Where do I shim my Fender?

[kb67mopar]

Ok guys, I recently put my front end back together on my 67 Coronet. I just put the hood on for the first time in 2 years last night and the opening between the front fenders is too tight. Where should I be shimming to bring the gap open properly? I don't remember pulling shims out.

 

[kb67mopar]

Really, 37 people viewed and not one of them knows where a shim goes?

 

[snakeoil24]

KB are you saying the opening for the hood is too tight at the back by windshield or at the front by the radiator?

 

[bigblock]

Should not be any shims,but slotted holes. Just loosen the bolts and "pry,beat,slide,bump"the fender into position. Correct me if I'm wrong but thats how my 70 is. It does have shims but not for hood gap.

 

[hunt2elk]

Usually the only shims you would need go at the rear top of the fender around the 2 studs sticking up. This will raise the rear of the fender and as others stated just loosen the fender bolts to get movement in the slots.

 

[kb67mopar]

In my case its too tight at the front. Keep in mind the drivers side fender has been massaged and is a combo of two fenders so i may be a bit tight . But the back looks good, the front is too tight.

Anybody have that problem?

And thank you for all the responses.

 

[hunt2elk]

Maybe you could enlarge the slots to get a little more adjustment?

 

[kb67mopar]

The slots have no adjustment here....those only adjust the fender in the length direction of the car. I need go spread the hood gap only in the front by the headlights. See my photo.

 

[gdrill]

You are right, there is only adjustment up and down. Maybe when you rebuilt you actually got them a little tight. Mine did not have shims either. I don't remember, did you do work to the rad support? That would be the only way you could have pulled those two points together. The "T-bar" that runs across the front has the only sideways adjustment where the fenders and it join. Perhaps you have them pulled in all the way? Is this installed on the car yet? If you spread those , you may widen the line along the whole length though.

 

[kb67mopar]

You are right, there is only adjustment up and down. Maybe when you rebuilt you actually got them a little tight. Mine did not have shims either. I don't remember, did you do work to the rad support? That would be the only way you could have pulled those two points together. The "T-bar" that runs across the front has the only sideways adjustment where the fenders and it join. Perhaps you have them pulled in all the way? Is this installed on the car yet? If you spread those , you may widen the line along the whole length though.

I never worked on the core but the drivers fender has been extensively worked including swapping the inner portion for one from my 66 parts car. So it could have been from that. The T-bar is installed but pushed out as far as i could get thing with it bolted up. I may have to ad a couple "shims" to the portions that bolt to the core support. I had just wondered if anybody had experienced this before and how they solved it.

 

[hunt2elk]

I guess I am not familiar with your car, but my Charger has some adjustment on the hood latch support ends. Although it is not a lot because of the radiator support, but we did get some.

 

[barnfind]

Like hunt2 elk was saying you may have to elongate the fender bolt holes to get your desired gap.

 

[kb67mopar]

I guess I am not familiar with your car, but my Charger has some adjustment on the hood latch support ends. Although it is not a lot because of the radiator support, but we did get some.

I still have some room on those slots but i would still need to put shims somewhere else to keep the fenders apart. Those 4 bolts for that support won't hold the fenders apart with the other bolts pulling in on the fender...would need shims somewhere.

I guess the answer here is that I will just have to improvise.

 

[70_FJ6_RR]

The factory did have a caulk/seam sealer between the fender and the top inner fender. But, I would put money on it that when the fenders were off the car, the top of the inner fenders got pushed, bent or leaned on. You need to remove the fender and pull that section outward, put the fender on with loose bolts, close the hood(carefully) set the fender gap, open the hood and tighten the bolts, constantly closing the hood to check the gap. You may need to pull and tighten the fender at the same time. It may take two people, but it won't need shims. Always tighten the problem area first.

 

[bigblock]

The "nuts" that the fender bolts screw into are over a slot too. They can be a pain to move.

 

[kb67mopar]

I ended up adding improvised shims to the far front edge where the fender meets the core support at the top. Was able to bring it out enough and now my gaps look good.

Thank you to all who offered help.