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1BIG67AC 03-21-2021 01:42 PM

Body Alignment questions
 
5 Attachment(s)
Gents
Maybe someone can shed some light on my body alignment questions. I have posted a few pictures of what I知 seeing with my body not quite lining up like I think it should. I might be a little OCD in my quest. (1) I noticed that the driver side front wheel opening is not centered like the passenger side, wider gap to the rear of the tire and closer to the front. (2] All other wheel openings are pretty much center up. (3) The trunk flooring is not flush at all with the rear frame rails, it does make contact at the rear bumper brackets that goes thru body but then rises towards the front and leaves a gap which will affect the way the gas tank mounts to the floor of the trunk. (4) The vertical back of the trunk that makes contact with the vertical frame Rails that go up and over the rear end makes contact against the passenger side and has a 3/4 in gap on the drivers side, is this normal? Also I can not push the body any further forward due to the body making contact with the rear frame. Anyway any input would be great.

Imlumpy 03-21-2021 06:00 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Not sure if this will help , I知 not the builder of my car , but I can see a little asymmetry there if I look close .

jkilstrom 03-21-2021 07:58 PM

Hi 1BI, when I placed my A&C body on the frame I had the same issue with the rear trunk not setting flat on the passengers side, I had to shim the gap with rubber to prevent stress on the trunk floor. The trunk wall must be against the frame uprights as the instruction say to do. That may be why your front wheel well seems off. I also had to trim the rear lower inner flange on the drivers side wheel well so the tire will clear. I made sure the trunk wall was tight against the frame and made sure the wheels measured the same on each side front and rear to the body. It will take some time to get it the way you like it. Hope this helps, check out my photos not sure if any that I have can help.
Good luck, John

jkilstrom 03-22-2021 06:55 AM

Hi again 1BI here is a photo of my front wheel well.http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/pict...=19459&thumb=1

1BIG67AC 03-23-2021 04:40 PM

Jkilstrom
The body is moved all the way forward against the rear sub frame. So moving it forward more more would require me cutting the trunk tub on the passenger out to slide it forward 1/2 in or so. I also email Ron at Antique and Collectible and he said to shim the trunk and not to tighten it to the rear frame because it might crack the trunk fiber glass. Also I知 concerned about the bumper bracket aligning correctly so the exit the body properly and also the gas tank fitting correctly in the frame rails. I appreciate every one input.

Dominik 03-23-2021 11:23 PM

You did check if the wheelbase is correct on the left, right?

eschaider 03-24-2021 09:36 AM

Dominic's question is an important touch point in solving your appearance dilemma. If the alignment is correct and the wheelbase is correct and square (similar diagonal measurements) then your wheels are in the right position and the problem is a body fitment / alignment problem.

All glass bodies are copies of some other body. Even the original AC aluminum bodies were different side to side and body to body. It was just the way AC built them. Glass reproductions will take these differences and carry them forward. Like a Xerox machine copy of a copy each generation has a bit more degradation. Add to that the normal challenges in reproducing anything and you can begin to see why distinctions appear in the final product.

Assuming the wheels are in the correct position on the chassis then I would finish the build. If the finished visual was still offensive to me then I would take the finished build to a good glass shop and have them move the wheelwell to fit/meet my sensibilities of what it should look like and where it should be.


Ed

saltshaker 03-24-2021 10:51 AM

A&C body
 
I致e built 2 A&C Cobras and both had the same issue with the left front wheel alignment...
Jon

1BIG67AC 03-24-2021 01:18 PM

Great point gents. I have checked the wheel base from center to center of hub and its right at 90in, also checked for squareness, all seems to be super close. I have also done a simi alignment on the front of the car as well. Not perfect but good to get it to a alignment shop once drivable. I値l try sanding on the back of the trunks passenger side that contacts the rear frame rail to get it to move a little more forward. If I could get another 1/4in, I might live with that.

cobrabritt83 05-02-2021 10:36 AM

As anyone ran into a problem with the back of the truck not being tight against the frame upright on the driver side? My passenger side is pushed up tight against the frame upright, but the driver side as a 3/4" gap when I centered the body on the frame. The floor of my truck area does lay flat on the frame, so I have no issues with any gaps there.

1BIG67AC 05-03-2021 02:29 PM

Cobrabritt83
Yes I have the same issue with the back of my trunk area. But my trunk floor is not flat against the frame either, it痴 at a angle, bigger gap up front towards the rear frame rails. I call Ron at A&C and he told me that I have to make spacer between the frame trunk to lift it a bit to square it off from the frame. But he also told me that I need to bolt the body and frame together in the center of the car with 4 bolt and then install the doors (Which is different from the instructions) and lift the front or rear of the car to get the doors to have proper gap. Anyway I知 not real thrilled with this part of the build. I thought I would be farther ahead with the build than I知 now. Just be patience and it will all come together pretty close to what you want.:;)

Tjd 05-03-2021 05:27 PM

Look at a side shot of an original car and you will see the rear wheels are forward in the real well if you have a 90 inch wheelbase I would move your body back the match pictures of an original 427 and then modify the front wheel wells no small job but it would make it look correct also make sure your chassis is square before it goes to the body shop
Tom


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