Trunk lid and fender height mismatch
#1
Trunk lid and fender height mismatch
I have a 91 Z/28 convertible and am going to take on the project of refinishing the trunk lid and top of the rear quarter panels where the three piece spoiler was residing. I am interested in using the "whale tail" three piece spoiler from hawks or one of the high rise spoilers from a 91/92 without reusing the sides of the original three piece spoiler.
When the spoiler was on the trunk lid and rear fenders appear to line up fairly well. When I removed the spoiler there was an obvious mismatch of heights between the fender and trunk lid. Even with the weather stripping, latching mechanism and rubber bumper/stoppers removed the trunk lid sits ~1/4" higher than the fenders. Are all the convertibles like this? Did the company just use this long three piece spoiler to cover up for their poor craftsmanship or am I missing some easy adjustment only convertible guys know about? I haven't dealt with any convertibles before so I don't know what is and isn't normal.
I know the fix will be easy, just time consuming as I will have to weld on and slightly form some metal on top of the fenders.
When the spoiler was on the trunk lid and rear fenders appear to line up fairly well. When I removed the spoiler there was an obvious mismatch of heights between the fender and trunk lid. Even with the weather stripping, latching mechanism and rubber bumper/stoppers removed the trunk lid sits ~1/4" higher than the fenders. Are all the convertibles like this? Did the company just use this long three piece spoiler to cover up for their poor craftsmanship or am I missing some easy adjustment only convertible guys know about? I haven't dealt with any convertibles before so I don't know what is and isn't normal.
I know the fix will be easy, just time consuming as I will have to weld on and slightly form some metal on top of the fenders.
#2
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Re: Trunk lid and fender height mismatch
The problem is with the caps on the quarter panels. They increase the height. They do cover this height difference up with the spoiler where it meets the caps on the sides. Ultimately It has to do with how the car was constructed, they (ASC) cut the top off of a hard top, in doing so, rather than making new quarter panels (basically redesigning the entire car) they put caps on the top of the panels to cover the cuts. The caps are made from Fiberglass, and therefore stick up on the sides.
So the trunk lid does not come flush with the caps themselves AFAIK...
I own a Firebird, not a Camaro, and there might be some slight differences.
Make sense?
So the trunk lid does not come flush with the caps themselves AFAIK...
I own a Firebird, not a Camaro, and there might be some slight differences.
Make sense?
#3
Re: Trunk lid and fender height mismatch
The problem is with the caps on the quarter panels. They increase the height. They do cover this height difference up with the spoiler where it meets the caps on the sides. Ultimately It has to do with how the car was constructed, they (ASC) cut the top off of a hard top, in doing so, rather than making new quarter panels (basically redesigning the entire car) they put caps on the top of the panels to cover the cuts. The caps are made from Fiberglass, and therefore stick up on the sides.
So the trunk lid does not come flush with the caps themselves AFAIK...
I own a Firebird, not a Camaro, and there might be some slight differences.
Make sense?
So the trunk lid does not come flush with the caps themselves AFAIK...
I own a Firebird, not a Camaro, and there might be some slight differences.
Make sense?
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