[MUSLCAH]

Here’s my unrestored firewall (67 GTO) ....Pontiac Plant....you can see where the body color goes on the firewall.

[gtospieg]

Ze... It would seem so. I think it's that way with a lot of the aftermarket parts. One company makes them and everyone sells them and says they fit....kinda like my trunk pan issue.

[gtospieg]

Ze...getting back to you about my Tempest...built at the Baltimore plant

[ZeGermanHam]

Originally Posted by gtospieg

Ze...getting back to you about my Tempest...built at the Baltimore plant

Yep, that would somewhat explain the difference. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised to see differences among cars assembled at the same plant but on different work shifts. Manufacturing was different back then.

[ZeGermanHam]

Gained an even greater appreciation for body people this afternoon... Took me about 2.5 hours just to mount and align a single door.

[MUSLCAH]

^^^^^^^^^^^ Patience Grasshopper ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[ZeGermanHam]

Patience, indeed. I was just glad that the donor door (pictured above) seems to fit the body well. The original doors were toast, so I had to source some replacements, which isn't very easy with a post car.

Current dilemma is getting the hinges off the passenger side original door. The bolts are seized, and I'm a hair away from stripping the Phillips heads on them... May have to drill them out.

[nikrnic]

Just got to say I love following your resto story. Big fan of the 24207. It took me years to find the right one. Cheers!

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[MUSLCAH]

Originally Posted by ZeGermanHam

Patience, indeed. I was just glad that the donor door (pictured above) seems to fit the body well. The original doors were toast, so I had to source some replacements, which isn't very easy with a post car.

Current dilemma is getting the hinges off the passenger side original door. The bolts are seized, and I'm a hair away from stripping the Phillips heads on them... May have to drill them out.

Your lucky to live where you do....got rust free parts from near by Idaho...and Cali ...Nevada...with reasonable shipping rates.

[gtospieg]

Ze... I recently removed one of the hinges on my Tempest project. I used heat and an impact driver...for a while. I eventually got two out of three and was then able to heat the third one again and use the impact driver again. It finally loosened just enough that I could twist the hinge and then it got easier.

[ZeGermanHam]

Originally Posted by gtospieg

Ze... I recently removed one of the hinges on my Tempest project. I used heat and an impact driver...for a while. I eventually got two out of three and was then able to heat the third one again and use the impact driver again. It finally loosened just enough that I could twist the hinge and then it got easier.

Yeah, I thought about using heat. It's a good idea and I'd have given it a try, but my torch is elsewhere at the moment. Not wanting to take no for an answer tonight, I got out the drill gun and went to work. I had to drill out four of the six bolts to get the hinges off the original passenger side door, but I won the battle.

Originally Posted by nikrnic

Just got to say I love following your resto story. Big fan of the 24207. It took me years to find the right one. Cheers!

Thank you! I hope that others here are able to get some entertainment from my restoration along the way. I always enjoy getting ideas and feedback from others, so it has been fun to post here and share the experience.

Originally Posted by MUSLCAH

Your lucky to live where you do....got rust free parts from near by Idaho...and Cali ...Nevada...with reasonable shipping rates.

Yeah, being from the Midwest originally, I know I have it good where I live now. Even aside from the neighboring states, stuff doesn't really rust in Washington State, either. Much of the state of pretty dry and arid, and West of the Cascades where it rains is still surprisingly easy on cars. Very little to no snow and no road salt makes a huge difference.

[MUSLCAH]

Another tip on getting a good grip on the Phillips head screws....it to add some valve grinding compound to the screw head...then wiggle the Phillips screw driver head into the compound ,until you get a snug fit....then pound away with the impact driver...or impact Gun.

[RedDirtRoad]

Looking great Karl !
I bought new hinges for my car and have a few sets of original ones if you need a set
Let me know

[bdk1976]

Originally Posted by MUSLCAH

Another tip on getting a good grip on the Phillips head screws....it to add some valve grinding compound to the screw head...then wiggle the Phillips screw driver head into the compound ,until you get a snug fit....then pound away with the impact driver...or impact Gun.

I’ve used this trick with success several times. I think I even used a dab of gojo with pumace once (it worked) when grinding compound wasn’t handy.

[ZeGermanHam]

Originally Posted by RedDirtRoad

Looking great Karl !
I bought new hinges for my car and have a few sets of original ones if you need a set
Let me know

Thanks, Dominic! I think I should be able to get by reusing my old hinges, fortunately. They seem pretty slop-free, and thing they appear to need is new rollers and springs for the door brake mechanism on the lower hinges, which I'll replace when I take the hinges back off and clean them up. Fortunately, I see Ames sells the rollers & springs in a kit.

Originally Posted by MUSLCAH

Another tip on getting a good grip on the Phillips head screws....it to add some valve grinding compound to the screw head...then wiggle the Phillips screw driver head into the compound ,until you get a snug fit....then pound away with the impact driver...or impact Gun.

A great idea! Too late for me to try that now, but it's an excellent tip that I will remember for future encounters with stubborn Phillips head bolts.

[ZeGermanHam]

Round two on door duty today. Got the passenger side mounted, and it came out very good. Shaved a half hour off my working time from yesterday! I can now breathe a sigh of relief that both donor doors fit the body and aren't going to fight me.

Also quickly slapped on the core support and fenders. They're nowhere near close to being aligned, but I wanted to get them loosely bolted on so I can get to them later in the week. I can tell it's not going to be fun, though...

[ZeGermanHam]

Couple questions for you guys. Firstly, I think I know the answer already, but I wanted to ask whether it's necessary to install the front inner wheel housings when mocking up the front clip for panel gapping/fitment testing. I've got the front fenders loosely mocked up now without the wheel housings, and it seems like they might play a role in how everything lines up. Just wanted to double-check before I take everything off and try again.

Secondly, anyone have ideas about these core support bushings? They aren't thick enough to keep the core support from resting directly on the frame. Unless I'm doing something wrong here...?

[66sprint6]

I had to shim mine up with washers, as shown in the chassis manual. I'm also thinking that the repro bushings are not as thick as the original ones were.

[gtospieg]

Yes... washers as needed

[ZeGermanHam]

Washers it is then. Seems a bit absurd to have to stack 3/8" or more of washers, but such is life with aftermarket reproduction parts I guess. Thanks guys.

Anyone have input on whether I should install the front wheel housings when aligning the fenders?