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Dennis B · 06-10-2002, 04:22 PM

Assembled the front end on my 64 GTO this weekend and all looks very good except the right front fender to the right door. I have a good margin and flush fit on top and bottom but the fender sticks out about 3/16" to a 1/4" in the center where the ridge travels the length of the side. I have shimmed the bottom of the fender down more thinking that it would suck in the center but no luck. The left side is perfect but the right is something else. Anyone had this happen? What did you do the remedy it? If I took the fender back off and supported the top and bottom could I apply pressure to the center to suck it in, or am I going to screw up a perfect fender. I have to do SOMETHING and trying to fit it isn't working. Any help is surely appreciated.

Dennis B · 06-10-2002, 04:22 PM

Assembled the front end on my 64 GTO this weekend and all looks very good except the right front fender to the right door. I have a good margin and flush fit on top and bottom but the fender sticks out about 3/16" to a 1/4" in the center where the ridge travels the length of the side. I have shimmed the bottom of the fender down more thinking that it would suck in the center but no luck. The left side is perfect but the right is something else. Anyone had this happen? What did you do the remedy it? If I took the fender back off and supported the top and bottom could I apply pressure to the center to suck it in, or am I going to screw up a perfect fender. I have to do SOMETHING and trying to fit it isn't working. Any help is surely appreciated.

Pontiadkins · 06-12-2002, 12:43 AM

Dennis,It may sound a little crued but if your door is aligned and your happy with the fender fit "in general" you may have to massage the edge of the fender with a 2x4 block and a pretty substantial sized hammer.I would lay the block on edge,and tap on it just hard enough to bump the edge in to alingment with the fender still bolted to the car. I have run into this at times and there is no other option.Careful blows won't damage the fender.You may have to grind it and lightly glaze the edge with some body filler if you produce any small dings.

Bud Lyons · 06-12-2002, 02:24 AM

Get your neighbor/guttersl*t to bump it with her fat bottom. Be careful she does not knock the front end out of alginment.

Dennis B · 06-12-2002, 09:06 PM

pontiadkins. I was figuring I would have to do something like that. I have had this car apart two times and I cannot remember this being a problem. I am sure it was not like that the last time I put it together. I will try a little longer to see if I can get it to fit right before I take more drastic measures. If I do have to bend it slightly I figured I would remove the fender and support it on each end under the frame of my big truck. I will lay a block on each side of the ridge that travels horizontally through the fender then put a bottle jack between the blocks and the frame of my truck and squeeze it down a little at a time until I have the right measurement. I think I can control the amount of pressure better with the jack than I can with a block and hammer. I'll let you know how it goes and what I do to correct it.
Thanks

Bud. I wouldn't get "MRS BUTT UGLY" or her Husband "MR. STUPID" within 50 feet of my GTO. Really man, where's your head.

doug vander plaats · 06-12-2002, 09:14 PM

Dennis,
Did the fender ever line up? Is it a replacement? I always align rear door edge to quarter first, then fender to front door, though this does not seem to apply here. If the fender was at one time in alignment then I would guess something is not sitting right. If it's the first time the fender has been on the car and the old one lined up then I would agree with "tweeking" it. Be careful not to get so close as to bind when the door swings open. There is alot of poor sheetmetal out there being sold as a perfect fit, when it can be off quite a bit. I don't like filler and would exhaust every option before hammering if it is an original body panel. Keep us informed as I am interested as to what the problem is. Wish I could be of more help ya big ape!

Good luck,
Doug [img]smile.gif[/img]

doug vander plaats · 06-12-2002, 09:17 PM

You was a posting whilst I was a typing!

Pontiadkins · 06-13-2002, 12:44 AM

Dennis,have you checked to see if your hood opening is square by cross measuring.If your right fender is in at the front this may be enough to make the rear edge of the fender hang out like you have described.I totally agree to leave the hammer/block treatment as a very last resort.I was unaware that the front group had already been fit before with satisfactory results.Keep me informed on how you do.

61man · 06-13-2002, 08:13 AM

I don't know if you had the body off the frame or not, but after the doors are alighned, and if the fenders fit before, they should fit now. You might have to shift the body over a little, esp. if your at the end of adj. and it's still not enough

Dennis B · 06-13-2002, 11:01 AM

The body has been off, but has all been assembled since. When I decided to finish it, I disassembled all of it again. I hung the doors first with a perfect fit. Margins are good all the way around. I cross measured the hood opening and found it square. All the margins around the fender to cowl and fender to door are also good. I just have this problem with the ridge sticking out past the door in the center. I have a flush fit top and bottom. I will work on it this weekend and am sure I will find a remedy without having to tweak it. Appreciate all your suggestions and will keep you posted. Maybe it will save someone else some time and frustration.

61man · 06-13-2002, 11:19 PM

sounds like you might have to get a rag covered 2x4 and a BFH, and knock it in at the edge of the fender

sviguy · 06-14-2002, 10:30 AM

some experience here....my 69 fbird is on second day of front end reassembly and with different fenders......take your time and don't get drastic.....door may not be as perfect fit as you think....may require front edge of door kicked out a bit (adjustment).....also try loosening fender and align problem area first then tighten
lee

Dennis B · 06-14-2002, 06:27 PM

Lets see now. There is a strong back consisting of a piece of channel on the rear inside surface of the front fender to provide strength, and rigidity. This would make it very difficult to bend without bending something I don't want to. Now, if I were to take a die grinder and cut a slot through the channel it would easily allow me to push the center section of the rear portion of the fender in, without effecting the contour of the top and bottom portions, which mount flush at this time. Push the center in about 1/4" or what ever it takes to flush it out, then weld up the slot I cut and presto. Wadua think? I hope I have explained this so it is understandable!

HALFWAY · 06-17-2002, 05:31 PM

I noticed when I disassembled my 64 there was a piece of foam sealing along the side of the fire wall, I imagine to prevent the fender from rubbing or rattling against the fire wall. You might check to see if it insn't getting in the way when you install the fender but looks in the right position when the fender is off. Just a thought. If it fit once, there has to be something pushing it out.

My fenders are off at this time, and I had them on recently with no problems. I am not sure when I will get them back on, very soon I hope, if you are still having the problem I can look more carefully for anything that could cause your delima.

Dennis B · 06-17-2002, 11:14 PM

Halfway. With the brace ( sheet metal channel ) on the inside surface of the fender it would be very difficult to bend the fender, it is very ridged. I had it assembled once before, but was mainly to store the fenders, hood, bumpers and so on. It is possible I over looked it, now that I am dealing with a finish fit, I take a much closer look. It's like the two panels are not formed to the same exact contour.
Trust me, not even a speck of primer was left anywhere after I stripped every piece of this car

HALFWAY · 10-21-2002, 08:46 AM

Dennis you have mail.

Did you ever get this corrected.

It seems that I may be having the same problem.

I haven't played around with it too much yet but though I would ask before getting really frustrated looking at the wrong thing.

Thanks

Here's to the girl that I kissed last. She doesn't kiss slow and she doesn't kiss fast. Her kisses are good, her kisses are sweet, and she makes things stand that have no feet!

HALFWAY · 11-13-2002, 07:40 AM

Hey Dennis, did you ever get your fender alignment solved? I am repairing the cage nut in the rocker panel that came loose, this week, and have been looking at my fender alignment problem. I have loosened all the core support and inner fender well bolts trying to shift things around to get the fender to line up. The bottom of the fender appears to be hitting on a seam underneath the rocker panel. I have noticed that if I pull the fender towards the front, so the bottom of the fender is past the seam, it lines up better, but there is a significant gap and the holes for the bolt through the rocker don't line up very well. The other side lines up just fine, the bottom of the fender is against the seam under the rocker panel.

Anyone have any suggetions besides smacking it?

Thanks,

Mark

Here's to the girl that I kissed last. She doesn't kiss slow and she doesn't kiss fast. Her kisses are good, her kisses are sweet, and she makes things stand that have no feet!

drewhelm1974 · 11-13-2002, 09:06 AM

Had the SAME problem with my 69 Firebird when I reassembled the front end. I read somewhere that you have to align the top or the fender first, get it shimmed to match the cowl panel and the top of the front of the door, Once you get the bolts snug you use shime between the mount and the bottom of the fender to "stretch" the fender. This helps to align the ridge and suck in the center of the fender at the same time. I ended up having a buddy lean against the fender to push it in and down while I shimmed the bottom bolts. Turned out very close to perfect!!!

69 Firebird, pewter on dark blue interior with a chevy 350, soon to be Pontiac 455.
01 Red and pewter GMC Ext Cab SIERRA SLT 4x4
02 Maple Red (maroon) LS1 Trans Am

HALFWAY · 11-13-2002, 10:51 AM

I am able to lean on it to push it in somewhat, but the other side just "dropped" into place. I'll give it a try but wouldn't think you would have to lean on it like that to get it into position.

Here's to the girl that I kissed last. She doesn't kiss slow and she doesn't kiss fast. Her kisses are good, her kisses are sweet, and she makes things stand that have no feet!

HALFWAY · 12-17-2002, 11:58 AM

Well Dennis B, after much debating on this problem I removed the fender, and with much regret, took a pair of tin snips and cut one side of the reinforcement channel, the side closest to the wheel well. I then spread the fender slightly by applying pressure, from the inside, at the top and bottom of the fender.

IT WORKED, no more does it stick out past the line of the door.

I really hated cutting it like that but since I didn't have to cut through both sides of the channel, and where it is cut is hidden completley, I guess I can live with it. I will always know it is there though.

The car is now at the paint shop getting it's color. Sure hope it turns out as I expect. I will see if I can post some pics as soon as I get it back and fully assembled.

Here's to the girl that I kissed last. She doesn't kiss slow and she doesn't kiss fast. Her kisses are good, her kisses are sweet, and she makes things stand that have no feet!

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