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Old 09-07-2013, 10:57 PM   #1
Russ B
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Default Shimming Cabriolet body, done!

I spent all of the last week lifting the body, inserting rubber shims, bolting the body down tight, looking at results, figuring a correction, remove all nuts, and then repeating, starting again at the first step. ...also taking notes of each trial fit, reviewing results and proposing next correction.

The right side went quickly, done with two fittings, and only required a single extra shim under Bolts 2 and 3 (A pillar).

The left side was a lot harder, requiring multiple trial fittings; but in the end a single extra shim under Bolt 5 (B pillar) did the job.

Key to getting the job done were two additional steps: 1., replacing door hinge pins with proper fitting, oversized pins; 2., press bending two hinges on the left door to correct an uneven A pillar door gap. The job would likely have gone faster if I had started with these two steps.

I may do some fine tuning using builders felt for very thin shims, as recommend by Marco T on his site; but for now it is good to within 1/32" height at the back tops of doors, or better.



Upper back edges of doors had excess wear from years of driving with poor fitting doors and bad wood. I TIG welded 1/8" square stock to the back upper door edges and then cut/ground back the edges for improved fit as body alignment progressed.

I am happy to be almost done with body alignment, after approaching this job with procrastination and dread of the potential difficulty. Once started, it really was not so hard.
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Old 09-07-2013, 11:26 PM   #2
Ray in La Mesa
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Default Re: Shimming Cabriolet body, done!

Great to see the super progress on your cabby. You're ahead of me in assembly, I'm still fitting the rear 1/4 panels and package tray stuff. Each piece on & off many times in the challenge to make it all fit. I echo your fear in tackling the whole job but you have to do it one piece at a time it's not so daunting. I refer many times to my collection of tips & procedures from other cabriolet owners. Nice to know I'm not alone.
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Old 09-08-2013, 12:31 AM   #3
Russ B
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Default Re: Shimming Cabriolet body, done!

Yes, it is just one step at a time then take another step. I put together and took apart the back half of the body so many times, I lost count. Each time I got the fit a bit better and the assembly more complete. The bottom back corners of the quarter panels were a bear to get a good even fit to the rear cross sill due to previous rust out and old, poor fitting patch panel work.


left rear quarter fit before


almost good


right side, note terrible fender fit


better fender fit, still no work on right rear quarter fit then


better fit on quarter bottom. Boy it still looked ugly at that point.

...and with each fit change it is another assembly step, take apart, correct it, put it together and test the fit, do it over again as needed to get the fit even better.

Even though the body is shimmed pretty well now, the bottom of the cowl still needs many hours of work to make the bottom reveal shape fit and match the piece below the doors. Again some old patch panel work that has to be redone. No one makes a proper panel for Briggs Bodies that I know of. So I will be pulling it off again soon, correcting the fit to the best of my ability, reassembling the body, mounting it with the needed shims, rechecking the fits and hopefully be done until I pull it off of the frame for paint, next year.
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Old 09-08-2013, 01:00 AM   #4
Roadster62
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Default Re: Shimming Cabriolet body, done!

I really enjoy reading posts like this, great photos too. Did you keep track of the time spent shimming the body? Ever think of the cost if you had that work done at a shop? Getting everything perfect before paint is so important. Look forward to more progress reports. Bob
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Old 09-08-2013, 01:26 AM   #5
Russ B
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Default Re: Shimming Cabriolet body, done!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roadster62 View Post
I really enjoy reading posts like this, great photos too. Did you keep track of the time spent shimming the body? Ever think of the cost if you had that work done at a shop? Getting everything perfect before paint is so important. Look forward to more progress reports. Bob
Thanks. I got about one trial fit per day; but I work slow and not too many hours a day, usually six or less. ...and I spend a lot of time contemplating, or picking grapes this last couple weeks. The guy who is doing the paint checks in every so often or I take stuff to him for advice. He lets me know how far I need to go to fit certain things. I stopped keeping track of my hours on this car a long time ago after I estimated it would be over a thousand hour and maybe twice that. It is a labor of love, my very first car, not running since 1964. It is not a restoration at all, but some eBay sellers would call it one, hopped up 4 banger motor and smaller wheels/tires.
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Old 09-08-2013, 01:52 AM   #6
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Default Re: Shimming Cabriolet body, done!

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Back in 1968 I went in 50/50 on a 1930 Cabriolet with a friend, he needed the rear axle for his '28 Roadster Pickup. I got everything else that I parted out, it was a good investment at $25.00. Fourty years later I bought back the rear quarters, and sold them again. I've always like the looks of this body, and know it is all about getting the woodwork right. Bob
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Old 09-08-2013, 04:36 AM   #7
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Default Re: Shimming Cabriolet body, done!

Nice job-thx for the photos.
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Old 09-08-2013, 10:23 AM   #8
Dick So. Cal.
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Default Re: Shimming Cabriolet body, done!

When I did my Cabbie, I removed the body eight times to get it right. I disassembled it and had it painted. Re-assembled it and all was fine.
I had a Lebaron-Bonney top professionally installed and guess what, the alignment went south. It was kinda OK, but be prepared to tweek things after you get the top on.

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