panels getting out of alignment?

zaxwax · Oct 4, 2014

Hey guys, when i got my 71 mach 1, the previous owner had done a great job with the body and paint and all the panels lined up nicely. Recently I've noticed that the hood on the passenger side, the door on the passenger side and the trunk on the passenger side all have slight changes in alignment to them. The hood on the driver side by the windshield tilts up slightly now. (1/4 inch difference) and the passenger side door by the hinges is now not flush the front wheel fender panel (1/4 inch or so). The hood on the passenger side has a slightly wider gap as does the trunk on the same side. I'm wondering what would have caused all these small shifts. It's not really visible at first glance but you can see if you examine it closely. They've all happened in the last couple weeks or so. I'm wondering if I've bent something in the frame. I haven't installed subframe connectors yet, but I have a set waiting to be welded in.

Any thoughts on what might be causing this?

thanks

Qcode351mach · Oct 4, 2014

Hey guys, when i got my 71 mach 1, the previous owner had done a great job with the body and paint and all the panels lined up nicely. Recently I've noticed that the hood on the passenger side, the door on the passenger side and the trunk on the passenger side all have slight changes in alignment to them. The hood on the driver side by the windshield tilts up slightly now. (1/4 inch difference) and the passenger side door by the hinges is now not flush the front wheel fender panel (1/4 inch or so). The hood on the passenger side has a slightly wider gap as does the trunk on the same side. I'm wondering what would have caused all these small shifts. It's not really visible at first glance but you can see if you examine it closely. They've all happened in the last couple weeks or so. I'm wondering if I've bent something in the frame. I haven't installed subframe connectors yet, but I have a set waiting to be welded in.

Any thoughts on what might be causing this?

thanks

Loose body bolts especially if the car was painted taken apart..Thats where you start

Jeff73Mach1 · Oct 4, 2014

Hey Max!

Probably just a combination of temperature change and loose mounting bolts and the fact that you've been driving it. Unless there is significant hidden rust damage or you hit something, the unibody is unlikely to have changed The hinges may have some slop in the pins and that can cause the hood alignment to move within a pretty good range after each opening.

Give me a call if you need a hand wrenching this weekend

zaxwax · Oct 4, 2014

Thanks guys. I will start poking around. Jeff I think my wife has committed my weekend fully but maybe next weekend. There was a silver Mach 1 today at cars and coffee, was it someone from here?

Jeff73Mach1 · Oct 4, 2014

Saw a Red 73 last night at the car show in Hendersonville and had the same thought

caspianwendell · Oct 10, 2014

Q nailed it, loose fender bolts is where I would start.

zaxwax · Oct 10, 2014

Q nailed it, loose fender bolts is where I would start.

forgive my ignorance but which ones are those?

panels getting out of alignment?

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