06-01-2018, 06:08 PM
(30-12-2017, 06:27 PM)Matt_Harnden Wrote: I’ve got the Opal on axle stands today ready to start some work to improve the alignment of the body.
Currently the vertical alignment of the coach lines between the hinge side of the door and the rear panel don’t line up too well. There is about a 3/4” drop and I want to try and improve this. I have fitted new hinge pins and the door shut lines are quite ok (although I have had to pack out the top hinge).
My plan is to add some hardwood packers between the body and chassis to try and slightly lift the body at the front half and hopefully then raise the door hinge point enough to improve the coachline.
Has anyone done similar work and do you have any tips? For example, should I add a packer under the cow horns or is it best to avoid this? Etc...
Thanks for your advice.
Update (6/1/2018)
Just got back from the shed..... I have managed to fix one issue but created another. I guess that the flexible nature of the Opal body will give me some challenges!
Anyway, I removed the 4 attachements between the cow horns and the chassis and also the 4 attachments below the scuttle (as suggested by Martin Prior). I put the chassis directly on the axle stands the ensure there was no lift from the suspension. I have not loosened any other chassis to body bolts apart from the mounting collar around the steering column.
By carefully blocking and jacking the body off the chassis below the scuttle, I now have a 5mm gap under the cow horns and a similar amount under the scuttle connections. The gap around the radiator cowl has much improved and the top of the doors are level with the rear body. So we have some success! However - the top of the shut line between the passenger door and the rear wing panel has opened up significantly, probably as much as 10mm.
Question: is it now best to pack and attach the cowhorn mountings and the four mountings below the scuttle so that I have a fixed point, or should I now loosen the rear chassis mounts and lift the body at the rear to try and I’m improve the shutline?
Thank you for any feedback!