it SUCKS to be me

[Toqwik]

Well, got about all the bodywork roughed in, and today, my trunk lid shows up. All excited, I go to mount it, but something is wrong, it won't fit. WTF !! After a stint with a tape measure, I find out that my trunk opening is 1 1/4" out of square. Ok, the body isnt bolted to the frame yet, could that be my problem? I will have to shift something somewhere, so should I push the top over, or try to move the bottom? My doors seem to line up pretty well, so where should I start? Why can't everything be easy? Scott

[Nick32vic]

If this hobby was easy all the ricers would be buildin Rod's and Kustoms. I hope you get this problem worked out.

[james]

Do you have any support welded in the body before you pulled it off the frame? If not you're in for some fun trying to get it all squared up. I'd wait till you get it back on the frame, loosely bolt it up, then get out some washers and shims.

[MercMan1951]

You'd be surprised how much a body will flex off the frame. That's why it's so hard to get decent factory gaps after you totally take a car apart. When I had my Chevelle, I had to sit on the front fenders while I tightened up the nuts so they would "bow" enough to line up with the doors...

[Wowcars]

Is the crossmember behind the back seat under the backlight intact, yet? That would explain a lot of flexing in your body. Just a thought.

[Toqwik]

all the floor structure ( subrails, etc) are original and in excellent shape. Can you shim the body enuf to pull that much out of it? Scott

[DrJ]

Pictures?

[Toqwik]

glad to send pics, but of what? my (trunk) hole is 1 inch out of square. lid fits on one area, overlaps the body 1 inch at the bottom, and no visible damage to any substructure, nor enuf body damage to warrant being off that much. let me know your thoughts...Scott

[Tinbender]

After mock up on the chassis,measure the opening diagonally, (from left top to botom right corner, then right top to left bottom) You will need to jack from corner to corner of the shorter distance till they are the same.