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Help with '63 door/panel alignment!

2K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  Craigert 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello everyone,

I am just about ready to ship off the car to my paint guy to make her a nice shade of blue. I am trying to get the panels aligned before it goes to save myself some money at the body shop. I have tried for a few nights now to get the door to align just perfect and have gotten close, but it has raised more questions now....

First off, Why the heck did they design these door hinges so you cannot get to the screws that hold the hinges to the doors from the outside(with fenders off)!!! argh!!!

Is there a good write up anywhere to explain how to properly align the doors? I am confused how to properly align the in/out that you would need to loosen the hinge from the door. This means totally removing the door from the car to make adjustments and then try it all over again? I am really getting frusterated. I have spent quite a bit of time searching SNS and not found anything yet...

One more thing:
The original manual says that you need to use some sort of sealer to seal the clamping surface of the hinges to the car and door from water. At what point do I add this sealer?

Is there a good way to get the doors perfectly aligned, and then remove the hinges, and some sort of sealer, and then re-assemble without having to worry about alignment getting off? Do most people just score around the hinge?

Thanks guys!
 
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#3 ·
The art of Nova panel alignment:

Experience mixed with love of what you are doing with unending attention to detail will get you there.

There is no magic formula for getting our cars to look perfect but the rules are similar for all of our antiques. Flyer I'm sure pointed you in the right direction and familiarity will teach you what works as in hands on. 20 plus years and still messing with panel alignment.
 
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