When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
When I disassembled my 442 convertible project, I made the mistake of bagging the core support shims into a single bag; i.e., I didn't bag the LH & RH separately. I've read the assembly manual and didn't find any reference about how to shim the core support. Is it ok to evenly split the shims between LH & RH? Is there a recommended process? Do I need to install the doors and fenders before shimming the core support? Thanks in advance for the advice.
There's a fair chance your final set will be different than it was previously regardless, due to sag in body mounts and whatnot. Just split them evenly and see where the panels land, adjust from there.
I hung the core support pretty early on just to get it off the ground. It just needs to be in place before the fenders.
Generally you start with the doors, getting the back and bottom of the door to align properly with the body. Then mount the fenders and work to get the door to fender alignment right. Then the hood.
The primary impact of the core support shims is to change the vertical alignment of the back of the fender. Tight on top and loose on bottom? Remove shims. Vice-versa.
As mentioned work back to front. Doors to quarter and rocker panels. Then put your core support on and leave it a little loosen then install your fenders. The height of the core support will change how the gap between the door and fenders . For example. Too low will have a tight gap at the bottom and big at the top and the bottom rear of the fender tends to bow out due to the flex.
As a side note I try to get the fenders fairly close. I measure the hood width and leave the opening between the fenders where the hood sits to that with plus the desired gap. So on the big side 3/16 per side so if the hood is say 54 wide then the opening between the fenders will be 54 3/8 . If your doors are even and your fenders fit good this almost always works to get the hood on without hitting anything.
You can center the core support by using 4 equal points . So the back cowl fender bolt holes on top and 2 holes on the rad support that are in symetrical locations. You do an x measurement and make sure they are the same number and it's centered. The measurement across should be equal across in an x form.
Thanks guys, for the tips, especially the “x” measurement tip across the engine bay. I’ve been pondering how to make sure the everything is centered on the frame and the "x" tip is very clever. I’ll just split the shims equally for now and readjust when I get the doors back on the car!
Hey guys:
I took the "X" measurements across the engine bay to check the core support alignment. The diagonal measurement to the LH cowl mount was 1 inch longer then the RH side, so I loosened the bushings and pushed the core support all the way to the left but there is still a 1/2" difference. This brings up so many questions: Is this amount of offset normal? Do I adjust for the 1/2" offset by shimming the fenders more on one side than the other? Maybe the body is not centered the frame and is it even possible for the body to be that far out of alignment? Maybe the frame horns at the front are bent? Hmmm.
Here's what I do know:
1. The car had front end damage from a previous accident but the damage was mostly to the hood and front bumper - see attached pics. The fenders were not pushed back into the doors and the rear fender mounts at the cowl were not bent. The hood-to-fender alignment on the RH side was still consistent, the LH side not so much.
2. The rear of the car seems to be centered on the frame because I laid a straight edge on the face of each tire and measured 12-1/2" from the outer face of the tire to the inner wheelhouse on both sides. But the suspension isn't tight yet; all the suspension bushing bolts are loose, I will tighten them later with the full weight of the car on the suspension.
3. I don't think the frame is bent because I checked the frame measurements before I got it powder coated. I used the attached diagram to verify the mounting points and I took diagonal measurements across the front, middle and rear sections of the frame and the "X" measurements were consistent in each section.
4. The core support is a replacement from a donor car; my car did not leave the factory with this core support but the replacement is the correct '72 support for my car.
Is the left horn still straight? Seems like it would've taken a beating in that accident.
Honestly, measurements don't matter all that much. We're not working with modern cars with tight body tolerances. What will matter is how the panels finally hang. If possible, just do a quick test hang of the doors and fenders and see how close it can get. The measurements may be totally messed up, but it may look great!
I only mention Cross measuring because atleast you know your starting point is equal if it's possible. Makes your adjusting easier in a way but I also do agree the tolerances on these cars are not the best but you should be able to get them close.
