what should it be? im doing the rear qtrs on my 71 and would like to fix the crroked gaps..but dont know what the correct measurment of the gap should be?? photo attached of said gap...


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If you wanted a Lexus then you should have bought one instead of a 40 year old car.

Center the trunklid in its opening so the gap is even on each side and live with it.....it's factory and you should develop an appreciation for the "way these were built".

Beyond that you would have to pull out the lead and torch or a welder and start filling, filing, grinding, etc....when do you stop?? You could do a hackjob version of this and use some sort of plastic filler but you risk chipping it off when it's used to form an edge like that.

Seriously....it's the way they were made...preserve it...defects and all.

 

i really just wondered if the factory had a spec for it..and if it is anywhere close.the fact is my car has been hit in the back 2 times in its life.im at a point with it i can make the gaps even and however wide they need to be.. just didnt know what the gaps "should" be... and no i wont go buy a lexus...i refuse..

 

I would just go with what looks good. As has been brought out, there are going to be imperfections. When people look at a classic, most of them don't give a rodent's rear end or even care about such trivial things. When you remove a panel, it never will go back exactly like it was. I had to remove the front fenders on my '72 Cutlass and they both could not remember exactly where they had come from. After dickering with shims and what not for awhile, I finally got them to where I was pleased, and that's what counts. There might be a spec in the assembly manual, but these are just factory specs for original assembly at the plant. I'm sure that whatever you end up doing will look great, not only to you but anyone seeing your car for what it is. Chumley

 

The gap looks pretty decent in the pic...not sure about any uneven spots...can't really tell from the pic.

The first thing is to install and fit the decklid so you have the SAME GAP(or close) on EACH SIDE. Then you go from there. If you are thinking you should have gaps of 1/8" or so forget it...the factory was nowhere near that.

If a gap is fine and then has a section in it where it narrow or widens then goes back to a nice gap then that's just variation in the panel edge from when it was made....this type of uneven-ness is what you would use lead or welding to cure.

Get the decklid "centered" so you have an even gap on each side....then take a measurement of each side and tell us what it is.

 

Is your quarter extension part of the quarter? Confused by picture.

 

Not only is there width variance from car to car at the trunk opening, the deck lids themselves vary a little. As others noted, this is well before computer/robot assembly. The line workers even had blocks of wood covered with carpet to "tweak" panels for better fit, then took whatever they could get and sent the car on down the line.

 

That's a Cutlass S hardtop bodystyle so, yes, it's a one-piece quarter panel.....no separate endcap like a Supreme/Convert.

 

You will likely find the gap sizes in your shop manual or chassis manual.

 

well i dont have either of those books. but i got the passenger side as even as it can be top to bottom..drivers side is next week...