Body alignment-Sport Coupe
 

We are in the process of aligning the body on the frame of a 30' Sport Coupe.
Having problems with the front cowl and hood as usual.
Those of you that have done frame off restorations- do you start from the front and go backwards, or at the back and go forward.
Our biggest problem so far was the rear sitting to high on the rear bumper bracket body supports. We had to change to 2 Dr. brackets @ 4 1/2" high to get the body to sit down and not affect door alignment.

Re: Body alignment-Sport Coupe
 

Bob, I just called you and left a message.

Re: Body alignment-Sport Coupe
 

PM your phone number and I will call you.

Re: Body alignment-Sport Coupe
 

Bob, do you still have the number ending in ***-***-**34??

Re: Body alignment-Sport Coupe
 

Bob,

I'd wish Happy New Year but I'm not convinced yet.

You lost me talking about changing rear bumper bars. I'll assume you have all the correct body blocks & rubbers in the correct places.

In the case of my'28 Fordor, I'd spent a lot of time studying it's doors to figure out their issues. Not a lot of shimming can be done to a full length wood sill that is 90 years old. I shimmed the sill as possible, shimmed a lower door hinge, and finally spread a lower hinge into place. With all four doors to my satisfaction, I installed the hood, radiator & grill shell.

My job was a lot easier without front fenders to crawl over. With just the weight of the hood & radiator, I'd lift one side of the radiator & slide a shim under. I'd then inspect where the rear of the hood moved to in relation to the cowl. I made several different thickness shims to experiment with until I had a nice fit. Repeat driver's side.

Lastly I adjusted the hood upper 'stay' rods, pulling the top of the radiator into place. (No radiator hoses attached.)

The hood now 'hangs' correctly in place. (MUCH easier without fenders in the way !!)

Hope this helps, jb

Re: Body alignment-Sport Coupe
 

Jim,
The supports I was speaking about are the ones that are riveted to the bumper bars and go up vertically and attach to the underside body. Body support brackets. A coupe should have 5 1/4" bars, but we changed them to the 4 1/2" bars used for tudors. The doors fell back into good alignment. This car was in an accident in1957. We checked the frame and aligned the best we could. Just not getting perfect yet like I would like to see it. Tomorrow is another day. Remember Henry said "quality is doing it right when no one is looking." Words I live by. Happy New Year!!

Re: Body alignment-Sport Coupe
 

"Quality is when no one is looking".....is why I work alone.

Re: Body alignment-Sport Coupe
 

Note to Brent- Yes my number ends in 34

Re: Body alignment-Sport Coupe
 

Jim,
I will be watching