Aligning fenders and doors (tips)

[GNX548]

Well, I'm finshing my 1 year frame off resto of a 87 GN to 87 GNX. Now the tricky part is to remount all the panels with out scratching the edges of the doors and fenders. The nose and doors were painted off the car (trunk lid too). Any tips on the correct alignment of the doors and fenders??? I have a feeler gauge for the doors but am looking tips to make this as easly as possible. Thanks

 

[J-Rod]

Did you check your door pins to make sure they aren't worn. Door sag is the biggest problem on old GM cars. Especially driver's side.

As for hanging the doors, wrap the corners., and the leading edge of the fender and door with some sort of padding like closed cell foam wrap or something. Install the door at about a 45degree open angle.

I find that you need 2-3 people to hang a door.

A couple of methods.

Method 1 - put the door on a floor jack. Put a nice wide 2x4 on the jacking pad. Have two people guide the door while one person attaches the hinges.

The other method is to use an engine hoist, and two folks to guide the door.

The final method is to have 2 or 3 guys and wrestle the thing up there by yourself with no jacks or anything else. You don't want to do that, as these suckers are heavy.

Also, make sure your springs are compressed ahead of time. Compress them, and wire them down so that you can install them, and once the door is in place you can cut the wire and let the spring expand.


For fenders make sure the car is on the ground and sitting level, as the front end will droop with no fenders on it.

Did you mark the trunk and the hood before you removed them? Always mark around the hinges where they attach, it allows you to put it back right where it came off. I outline with a sharpie which you can see when you re-install the piece.

Did you save and mark the fender washers that were on the car to begin with?

If you didn't hanging and aligning the panels may be a bit out of your league. You may wish to consult with your local body shop on installing and aligning your panels.

Good luck.

 

[REGALTURBO]

Since I do this almost everyday..I can offer you a few tips. Unless you have marked or outlined the panels it will be a diffucult job for you. You really should have prefit everything prior to painting because just rebolting the panels back on will not make for a perfect fit. It usually requires a little bending or tweaking here and there. During the prefit..it is the best time to mark the panels. Then everything can come off and be refinished. Of course..at the body shop level..things are done a little quicker and the car would have been painted with all the major panels assembled. In your case..sorry to say ..but by painting all the panels off the car..it will be nearly impossible to reassemble the doors and fenders without putting some scuffs inside the panels here or there. Things will need to be juggled around a bit. Although black is by far one of the most unforgiving colors in terms of bodywork...it will show every inperfection, be thankful that it isn`t a color with a metallic base because unless you have the best of booths and the best of spray equipment and the best painter...every panel would have been of a different shade.
Easiest solution...seek an expert....pay him whatever he needs to do the job.

 

[turboCR]

I put carpeting on the edges of the doors and fenders. It's thick enough to take a "little" abuse, and acn assist with the spacing. The jack idea and 2 x 4"s is a winner. I just re-hung mine by myself that way.

 

[ThikStik]

Indispensible to this job is the use of gear wrenches. I protect both panel edges with masking tape. Also , make sure to use the trick about lifting the door handle to self align the door stricker. Loosen stricker and let door's position dictate striker position. (last step). This is in a Haynes manuel and it makes for a door that will close tight with a pincky finger closeing.