panel gaps

[cooltom31]

since rebuilding my novea the front end looks all over the place and i can get the panel gaps right, does anyone have any tips to doing this as it doing my head in!

cheers

tom

[Dave.]

i know this is random.. but search on youtube "wheeler dealers ford capri".. from what i can remember he shows you how to get the gaps right.. will have a look now if i can find it :thumb:

[Dave.]

cant seem to find it mate, iirc he uses grinders etc to file bits off.. if your using pattern panels then this is what youll probabley have to do, if your re-fitting your old panels, make sure stuff like old sealent and washers are in the right places, little things liek this can totally set a part out of allignment :thumb:

[Jack]

Even using GM panels, you'll probably have different gaps. Novas weren't exactly built with minimal tolerances lol

[cooltom31]

all my panels are gm but from other novas. think i might strip it down again and start rom the beginning. probably the best way.

[craig green]

Has the car had a new fr panel?

It should be fairly easy to get the panel fit right if its the original panels.

[cooltom31]

its had a new crossmember and new bits around the headlights but the slam panel is origonal, the crossmember was fitted before i bought the car though so maybe they did a bad job or something.

[ade]

easiest way I found when replacing my front wings and adjusting my bonnet was the make little shims that are the right gap and then fitting the panels. You simply slot the shims in top the gaps and adjust each panel in turn until theyre as close as you can get them. With Novas you're always gonna have gap issues - that;s just the way Novas are but the shims will definately help. It does take time so be patient and you may need to acc an occasional bend to get it right but it will go eventually.

To get a shim right take average gap measurements around the panels youve not adjusted and simply make them out of wood. Or you can get lollypop sticks and just stick 3-4 together. Easy.

[stevenf]

if you get stuck tom pop round to mine and a will give you hand to sort it.