trunk alignment

[vicmach1]

Hi There,

I have been looking at a mach 1 that has undergone a total restoration 3 years ago. Everything is new on the car including all panels and floors and rear quarters.

Thats good because there is now zero rust on the car.

My concern is that in the photos it appears the right hand side of the trunk sits slightly higher than the left. Is there much adjustment on the hinges for alignment vertically.

I maybe overreacting but i just dont want some panel issues when the rear quarters were changed. It looks like height adjustment only.

Regards

VICMACH1

 

[Qcode351mach]

Hi There,

I have been looking at a mach 1 that has undergone a total restoration 3 years ago. Everything is new on the car including all panels and floors and rear quarters.

Thats good because there is now zero rust on the car.

My concern is that in the photos it appears the right hand side of the trunk sits slightly higher than the left. Is there much adjustment on the hinges for alignment vertically.

I maybe overreacting but i just dont want some panel issues when the rear quarters were changed. It looks like height adjustment only.

Regards

VICMACH1

Your Concern is valid..There is basically zero height adjustment on the HINGE..you can place shims between the deck lid & hinge & most cars I've seen (factory installed) have a shim at the rear for the correct angle..Height is adjusted at the trunk latch catch on the rear body panel..problem is most guys don't install the rear body panel properly height wise..centered side to side & even gap to the bottom edge of the trunk lid..Put your finger under the rear lip in between the lip & top edge of the body panel run it from side to side..It will tell you alot..you can also get in the trunk or remove the top part of the rear seat have a look at how it fits when closed..There may be no room to bring the lid down if the rear panel was installed incorrectly..

 

[vicmach1]

Thanks for your reply.

I am having it inspected and have mentioned to the inspector to check that area.

Hopefully they will have an idea whats going on.

What worries me is that it will be the first thing i look at every time i look at the car if its not improved a little bit.

The rest of the car is near perfect.

 

[Qcode351mach]

Thanks for your reply.

I am having it inspected and have mentioned to the inspector to check that area.

Hopefully they will have an idea whats going on.

What worries me is that it will be the first thing i look at every time i look at the car if its not improved a little bit.

The rest of the car is near perfect.

I can tell you right now... just from enlarging the picture & zooming in..the rear body panel is NOT installed correctly..It's high on the right side & over (not centered) to the right..It's also 1 reason the end cap doesn't fit so good on the right side..Besides the end cap not being fitted properly to the aftermarket qtr..That seems to be a problem for most body guys..why I don't know..It's a simple matter to fit/ mod the end cap when replacing the rear body panel/qtr ...Seems every car I've seen with a rear body panel done or aftermarket qtr hung..The end caps never fit right nor does the trunk line up properly with the end caps.. because someone couldn't take the time or didn't have the know how to fit it. The end result is what you see on the car your looking at. Amazing that a shop that did a total restoration would let a car out the door with a trunk so out of alignment..Would make me question the installation of every single panel they installed replaced

 

[vicmach1]

Thankyou qcode 351,

Your information is priceless.

I was a bit uncomfortable with the way it looked.

Thats see what the inspector says.

 

[Qcode351mach]

Thankyou qcode 351,

Your information is priceless.

I was a bit uncomfortable with the way it looked.

Thats see what the inspector says.

No problem..Tell him to take a tape measure & measure the trunk opening side to side (from the rain gutter to the rear body panel on the left then right)

Survey says they don't match..Only fix is redoing the rear body panel

 

[Don65Stang]

It probably leaks into the trunk when it rains.

 

[Kit Sullivan]

I had the same situation with mine when it was assembled after the last paint job. Even if the panels are slightly mismounted, this is an easy fix. Believe it or not, adding shims to the hinge closest to the rear window will do the trick.