Body panel spacing

KiltedBanshees93GT · 04-02-2004, 11:20 AM

I was just pondering my plans for the '66, along with a bodywork article I read a while back that mentioned the importance of aligning body panels to get a good fit, and having a constant width between panels, and an idea occured to me. Has anyone here ever tried using tile spacers during bodywork? (for anyone who does not know, spacers are small "+" shaped pieces of plastic that are used to space ceramic tiles out to a given width before grouting, sorry, I work at the "Depot")
Seems to me like they would be perfect to fit between panels to give a constant width before final assembly, plus, they're plastic, so they wont scratch paint.

Let me know what you think,
J

Rev · 04-02-2004, 05:28 PM

Anything that can be used to make the spaces "appear" equal is good. Sometimes due to inequities in the chassis and the panels, we have to "split the difference" in actual measurements. If one space is 1/32" different and i't a balanced difference, the finished product still looks good. I hope I'm making sense here, LOL.

As a comparison, I doubt that all the rooms in the tile installations are exactly square either.

Rev

Kisner · 04-03-2004, 01:33 PM

I'll give you 2 tips when you get around to installing the doors, that I wish had done. Before you hang the doors, definitely install the door jamb switches and sill plates (you can remove after the doors are hung since you probably won't have the carpet in yet and it'll need to be tucked under the sills). Me and a buddy of mine measured, measured, and measured again and thought we had the doors absolutely perfect. However, at the end of reassembly when I put on the sill plates they hit the bottom of the door at the far end near the dash. I ended up trimming off the end of the sill plate where it curves upward by about a 1/4" so they wouldn't hit since we obviously had the doors about an 1/16" too low (very small clearance there). Also, we were out on the doors about 1/16" too much and they wouldn't quite catch my door jamb switches. Switched from the small 68 switch to the larger 67 switch and it worked out perfect. Just 2 lessons I learned the hard way. Be careful also not to hand them too high or you'll be chancing the roof rail molding at the front will hit the top of the door. For everything to fit perfect, you have to be near perfect on aligning the doors. Guess I could've just removed the doors and readjusted them but we took the easy way out.

04-02-2004, 11:20 AM	#1
KiltedBanshees93GT Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Pigeon Forge Tn Posts: 611	Body panel spacing I was just pondering my plans for the '66, along with a bodywork article I read a while back that mentioned the importance of aligning body panels to get a good fit, and having a constant width between panels, and an idea occured to me. Has anyone here ever tried using tile spacers during bodywork? (for anyone who does not know, spacers are small "+" shaped pieces of plastic that are used to space ceramic tiles out to a given width before grouting, sorry, I work at the "Depot") Seems to me like they would be perfect to fit between panels to give a constant width before final assembly, plus, they're plastic, so they wont scratch paint. Let me know what you think, J __________________ ____________ '66 Mustang Coupe- AKA "Lenore" on disability for a (long) bit '93 GT Mostly stock AKA "Fawkes" Rice Haters Club Member #239 "I find your lack of faith...disturbing." "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats." H. L. Mencken

04-02-2004, 05:28 PM	#2
Rev Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Houston, Tx. Posts: 3,887	Any device Anything that can be used to make the spaces "appear" equal is good. Sometimes due to inequities in the chassis and the panels, we have to "split the difference" in actual measurements. If one space is 1/32" different and i't a balanced difference, the finished product still looks good. I hope I'm making sense here, LOL. As a comparison, I doubt that all the rooms in the tile installations are exactly square either. Rev __________________ '66 Coupe, 306, 350-375 HP, C-4, 13.07 e.t., 104.8 mph, 1/4 mi. O.B.C. #2 '66 coupe

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04-03-2004, 01:33 PM	#3
Kisner Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 290	I'll give you 2 tips when you get around to installing the doors, that I wish had done. Before you hang the doors, definitely install the door jamb switches and sill plates (you can remove after the doors are hung since you probably won't have the carpet in yet and it'll need to be tucked under the sills). Me and a buddy of mine measured, measured, and measured again and thought we had the doors absolutely perfect. However, at the end of reassembly when I put on the sill plates they hit the bottom of the door at the far end near the dash. I ended up trimming off the end of the sill plate where it curves upward by about a 1/4" so they wouldn't hit since we obviously had the doors about an 1/16" too low (very small clearance there). Also, we were out on the doors about 1/16" too much and they wouldn't quite catch my door jamb switches. Switched from the small 68 switch to the larger 67 switch and it worked out perfect. Just 2 lessons I learned the hard way. Be careful also not to hand them too high or you'll be chancing the roof rail molding at the front will hit the top of the door. For everything to fit perfect, you have to be near perfect on aligning the doors. Guess I could've just removed the doors and readjusted them but we took the easy way out.