Trunk lid not aligned with dutchman panel.... How do I Fix this?

[mopar4don]

any thoughts??

 

[toolmanmike]

Here is an update

I had another trunk lid so I threw it on to see if it matched the dutchman profile any better. and it was about the same.
So I put the 1st trunk lid back on and installed the trunk seal. I used double stick tape to hold the seal in and closed the lid.
And presto, the profile looks a LOT better!



View attachment 1699270


View attachment 1699271


View attachment 1699272

As you can see the center of the lid looks good while the left and right sides along the dutchman are slightly raised, also the outer edges along the quarter panels are raised.

Yeah I wouldn't have thought that would happen!

So if I can depress the seal the lid would be positioned exactly like before. down in the center!


In this pic I put a couple of clamps on with the hope of collapsing that seal a bit.

View attachment 1699273

So depending on how much I can collapse the seal, will determine what needs adjusting? I guess?

Any thoughts?

Is this the right way?
Adjust the trunk lid to match the edges. Then put the seal in and the lid sits higher.
So you re-adjust the lid? or somehow collapse the seal?

See post #2.

 

[mopar4don]

I guess I was wondering if or how much will the trunk seal relax?

 

[TT from NH]

I had the opposite problem in that my dutchman panel was about 3/16" lower than the lid. I cut the plenum/braces where I had attached them (yeah, rookie mistake) to the new AMD dutchman panel near the lid to relieve pressure. Then I used a jack to bend the middle of the dutchman panel up to the proper height. I then hammered the ends of the plenum/braces to meet the dutchman panel and welded them in place. Perfect fit. As eldub440 said, the lid was my jig/reference for quarter panels, gutters, and dutchman panels. I'm not sure if there's enough play for what you're looking to do but I'd look to the plenum/braces to see if you can find that 3/16....

 

[mopar4don]

Thanks ! will be looking into this and the other suggestions given.
Thank you

 

[mopar4don]

Ok so I decided to see if I can bend the trunk lid. I thought this would be easier to try.

So in this pic the block of wood was my gauge.
I have marks on it that I would use as a gauge to bend to.
Each time I would push it down, mark it, then take it off and test fit it.
If it needed more then back out on the driveway it would go, setting it on the 2x4's and pushing it a little more, about a 1/16 at a time.
Then test fit and repeat till I got it.

 

[mopar4don]

Now the biggest thing I am fighting is the trunk seal.
I have it adjusted really close, except to the rear on both sides. The lid is up about a 1/8.
Not sure how to get that down?

 

[SGTPaul]

Finally, someone found a good use for a GM vehicle . Nice job Don!! To take that extra 1/8" out can you just flip the decklid over and push it down in similar fashion?

 

[mopar4don]

Hi Paul, no bending to get that 1/8" out. The trunk seal is holding it up. If I take the seal out it fits fine. I can put clamps on it and pull it down. see the last pic in post #40

 

[SGTPaul]

Do u have the latch on it to hold it down?

 

[mopar4don]

Do u have the latch on it to hold it down?

Yes sir latch is on. I have it adjusted it all the way down, and I have to give it a short slam to get it to catch. The thing is If I elongate the slots to allow the latch to move down, there is NO way I will be able to close it.
The seal is a Metro molded supersoft seal TK225 and seems to be high quality.

I was testing how much sealing pressure I had by putting a piece of paper in 10 spots all around the seal. I then would close the lid and pull on the paper. If it was loose then the lid was not pressing very hard. If it was tight, then the lid was pushing hard. All along the back (to the rear of the car) I could hardly pull the paper.

Will the seal soften or relax?

 

[1967coronet]

Yes sir latch is on. I have it adjusted it all the way down, and I have to give it a short slam to get it to catch. The thing is If I elongate the slots to allow the latch to move down, there is NO way I will be able to close it.
The seal is a Metro molded supersoft seal TK225 and seems to be high quality.

I was testing how much sealing pressure I had by putting a piece of paper in 10 spots all around the seal. I then would close the lid and pull on the paper. If it was loose then the lid was not pressing very hard. If it was tight, then the lid was pushing hard. All along the back (to the rear of the car) I could hardly pull the paper.

View attachment 1706294

View attachment 1706295
Will the seal soften or relax?

Depends on brand, some will take awhile to conform.
Soffseal brand is pretty easy to compress.

 

[SGTPaul]

If the seal is the issue, try pulling it as you install to make it a little thinner. I've done this with ones that are a little thick around the house with success. Don't know how stretchy your seal is. May need to sacrifice one now on your primer to try it out?

 

[mopar4don]

That's a good idea, I'll think on it.
I have been thinking about how I can cut down the seal and the bumpers.

I have been using the original two round bumpers because the new ones are thicker. So they will need to get cut down.

 

[Llamaback]

Get the trunk seal from DMT.

 

[mopar4don]

So to update this, I have had the trunk lid clamped down for a few weeks and it appears to be relaxing so hopefully it should work itself down but may get DMT's trunk seal because they apparently have addressed this common problem.