66 Gto trunk lid issue
 

Key word here is looking for some "free" info. lol

Any ideas on how to make this look halfway decent.........seems the gaps are not too bad, i can adjust the latch on the lid, only helps in closing it one way or the other..........

The pics of the gap from the side look alot worse than they really are, but no matter i would like to fix this issue up some.

Any ideas on what to try................im thinking the bottom line is bending the trunk to fit, but even if i did that wouldnt everything even be more off. ?????

Hope you guys have some thoughts on this.

Rich

It shows symptoms of being hit dead center in the past, with the floor too high. Also looks to me like it needs to be adjusted forward. If it will go forward, do that first.
If you can push down on a corner, does the opposite corner rise or stay the same? If it rises, there is a gap between the rubber lid bumper and the body. The fix is lowering the latch. If all downward adjustment is used up, the center support is probably too high. See sentence #1.

Thank you 400, i can push a little on the pass side, doesnt do anything with the ds though............will try to move it a little forward, doesnt seem like much room there though..........was a a show today near milwaukee, alot of gto"s of course nothing that looked like my trunk lid. lol...............so im taking it, if the floor is too high, doesnt really matter what i do , its gonna be off.

Rich

Didnt think of that untill now...........any other signs that i could tell if hit in he rear at some time in its past............of course to my untrained eye, everything looks ok. lol

So im thinking the other only thing i can do is bend the trunk lid to where it needs to go, then have the lid repainted.

Rich

Your plan may be the only way to go at this point. If the latch is allowed to come down, it will close that gap and the other side will probably stay up enough due to compressing the weather strip on that side.

Ok, heres where im at today............took the stops off, latch out, weatherstrip out, looks pretty good. lol......really not to sure on how to proceed, the latch connected to the trunk only moves a little one way or the other, i messed with the latch connected to the trunk frame..........not getting any better moving that around , it only moves a 1/16 if that.

Didnt want to try moving the lid back further by myself, but that looks like it would only move a 1/16 at best.........but will give it a try.

Other option, i bought a spare lid years ago, could throw that one on and see what that looks like.

Can try some different weatherstip, think i have the soft seal brand, this will be my 3rd set, seems like im not getting what others have on their gto.

Rich

You can see on the ps side, still a gap, looks alot better on the ds.

Rich

FWIW...
 

I had a trunk seal issue and decided to do a comparison test.
I ordered a few of the top seller's offerings for "Correct" 1966 Trunk Weatherstrip and this is what I found.

This may help you pick the one to help with this issue.
Cheers.

Jeff, thanks for those pics.............these are two of the ws i have laying around, sad you have to buy three sets and hope you get something that fits.

Seems like the only difference is in the size of that slit...........will check on what i have on the car.

Rich

Elongate the mounting holes in the latch ..or catch…to get that lid to draw down. It looks pretty good in the pics ,with your hand holding it shut.

Im gonna give that a try, think i have a spare latch piece to do that with..........but remember those pics are with everything off.........hope this does the trick.

Rich

If pushing with your fingers closes that gap, a tighter latch should do it. The side pic I was assuming was also with you pushing, but if that is just laying there free from pressure, the latch should do it if it can latch tighter.

Ok, messed with it today some............got it to move forward some, really not much change in the back though, and its a hair away from chipping paint towards the rear windshield.

After messing around all afternoon, almost got it back to where i started. lol

Hope im doing this right, my wife was on one side, me on the other, loosened both hinge bolts and tried moving from side to side..........not really much adjustment that way, just seems like i cant get it centered right, seems it moves some but when you tighten the bolts back up, it always moved too much. I finally give up for the day.

Read some posts about bending the hinges with a 2X4........not sure how that would work with good paint on the lid.

Any other tips would be appreciated.

Rich

I'm not sure bending the hinges will address the rear of the lid.
You may want to apply several layers of painter's tape around the gutter just in case you have a slip with the lid.
Also may have to elongate the hinge holes slightly for more adjustment of the lid.

I don't think I'd mess with trying to tweek hinges. You don't want more problems than you have. I'd be more inclined trying to tweek the lid. With some wood and blankets strategically located under that corner, try pushing down to actually bend it where you want it to be. Trial and error. Little at a time.

tjs..........hate to sound dumb, but your talking about doing this with the lid off i presume. lol

oh boy, i can see paint a flying...........im assuming im gonna have to get this lid painted one way or the other with all my messing around.

Jeff, posted in the 66-67 section, but does this gap look about right to you on the topside of the lid...Also may have to elongate the hinge holes slightly for more adjustment of the lid.

Im taking it you mean to elongate them so i can go side to side a hair..........im thinking i might have to go tjs 72"s way, still a ways off on the other end

Is this gap i have now along the top, about normal, the ends seem off, nothing i can do about that.

Rich

A better pic of the corners.........you guys think i can still move that lid a little bit more forward.

Rich

Thanks for hanging in there with me. lol

Rich, in the pictures I based that lid-forward suggestion on, the lid molding appeared to extend back further than the quarter moldings. On some cars, getting that area 100% isn't possible. Maybe that's the case with the 66.
Because the lid turns downward for several inches at the rear edge, if the lid is sitting back it amplifies the gaps to the quarters.
Rather than typing an elaborate process of adjustments and how to get out of trouble on adjustments, I'm going to PM my number to you in case you want to discuss things tomorrow.

All these restoration shows just ruined everyone’s expectations of their car. These things fit like that from the factory …..And when you went to a car show in the 80’s ….we’re you looking at “Gaps” Heck no….you were looking at the car overall. But times have changed ……….

I don't think messing with your hinge slotting or front to back is going to help your issue.
I do mean trying to bend a tad while on car and protected to see where it gets you. If no progress, yes the lid has to come off. A wood template cut (use cardboard as a template for wood cutout) to contour of quarter panel. Use the template as a guide to how well it fits after trial bends. Then on car off car until your satisfied. I had to do this recently on a 72 GTO hood that was bowed up in center about an inch above fenders due to someone else's problem (probably bad hinges). I had to clamp hood between 2x4's and a long one inch bar of steel to get right. Now it fits perfectly.