Body shims

[Dick Groot Boerle]

Hello,

I tried to read as much as I could about this topic, but could find the answer to my question: How far can you go in adding/decreasing body shims in order to get the panels right? Right now I have 5 [ads on the outriggers and 0 at the rear and still the B-post has to move more backwards. Can I overstretch ?  I started with only 1 pad on each outrigger, 1 at the rear, 2 at the front and 3 at each of the 3 positions towards the front. I did so while this was the initial situation I found when dismantling the car which had all its panels properly aligned. Unless carefully braced and carefully handled something must have gone wrong...I continued with everywhere the number of pads according to the manual. Meanwhile I am at 5 pads on the outriggers, 0 at the rear, 2 at the front, and 2 + the aluminium one middle-front. Still the right door is too tight and strange enough the boot-lid opening is too narrow. What can I do to solve this ?

Best regards from France

Dick

 

 

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

Was the body rebuilt on the chassis?

The chassis shape will change once it is standing in its wheels.

[Dick Groot Boerle]

Hi, thanks for your reply. The chassis was entirely verified and appeared to be ok. The body was put on the chassis while this was ond stands or supports as shown in the picture. Next on its wheels before fitting the doors.

[Kiwifrog]

You really should have verified the panel gaps and fit before final paint, if you end up having to adjust things now it may ruin your finish, I don’t think you will be able to sort out your gaps just by using pads

[Dick Groot Boerle]

Thanks for your reply although it seems bad news. I did verify all gaps just before painting. After repairs the panels were fitted to the body and everything was OK. But now after painting, transport etc. things have changed..

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

13 hours ago, Dick Groot Boerle said:

Thanks for your reply although it seems bad news. I did verify all gaps just before painting. After repairs the panels were fitted to the body and everything was OK. But now after painting, transport etc. things have changed..

How thick was the paint layer applied?

[stuart]

Presumably the bracing wasnt in the shell when it went for paint? I would say its probably not been supported correctly while it was at the painters, the rear section of the body from the "B" post backwards is the heaviest part of the shell so if not supported correctly will droop or twist which might also explain the problem with the boot lid.

I would unbolt the shell completely from the chassis so there is no strain on anything and then get the chassis up on axle stands with each stand positioned at the wheel centres points under the chassis and levelled up front to back and side to side then  with a tape measure measure from the top of the right hand "A"post to the top of the left hand "B" post and then measure from the top of the left hand "A" post to the top of the right hand "B" post and compare the measurements then put a large spirit level across the body side to side and front to back and then see whats moved.

Stuart.

[Dick Groot Boerle]

The paint was applied by a professional body shop. First repairs including welding, partly new floor and sills. Next all panels refitted to the body and all gaps really good although the chassis was not on its wheels...Next light plastering where necessary, and primer. Then all panels taken off  to be painted separately like the body.

So in hindsight not putting the  chassis on its wheels in the body shop has been a mistake. Could not have imagined that this would result in such large deviations.  I don't think I can solve it with shims, but do not (yet) see how it can be done..

[stuart]

1 minute ago, Dick Groot Boerle said:

The paint was applied by a professional body shop. First repairs including welding, partly new floor and sills. Next all panels refitted to the body and all gaps really good although the chassis was not on its wheels...Next light plastering where necessary, and primer. Then all panels taken off  to be painted separately like the body.

So in hindsight not putting the  chassis on its wheels in the body shop has been a mistake. Could not have imagined that this would result in such large deviations.  I don't think I can solve it with shims, but do not (yet) see how it can be done..

Its never a good idea to repair bodies with the car sitting on its wheels you need the shell on the chassis with the chassis supported on four stands at the wheel centres under the chassis and it set up level front to back and side by side.

Stuart.

[Dick Groot Boerle]

Hi Stuart,

Thanks for your  reply. I see now what has gone wrong. I fear the measurements you suggest will show the body has changed the wrong way. Have to figure out how to reshape the body, if you use i.e. hydraulic equipement it is hard to control it and make sure that only the intended positions move. Any advice is welcome.

[stuart]

The only way is to do as I have suggested above with measurements first of all and then work out how to get over it but you may well be in for some panel "Adjustments" and associated paintwork Im afraid.

Stuart.

[Dick Groot Boerle]

I appreciated you help !

Best regards

Dick

[Richardtr3a]

My A post on my TR3A has an extra fixing bolt. I found that the weight of the door was moving the top of the A post and the door was a bad fit.

I have fitted a countersunk bolt about 6" long. It is fitted through the top hinge next to the four original bolts. but is flush with the face of the hinge. The bulkhead sealer panel was removed at this point and only refitted when the adjustments and painting was completed. There is a right angle  bracket bolted to the bulkhead assembly but hidden in the body cavity. The new bolt passes through the hinge into the cavity and then through the short leg of the new  bracket. There is a self locking nut on the front side of the right angle bracket , accessible from a new round hole in the wheel arch which was cut to allow a socket wrench to have access and adjust the self locking nut. This new hole has a rubber flap to keep rain and splashes out of the body cavity.There is also a rubber drain pipe on the end of the original hidden drain channel to help the rain  keep away from the inside of the wing. All TR3 front wings rust in the lower front part when the owners used to keep the cars outside in all weather in the sixties and seventies and later.  

The doors at this point have good clearance over the sills and close well. But the top edge is not perfectly in line with the top of the B post. That was the point where I stopped and had the car painted. 

My chassis was in very good condition but that is another story.

Good luck Richard & B