If It Were Your Car

[NRV2L8]

If it were your car,
How would you go about correcting these two issues?
The gap on either side of the Deck Lid, increases as it reaches the Tail Panel. It isn't the Deck Lid and the Quarters mate up nice and tight at the Tail Panel. The Pencil is only meant to provide some idea of how large the gaps are.
Second issue is the gap at the top of the Drivers side Door. The seam below this point is nice and even. Passenger Door is better but not perfect, top to bottom.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.

[dhutton]

I welded some 1/8" rod to my decklid and ground it to get the gap where I wanted. Some prefer to add material to the quarter but it looked easier to me to add the rod.

Same technique can be used on the door.

Don

[ProdigyCustoms]

Try to do the work on the quarter, not the edge of the door or deck lid. The compound corner on the quarter panel is likley to warp less badly then the flat hard edge of the swinging panels. As Don mentioned, see if you can wled a piece of steel rod in the biggest area along the top edge, you can use a little all metal filler under the rod to smooth the jam, as long as the majority of the top edge is all weld or steel.

If you have to weld on the edge of a swinging part (looks like you need to on the top edge of the door jam for a couple inches), try to keep that to a minumum. Also make sure you put a heat fence (wet rags) to prevent the heat from traveling into the panel too much. And don;t go crazy and do it all at once, tack, tack, tack is your best friend. DO NOT grind the edge of that door and seperate the edge of the skin, you will kill yourself for it.

[ProTouring442]

Originally Posted by ProdigyCustoms

Also make sure you put a heat fence (wet rags) to prevent the heat from traveling into the panel too much. And don;t go crazy and do it all at once, tack, tack, tack is your best friend. DO NOT grind the edge of that door and seperate the edge of the skin, you will kill yourself for it.

Several companies sell a heat sink paste that, though I have never personally used it, I have read that it works very well.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

[speedshftr]

i got in touch with my guy today and there shop is loaded up at this time with insurance work.
ive heard great things about iron hill in newark and the street rod shop

im trying to get you some contact info.by the looks of the pictures you provided it seems to me the rod welded on the edge may be the way to go.it looks like the door is twisted a touch on its hinges.what a mess that dynacorn has thrown on you.im sure you paid good money for that shell.on monday i hope to have some numbers for you bro/

[Denvervet]

I used a 1/8" thick 1/2" wide bar I got from Home Depot and welded it to one of the quarters and moved the deck lid over to a good fit on the other. Take it slow but wasn't too tuff and now have 3/16 gaps and mine started out about like yours.

[NRV2L8]

Thanks for all the tips and advice.
DENVERVET, I appreciate the 2 photos.
I'm a little worried about "smoothing" out the added metal. Want to blend it in as best as I can.