Hey guys, got a question. Have an '83 base Firebird with T-Tops and electric windows, the guy I got it from thought the IROC on the doors was "wrong" so instead of peeling them off or getting the doors painted, he swapped doors. I scraped the paint off the door sticker (as a friend and I did a quick sand and spray on it a while back), and find that the doors are from an '82. I have a problem with the driver's door having a big gap at the front fender (the door sticks out away from the body). Big enough that it lets air in like a wind tunnel by my feet and the hinges get packed with snow/slush in the winter. The door seals are only 3 years old, no tears. Is there a way to adjust the door inwards using the hinge bolts? I haven't had a chance to look, I work a lot... any tips on adjusting? Pic included for any reference

Thanks in advance!

 

Mine is just the OPPOSITE. My neighbor backed into my door, so I pulled one from what looked like a 91 in the junkyard and when I put it on, I had to shim the hinge to get it out level with the fender! I think we both need to adjust our fenders, because the hinge to body mount is a solid one. Pull the ground effects and check the bolt holes on the fender- you should have some room to adjust it...

 

First rule in adjusting body pieces is start from the back and work your way forward. Since the quarter panel doesnt adjust align the doors off of the quarter then align the fenders to the door AFTER door is properly aligned. Dont know if its any help but there u go

 

The door closes good, it also aligns with the rear quarter just fine. Window seals great (also put on new T-Top seals so that helped). It's just at the very front, it sticks out away from the body of the car (not to the front or back), so moving the fender forward/back would do nothing but make the door hook it when opened/closed..

 

A lot of the front of the door/rear of the front fender alignment being out of wack
is from some tool jacking the car up in the wrong spot in that area.
It then bends/pops the back of the front fender out !

Have a look underneath the car in that area and you will prob. find the bottom
of the fender apron bent/crushed......................

 

That is different than most. Usually the fender is out farther. Try loosening the 13mm bolt in the bottom then sliding a shim between rocker and fender and re tightening the bolt. As long as the door seals in the weatherstrip then you should adjust fender to door.

Also, you may be able to loosen the 10mm bolt at the front of the lower rear section of the fender and move the fender in and out there. Pushing in at the front tends to bring the back out a little.

You may want to try opening the door and just reaching in and tugging the fender out a little. There are other ways if those don't get it to work.

 

try bending the little fender adjustment on the botem straight ive seen a lot of them get botemed out and it makes your fender go in weird directions in out left right it all depends but i would start there and make shure its straight

 

mine RS had this exact problem - both lower fender tabs were bent up flat with the underside. made installing the replacement fenders a bit more of a chore

 

Well.. crap... no longer matters. Got into a wreck yesterday... front clip, bumper cover, driver's fender and hood all damaged... searching for replacements. It reeeaaally bugs me having anything wrong with my car at all...