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front fenders dont line up

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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 11:39 PM
  #1  
newagereject's Avatar
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Car: 1988 Trans Am GTA
Engine: 305
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73 posi
front fenders dont line up

The front fenders, doors and hood do not line up i was told by a guy at a body shop that i will need a front end pull to bring the front end back into allignment is this true or do i need to do alot of adjusting on the panals?
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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 11:53 PM
  #2  
peterc005's Avatar
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From: Melbourne, Australia
Car: 1988 IROC Camaro (RHD)
Engine: 350 ci L98 SBC
Transmission: T700
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt BW, Disk, Posi-traction
Re: front fenders dont line up

Are they the original factory fenders of new repro?

The factory workshop manual includes the floorpan measurements so you can tell if the body is square and straight.
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Old Feb 17, 2012 | 03:03 PM
  #3  
white gold 88's Avatar
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From: Conway SC
Car: 1988 Camaro
Engine: 385
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt
Re: front fenders dont line up

Need pics. You may or may not need a "pull". Why did you replace the sheet metal? Was it damaged or rusty?
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Old Feb 18, 2012 | 01:49 AM
  #4  
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Car: 1988 Trans Am GTA
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Re: front fenders dont line up

As far as i know they are origional, but ive been backed into once and the previous owner was in an accident to i think cause there is a small buckle in the drivers side fender
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Old Feb 18, 2012 | 03:28 AM
  #5  
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From: Melbourne, Australia
Car: 1988 IROC Camaro (RHD)
Engine: 350 ci L98 SBC
Transmission: T700
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt BW, Disk, Posi-traction
Re: front fenders dont line up

Do you mean you can't get a good even gap between the door and fender?

Does the top of the fender align with the body?

Maybe the body bent at the bottom where there are bolts for the lower fender, causing the fender to bow out.
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Old Feb 18, 2012 | 01:42 PM
  #6  
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Car: 1988 Trans Am GTA
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Re: front fenders dont line up

i do not get a good gap at the passanger door and then the hood rubs up by the windshield but not down by the headlights and the trim peice that runs through the middle of the panal and door is off by about a half inch to an inch
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Old Feb 19, 2012 | 01:46 AM
  #7  
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From: Melbourne, Australia
Car: 1988 IROC Camaro (RHD)
Engine: 350 ci L98 SBC
Transmission: T700
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt BW, Disk, Posi-traction
Re: front fenders dont line up

Do up all the bolts fairly loosely, then get a rubber mallet and start banging until the gaps are even.

That's pretty much what they did in the factory.

Unless the body is very bent I think you should still get good gaps with a bit of messing about.
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Old Feb 19, 2012 | 02:02 AM
  #8  
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Car: 1988 Trans Am GTA
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Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73 posi
Re: front fenders dont line up

Yea im thinking thats what i have to do cause the doors rub in the back but not the dront, and i checked for sagging and they are perfect
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Old Feb 19, 2012 | 06:09 AM
  #9  
peterc005's Avatar
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From: Melbourne, Australia
Car: 1988 IROC Camaro (RHD)
Engine: 350 ci L98 SBC
Transmission: T700
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt BW, Disk, Posi-traction
Re: front fenders dont line up

You can also use a flat pry bar or even a large flat screwdriver to shift the fender in a place.

It takes a bit of skill and patience.
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Old Feb 22, 2012 | 11:58 AM
  #10  
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From: knoxville tn
Car: 86 IROC
Engine: 5.0 TPI
Transmission: 700-R-4
Axle/Gears: 2.73 open
Re: front fenders dont line up

Originally Posted by peterc005
You can also use a flat pry bar or even a large flat screwdriver to shift the fender in a place.

It takes a bit of skill and patience.
you can measure for squareness to eliminate the possibility of the front being bent out of square,like this;measure from the hood hinge bolt holes to the opposite corner of the rad. brace. do this on both sides and this will roughly tell you if things are ok or not. also sadly if the two measurements are not the same theres no chance the fenders and hood will fit properly without some pulling involved .make friends with a frame shop.and good luck
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Old Feb 22, 2012 | 04:44 PM
  #11  
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From: Melbourne, Australia
Car: 1988 IROC Camaro (RHD)
Engine: 350 ci L98 SBC
Transmission: T700
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt BW, Disk, Posi-traction
Re: front fenders dont line up

That makes sense.

Are you saying the radiator support is mounted exactly in the middle of the car?
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Old Feb 22, 2012 | 09:31 PM
  #12  
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From: Syracuse NY
Car: 84 Z-28
Engine: 305 HO
Transmission: r-700
Axle/Gears: 3:73
Re: front fenders dont line up

Before you do anything look under the car at the bottom of the fender in front of the door. Look to see if the metal tabs at the bottom of the fender are bent or mashed. If they are that means some dum-dum jacked up the car in the wrong spot and bent the fender mounts so now they don't line up with the door and hood !

Common issue.
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Old Feb 24, 2012 | 05:48 PM
  #13  
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Re: front fenders dont line up

I have a question about after market fenders, found a deal on reman fenders made by a company called sherman, are they any good? or will i have issues with stuff not matcing up?
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Old Jul 10, 2012 | 11:16 PM
  #14  
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Re: front fenders dont line up

Originally Posted by tigeraly
I have a question about after market fenders, found a deal on reman fenders made by a company called sherman, are they any good? or will i have issues with stuff not matcing up?
go to a junk yard get the real 1s.
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Old Jul 11, 2012 | 04:48 PM
  #15  
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Engine: 3.1 but 350 soon, 350, 350
Transmission: T56 soon
Axle/Gears: stock 3.42 Posi to come
Re: front fenders dont line up

People have had all sorts of odd problems with aftermarket fenders. the body line in the center of the fender is off by alot, holes do not line up, wrong general shape etc.
It has been shown many times that a good used factory panel is best.
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Old Jul 11, 2012 | 05:01 PM
  #16  
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Re: front fenders dont line up

Originally Posted by 91phoenix
People have had all sorts of odd problems with aftermarket fenders. the body line in the center of the fender is off by alot, holes do not line up, wrong general shape etc.
It has been shown many times that a good used factory panel is best.
Yep it the only way to go/after market last resoret!!!!!
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