body gap allignment

[DesertRat]

Hey guys, I have my car assembled and gapped. I have it on the rotisserie for final panel matching and blocking. Since I have everything assembled I am thinking of drilling for pins to locate everything for reassembly after color. Have any of you used the pin method for reassembly alignment? It took me 50 hours to do it once and I don't want to fight it again in color. Thanks in advance!

[Lou's Comet]

Hey guys, I have my car assembled and gapped. I have it on the rotisserie for final panel matching and blocking. Since I have everything assembled I am thinking of drilling for pins to locate everything for reassembly after color. Have any of you used the pin method for reassembly alignment? It took me 50 hours to do it once and I don't want to fight it again in color. Thanks in advance!

I have used locating pins more than a few times. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't, but at least it gets ya close.

Lou

[DesertRat]

Thanks Lou. More than a few times is endorsement enough for me. I will do it.

[A/FX]

Hey guys, I have my car assembled and gapped. I have it on the rotisserie for final panel matching and blocking. Since I have everything assembled I am thinking of drilling for pins to locate everything for reassembly after color. Have any of you used the pin method for reassembly alignment? It took me 50 hours to do it once and I don't want to fight it again in color. Thanks in advance!

I have used locating pins more than a few times. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't, but at least it gets ya close.

Lou

I agree. I pinned my Comet during mock up, most of the pin locations were right on when I did final assembly, a few were slightly off. Go figure!
Jim

[Boss/Cyclone]

I always pin the hood and trunk for easy realignment if they had to be pulled.

[Rootsy]

I think I know what is being executed here but just for verification can anyone shed any light on this as I soon approach this point in life?

[Lou's Comet]

I think I know what is being executed here but just for verification can anyone shed any light on this as I soon approach this point in life?

Once you have all the panels and gaps all lined up on you car you drill holes through the panels into the body for alignment pins.
I drill 1/8" have a lot of 1/8" drill bits laying around lol
This way when you disassemble the car for paint it will be easier to align the panels when you reassemble the car, just line up the holes and insert the pins. Then when you bolt the panel back on the alignment "should" be the same.

Lou

[Rootsy]

So how do you seal those holes up?

[Lou's Comet]

So how do you seal those holes up?

I don't. If the paint in the holes chip during reassembly I just dab a little touch up paint in them. I only put like two holes in each fender and two holes in each trunk & hood hinge. Once everything is done they are not noticeable .

Lou

[Caveman49]

You know I’ve always wondered about pinning the sheet metal. I guess everything needs assembled before final paint, at least that’s what I’m thinking. I’ll probably be using tape on the edges when I reassemble, if painted before, although the alignments on the doors, fenders and hood were really bad to begin with, it’ll be fun trying to get them aligned when I put the 66 back together, painted or not

[Boss/Cyclone]

I think I know what is being executed here but just for verification can anyone shed any light on this as I soon approach this point in life?

Once you have all the panels and gaps all lined up on you car you drill holes through the panels into the body for alignment pins.
I drill 1/8" have a lot of 1/8" drill bits laying around lol
This way when you disassemble the car for paint it will be easier to align the panels when you reassemble the car, just line up the holes and insert the pins. Then when you bolt the panel back on the alignment "should" be the same.

Lou

Same procedure I used, works great.

[Lou's Comet]

Same procedure I used, works great.

I just started reassembling my front sheet metal. Pins worked nice. Here is a picture of the pins lining up RF fender. I wrap the drill bits with masking tape (yellow) so they are easier to work with and they don't fall through.



Here is a picture of the hole for the pin, really not that noticeable



Put my fender right back where it was....happy face

Lou

[Caveman49]

Thanks for the pics Lou, makes a whole lot more sense to me now looks great. I know that’s going to be one fine Comet.

[Boss/Cyclone]

Same procedure I used, works great.

I just started reassembling my front sheet metal. Pins worked nice. Here is a picture of the pins lining up RF fender. I wrap the drill bits with masking tape (yellow) so they are easier to work with and they don't fall through.



Here is a picture of the hole for the pin, really not that noticeable



Put my fender right back where it was....happy face

Lou

Good idea. I used a pick last time I had the trunk lid off. I'll try your way next time.