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misaligned hatch

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Old Jun 17, 2002 | 12:55 PM
  #1  
demon138's Avatar
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 265
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From: Alice, TX
Car: 89 Pontiac GTA Trans Am
Engine: T.P.I. 383 Stroker
Transmission: Monster 700R4
misaligned hatch

my hatch goes a little to the right how can i fix this?
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Old Jun 17, 2002 | 05:41 PM
  #2  
urbman's Avatar
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Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 442
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From: Albuquerque NM
https://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/t...tchalign.shtml
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Old Jun 18, 2002 | 12:44 PM
  #3  
TomP's Avatar
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 13,414
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From: Central NJ, USA
Car: 1986 Firebird
Engine: 2.8 V6
Transmission: 700R4
Well I'll be damned, thanks for the link, urbman! My hatch sticks out on one corner, and I thought it was because the bodyman that fixed the car (before I had it) had screwed up. Wow! Never thought twice about it... cool. Thanks!!
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Old Jun 18, 2002 | 05:51 PM
  #4  
urbman's Avatar
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Joined: Nov 1999
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From: Albuquerque NM
No problem... mine did too !
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Old Jun 18, 2002 | 07:17 PM
  #5  
91Zman's Avatar
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Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,563
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From: Where the heck am I !..Oh yeah,in Lousy-ana.
Car: 1991 Z28
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 4L60 automatic
I think that this is an all too common problem with all 3rdgens,should have been a recall that GM should fix.
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Old Jun 18, 2002 | 08:27 PM
  #6  
SBlackfoot's Avatar
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 859
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From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Car: '90 Trans Am GTA
Engine: LB9
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73's
Mine is off a good 3/8" (stright back), but I'm not so sure that's the problem... I have a rather large gap between the glass and the roof along the top of the hatch too, and the latch rubs the plastic trim when it's opened or closed. I guess I'll need to slot those mounting holes for the hinges and slide it forward from there in my case eh?
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Old Jun 18, 2002 | 09:19 PM
  #7  
urbman's Avatar
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Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 442
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From: Albuquerque NM
the holes in the glass have a bit of play...
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Old Jun 19, 2002 | 07:48 PM
  #8  
SBlackfoot's Avatar
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Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Car: '90 Trans Am GTA
Engine: LB9
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73's
Yeah, but nowhere near enough.
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Old Jun 21, 2002 | 03:44 PM
  #9  
erictheviking's Avatar
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 678
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From: Gloucester,England,UK
Car: '92 RS Camaro
Engine: 406ci D1SC SBC
Transmission: TH400
Axle/Gears: 9" W/Truetrac
Excellent link to Thirdgen.org.and its probably going to be the method I'll be using.Concerned about use of silicone sealant though.You might as well use hydrochloric acid as the acetic acid in the silicone rots metal like you wouldn't believe.The article should have mentioned using neutral silicone sealant.Just thought I'd clear that up.
Ps.personally I'd use a caulk gun applied seam sealer.
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Old Jun 21, 2002 | 04:03 PM
  #10  
uk89camaro's Avatar
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 749
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From: Midlands, UK
Way too many of these...

-*** CAUTION *** HAZARDOUS STEP


for me to worry about a few 16ths of alignment. No thank you.
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Old Jun 21, 2002 | 10:48 PM
  #11  
89formula#1's Avatar
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,537
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From: Cinnaminson, NJ
Car: 89 Formula
Engine: Carbed 5.7
Transmission: TKO-600
well my hatch is crooked and i never knew why then i checked it out real good and the pass. side hinge is snaped in half. so i will replace that and adjust the back and hopefuly i will be good to go. so check your hinges if your hatch is crooked
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Old Jul 10, 2002 | 02:16 PM
  #12  
redraif's Avatar
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,266
Likes: 1
From: Moved... GA still, more garage space!
Car: 87 Red/Blk Bird loaded 3.4L & 700R4
Transmission: Th700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
We replaced my deck lid last night. I wish I would have known there was a tech article, but we did it ok. Used the junkyard car as a learning to take it off tool. There were 3 of us and it was still a challange. This is not an easy feat. I recommend 3 people. One person's full time job: (Protect the glass and hold it at all costs)

Dang glass weighs a ton. I had to sit in the back and hold the glass up. I was worried a stick or prop would mess up the tint if it slipped. So I used my back instead to prop it. Talk about sore spots.

When we got on the new deck lid it left my car with an overbite. It was off by about 1/2 to 3/4 inch off. We had to undo the hatch frame screws and shift the deck lid till it lined up. Took some tightening/loosening and shifting, but we got it lined up. Now we have to redrill the screw holes to accomodate the shift.

We swaped on a new spoiler, so I decided a whole new deck lid swap would be easier. Looks good.
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