it is making contact with the trunk sheet metal flange at the bottom of the trunk and its about in contact with the trunk side panels that are contoured to the body. I'm thinking I may have to trim these trunk panels in order to get the body to move forward a bit. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Photos of what it should be like would be real helpful.

Thank you,
Tim

131388131389131390131391

body should sit in front of the door latch striker plate about 1/4".
you might need to trim trunk rear floor, trunk side aluminum for forward movement.
also consider trimming the body dash cowl to be able to move it forward a bit more.
also make sure your bulb seals are on as this will affect final fitment. have your dash on as well so you can see how much cowl to trim off.

[tbl100]

body should sit in front of the door latch striker plate about 1/4".
you might need to trim trunk rear floor, trunk side aluminum for forward movement.
also consider trimming the body dash cowl to be able to move it forward a bit more.
also make sure your bulb seals are on as this will affect final fitment. have your dash on as well so you can see how much cowl to trim off.

Thank you for the reply. I do have the bulb seals installed and there is ~1/8" gap between the body dash cowl and the dash. Thank you for the confirmation.

[rich grsc]

No, you should not have the bulb seal on for your first test fit. How are you going to see where to trim the panels, or how much to trim. Besides that, you will likely cause damage to the seal when putting the body on an off. You need to be able to run a magic marker along the body, marking the aluminum panels, then you can see where and how much to trim.

[tbl100]

No, you should not have the bulb seal on for your first test fit. How are you going to see where to trim the panels, or how much to trim. Besides that, you will likely cause damage to the seal when putting the body on an off. You need to be able to run a magic marker along the body, marking the aluminum panels, then you can see where and how much to trim.

I can see your point. If I remove the bulb seal and place the body back on, for reference then how much of a gap between the body and the panel do in need to accommodate the bulb seal when I add it back on? When the body is back on with the bulb seal installed should the bulb seal be completely compressed or compressed just enough to make a seal. Doesn't the body need to be supported by these areas with bulb seal? Thank you.

[Jeff Kleiner]

The photos show that you are not nearly far enough forward. Probably need ~3/8". If all you have at the cowl to dash is 1/8" you'll have to trim it to get where you need to be.

Jeff

[tbl100]

The photos show that you are not nearly far enough forward. Probably need ~3/8". If all you have at the cowl to dash is 1/8" you'll have to trim it to get where you need to be.

Jeff

Yeah, thanks. It does look like I'll need to trim the cowl. I'll make note and tell the body shop to address it. Thank you.

[rich grsc]

I can see your point. If I remove the bulb seal and place the body back on, for reference then how much of a gap between the body and the panel do in need to accommodate the bulb seal when I add it back on? When the body is back on with the bulb seal installed should the bulb seal be completely compressed or compressed just enough to make a seal. Doesn't the body need to be supported by these areas with bulb seal? Thank you.
No the bulb seal does not support the body, it's there to seal out air and dirt. A soft flexible strip of rubber isn't going to provide much support, that is provided by the underbody bolts, and the front and rear quick jack bolts.

[egchewy79]

I've read somewhere on these forums that some will put wax paper over the bulb seals when placing the body, then pull out the paper once satisfied with the position, in an effort to not chew up the top of the bulb seals. sounds good in theory, but does this help/work in real life?

[Caddy Dad]

I've read somewhere on these forums that some will put wax paper over the bulb seals when placing the body, then pull out the paper once satisfied with the position, in an effort to not chew up the top of the bulb seals. sounds good in theory, but does this help/work in real life?

At the build school we used sheets of Velum over the rear bulb seals and then slid them out after the body was on.

[tbl100]

Ok, so it looks like the body needs to move forward ~3/8". With the good info about the body resting on the quick jack bolts I realized I needed to install those to help with alignment. After installing the rear ones it appears I can't move the body forward the ~3/8" I need because the bolts and spacers for the quick jacks won't let me. Has anyone had to shorten the spacer between the body and the frame to get the body to fit properly? Just want to make sure I'm not missing something. Thank you.

[AC Bill]

When I built my 3.1, it was common to cut the tubes as required, but not so much for fitting the body on the frame, more for lining up the trunk lid lower lip evenly with the body.

[Jeff Kleiner]

...Has anyone had to shorten the spacer between the body and the frame to get the body to fit properly?...

Take those spacers and throw them away.

You're welcome.

Jeff

[rich grsc]

Jeff, you're just collecting parts. :rolleyes::p

[AC Bill]

Take those spacers and throw them away.
You're welcome. Jeff

You need to explain the Kliener method using the coupling nuts, Jeff. Before that became popular with some builders, the spacer tubes were part and package of the build.

[tbl100]

You need to explain the Kliener method using the coupling nuts, Jeff. Before that became popular with some builders, the spacer tubes were part and package of the build.

Thanks, your photo is what came with my kit but my body and paint guy says if I use the Kliener method it will help a lot making it easier to mount the body.

[CraigS]

IMHO the spacers are all provided so you have plenty of material to make them the length you need. They don't want anyone to have too short a piece to do the job. All the bodies I have seen the edge at the dash had a wide range of clearance to the dash like 3/8 here and zero there. So the marker method is crucial to making it look good once installed. It's not staring in your face obvious since it is on the underside but...