73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Body, Glass & Paint => Topic started by: 86 chevy silverado on December 30, 2007, 07:23:46 pm
-
I searched past posts before asking yet another repeat question but did not find much info on body mount shims to aid in aligning body panels. It seems a lot of people do have problems with fender to door alignment as well as body lines matching up at the bed and cabs edge.
I had both problems. My truck is a 86 K-30 srw p/u. Body mounts were replaced with urethane. Both (aftermarket) fr fender gaps were tight at top of doors edge and I could put my finger in at the bottom. I had read somewhere that body mount shims could be used to raise the front of the cab slightly, sure enough I had some oversized shims around threw in some equal amount on each side and the fenders fell into place. Today I put the bed back on and one side lines up perfect the other side the bed sits almost 1/4" higher. It seems now I have to shim the cab up to meet the line of the bed for a nice line. My before pics show the bed was high before teardown as well.
My question is how common is this? Are you guys using shims to help alignment?
I'm going to do what I have to to make my line nice, but it seems I'm doing a lot of shimming.
Thanx and Happy Holidays.
-Kevin
-
if you look in the truck catalog, they show shims with the body mount parts. my 87 didn't have them but that doesn't mean they were never used.
-
I'm going to rephrase the question, Do you find it NECESSARY to have to use body shims for proper alignment of panels after major work done? Are you commonly finding shims on your truck during teardown? I did see the shims available in the catalog...thanks.
-
well like i said, i don't have them on mine.
-
well like i said, i don't have them on mine.
I appreciate the coment, I did'nt have them on mine before teardown either.
The past owner may have replaced the body mounts on my truck and never replaced the shims if any.
-
The cabs never used shims, nor the the rest of the body mounting. These trucks weren't built with excellent panel alignment and if you are going for 2007 body line tolerances, you are going to have to shim everything. I am going to have to shim my bed up on the front passenger side and up on the rear drivers side if I can't get it tweaked like I want it...
-
I'm finishing a frame off on my chevelle after several years of blood, sweat, money etc and have been getting equally intimate with my truck the past 6 mo and cant help but want things perfect after all of the work done. I know I cant get as critical with gaps on the truck but that body line has to be nice, its the first thing you see.
This being a 1 ton 4wd the chassis and body over time and heavy duty use could be a little out of wack, so I guess it would be safe to say shimming is acceptable if not necessary for exceptable alignment.
-
These trucks have the crapiest body lines especially when you start bolting on aftermarket crap. I have no idea how the factory mass produced these trucks with such nice body lines. It seems like as soon as you loosen one bolt everything goes to H3LL. My 74 has perfect body lines and it took a lot of care and time to get it that way... I would say before you shim everything replace all of your body mounts
-
Another poor $#*() in CT. What section of this lovely state do live? I'm in the middletown area.
Vile, I just replaced both floors, one front mount, outer rockers (repair inners), both cab corners (inner and outers), doors, inner/outer fr fenders and a goodmark cowl hood as well as poly urethane bushings.
Finish body work and paint in the spring.
-
I'm on the Eastern side of the state... Middletown is about a half hour away
-
I'm on the Eastern side of the state... Middletown is about a half hour away
A little nicer out that way (I feel), I'm usually stuck in endless traffic on the west side.
Is there any truck oriented shows in Ct. that you know of?
I tried posting some pics of my truck and even one was too large of file allowed, is there a different way of posting pics or have to be a member or something?
Thanx
-Kevin
-
Resize the pictures to 800x600 and save them in .jpg format.
Check this link on how to do it...
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=6428.0
-
Is there any truck oriented shows in Ct. that you know of?
i'd like know the same thing, actually. what goes on in this state of ours?
-
In the summer there's a car/truck show in Vernon every week. I may organize somthing at the school in Enfield this summer too.
Monte85 where are you from?
-
i'm in good old willimantic.
-
Pretty close to me too...Coventry
-
Resize the pictures to 800x600 and save them in .jpg format.
Check this link on how to do it...
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=6428.0
Thanks! I dont know how good these pics are going to come out, but here they are.
I've been working on this truck for the past 3-4 months (around my work schedule of course). I built a 468 BB to replace the tired 454, headers and pypes exhaust (from this web site I might add) and 4" lift as well as all the metal replacement and endless list of odds and ends along the way...paint in spring.
monte85, right down the road from you (East Hampton), went to school at Windham Tech way back when.
-
The pics didn't work out that time, and had to open new post to correct. Try again.
-
that is weird. i went to windham tech. graduated in 97. i got to get my camera and snap some shots of my rolling project. just got the cab back on not too long ago, now i got to finish the brakes tomorrow. i put in all new lines and calipers, but i can't bleed the rears due to rusted off bleeders. got some new wheel cylinders for it now.
-
Small world. Class of '86. Automotive (Mr. White and Nicolo) Mr White was pretty old back then, I'm sure he's been gone awhile now.
Went through all that on this truck, lines, wheel cylinders, calipers. Loaded and making a panic stop this thing almost went off the road!
-Kevin
-
I thought about going to Tech til one of my friends told me "there's like 5 girls at Tech and there's like 400 at Rham" So I chose Rham.
Truck looks good...Who's gonna paint your truck when it's done?
-
We had 2 girls in auto shop, neither was a looker! There were several lookers on the 'other' side of the school in the drafting, electrical even machine shop. I met (what I regret to say) the girl I should have married there. I still remember a couple honeys from Coventry.
As far as paint I'm self taught and have been fine tuning off and on the past 10 years, Hopefully painting my chevelle this summer. The truck is going to be a problem because its size, so I have to either make a temp booth or borrow/rent a booth. Got one to rent?
-
plenty of girls when i was there. mostly for culinary arts. mr. nicholo was still there but not mr. white. you didn't know an andy gobin when you were there did you? anyway, kevin, that truck looks sweet. i hope my 87 3/4 will look that good when i'm done ;D
-
"culinary arts" at tech? Are you serious? That wasn't there before (I can see why it would bring the girls in...I wonder if that was on purpose?). The name doesn't ring a bell, but its been 20 years(!).
Keep plugging away at the work on your truck, its all time and money. You can email me with any needs if any, I have a lot of odds and ends leftover as well as parts truck. Rebuildable motors, I have 327"s, old and new 350"s, and a couple 400"s.
For you local guys, I'm searching for a near perfect tailgate, at least minor repair needed. Have 6 in the yard including the 1 ton gate with the lights, but non respectable or within reasonable repair.
Thanx for any feed back.
-
I've got a brand new extra gate. It's aftermarket....
-
How do you feel about the quality and gauge of the aftermarket gates? I still have one from a previous truck that I dented with the palm of my hand when I closed it a little too hard...it wasn't THAT hard.
I'd consider it just to get something on there sometime soon, what do you have to get $$?
-
the only 2 tailgates i have are an aftermarket one and the one on the truck. i don't know about vile, but i don't see anything wrong with the aftermarket gate. seems pretty strong. until a couple of 2x4s punch a hole through it ...... ;D
yeah, culinary arts, and nursing. i went for electronics.
-
I've never had a problem with aftermarket gates except costing about $500 bucks less than a GM gate.
Once I had my quad in the back of a truck and the brake popped off so when I took off the quad rolled into the factory gate destroyed it. I put an aftermarket gate on and it dented before it caved so I can't complain about them at all.
I'd trade it for something.... i need a good rebuildable core engine... other than that I can't think of anything else I need at the moment. :o
-
The GM gates are a little crazy priced and trying to find a nice one almost impossible so far. ???
That will work for me...no problem. I have several virgin motors that would be perfect for a build.
Tell me what you would prefer to build and I'll get a list together.
-
Well I have a work in progress.... It's an 87 frame with an 86 cab with a 3/4 front axle and full floater in the rear. It's got 4.10's and I just built a 700R4 and a 208 case for it. Now all I need is a motor since the one I built got stolen (by a former friend who never paid me) so I figured I'd build a small block. I got a set of Vortec heads and am rebuilding them now so I'd like to build either a 350, 383 or 400 for this pig. So if you've got any good buildable cores lemme know. I have other stuff too if you need anything else.
-
How about I dig up a virgin 4blt 350. I'd like to see you put together a 383 for that truck, very cost efficient for the power/torque. Get a balanced lower end kit with those heads and mild RV type cam and exhaust. That would carry that truck like a man.
I'll do some homework and see what I can dig up tomorrow.
monte85, culinary AND nursing at Tech? Nursing= girls. Its so clear now. 8)
-
Let me know what you find...and lemme know what else u might need. I have zillions of parts and such
-
since we're on the subject of parts. does either of you have a good hood for an 87? mine has a nice dent on the front edge and the inner structure has seperated from the rest of it. if you have a black or grey one floating around, i would be glad to take it off your hands.
-
I have 2 one is blue the other is red but either one would have to be sanded and painted.
-
want would you want for either one?
-
I'll just give you one of them.
-
Can you feel the love around here? People helping people...am I still in Ct?
I also have a perfect 'red' hood (The one in the first pic I posted).
Went for a couple nice drives in the truck this weekend, very streetable, goes down the road straight and when you get on it...wow! this thing has some bark with that exhaust and will blister the tires. I really LIKE my truck, I could not be happier with the way everything came out. (I wish it was painted already...)
So, Vile, I inventoried all my motors and I have what I think would work out best for you. Its a newer 350 (86+) 4blt one piece rear main truck motor out of my 88 3500 and was running when pulled. Never bored, complete short block. It would also be 'era' correct for your votec heads. I had to check the block to make sure it was machined for a mechanical fuel pump and it is, just blocked off with electric pump.
If your hellbent to do a 400 I have 2 to chose. 1 virgin the other .030 over.
I am not happy with the bumpers I have to use so if you have fr/rear bumpers that are on the nice side I would be interested. I am also looking for some seats and console, but haven't really found anything so far if you have any ideas. I'm going to take a field trip to Coutu auto in williamantic soon to see what they have (both of you guys HAD to have been there, if not...lie). #1 place for truck parts that I know of.
Let me know, Thanx. :)
-
I haven't bought anything from Coutu's in probably 15 years. Last time I was in there he wanted too much money for the crap he had. I may have an extra set of bumpers but they're painted if I recall. All I have for a seat is a Suburban bench seat.
-
i was in there a couple of weeks ago. they had a couple of these trucks in the back but i can't remember if they had bumpers or not. they had a white gmc jimmy in the back though.
vile,
thanks for the hood. just let me know when is the best time for you and i'll come and get one.
-
One of the guys there and myself have some mutual acquaintances through Tech.
I get shooting the crap with him and I'm walking out the door with my stuff as low as they go.
Last time I got a pair of original almost perfect doors, full power for $125 ea. Got a complete nose with everything possible needed for $500 for my 88 after stuffing the nose pretty good.
Sometimes the magic works, sometimes it doesn't. 8)
-
i was in there a couple of weeks ago. they had a couple of these trucks in the back but i can't remember if they had bumpers or not. they had a white gmc jimmy in the back though.
vile,
thanks for the hood. just let me know when is the best time for you and i'll come and get one.
The hood is at my work in Enfield so you can grab it any time you want here or if you wanna wait til I drive my truck up here next time I can bring it home.
I don't know anyone personally over at Couct's so I've never gotten a deal but it pays to know people!
-
Monte85 your mailbox is full so I couldn't reply. Let me know when you wanna come and get it. Either PM, email or call me.
Silverado did you ever decide if you had a decent motor worth trading some stuff for?
-
sorry vile, i didn't even notice that. i cleaned it out.
-
I have been working a lot since the holiday ended and have not had time to check in.
I have the 88 350 4blt motor #14093638 stk bore, several early fat casting #010 2blt (good to machine for 4blt or splayed caps) one 4blt 'Mexico' #010 motor out of my old 78 one ton dump. I do not remember what the story is with the Mexico blocks, if they the same quality or not (feel free to advise if you know better). I also have (2) 400 2blt #817 one stk bore/ other .030.
I'd be happy to throw in anything else needed to help clean up around here.
Let me know what your thoughts are and we'll see if we can make something happen.
Feel free to email me if necessary.
-
Monte85, how did that hood work out for you?
-
fantastic Vile. thank you again. i'll throw some paint on the bed now and my truck will be one color for the first time since i bought it 5 years ago. i also seem to have that pinging problem under control. i ran 2 tanks of 91 octane and then went to the 89 and it seems to be cool. now i'm onto the 4l80e project. but that's another topic.
-
Very cool! 4L80E is a great trans!
-
it should be real sweet. i'm going to do my research and learn all i can before i start. i hate those little surprizes. i like to keep those to a minimum.
-
Shims are easy. The old metal you take off the truck, the old stereo that doesn't work any more. Cut them down to 8 or 10 flat sides and grind them round. Drill hole in center, stack em and grind them round. They are not going to move and wear out.