Hanging 1/4's question

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demon34071

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This may be a dumb question but for some reason my brain isn't working right now.

Is it crucial that the doors are hung in place and 100% aligned perfectly when hanging 1/4 panels?

Partial 1/4 skins?
or
Full 1/4 panels?

I'm guessing they need to be bolted on and the body lines lined up but do they need to be aligned 100%?
 
Absolutely!!!!
Hang the doors and align them before you start cutting! Alignment starts with the doors to 1/4's then on to the front-end.
 
Thanks... The more I stared at the car today the more I realized that was what I had to do...

But thanks for reassuring I didn't lose my mind, LOL
 
demon34071 said:
Thanks... The more I stared at the car today the more I realized that was what I had to do...

But thanks for reassuring I didn't lose my mind, LOL
Click to expand...

I was never really sold on "Skins"! I prefer to use OE style full 1/4's.
The skins are actually stamped to fit "OVER" the exsisting 1/4 so the lines are a bit off to start with.
 
I've never done full 1/4's. Skins are easier for me since I have done them before and typically you don't need to use the whole thing to start with. Full's have me a bit concerned doing them myself.

More so since the body shop I just talked to about painting another car of mine said they would only touch it if they put new 1/4's on. They didn't say the new 1/4's where hung wrong or even out of aligning, they just kept saying that they just didn't like how they were done. They said they could save them, but up quoted me for cutting them off and rehanging them the way they like to do it....

So now I'm just second guessing myself a little.
 
If you go with full 1/4s cudak is absolutely right. I would only add don't forget the trunk lid needs to be aligned as well. Skins are often stamped as multiple layers of sheetmetal during manufacturing so they can increase productivity by making more than 1 at a time. Not the best fitment when doing a resto. They often have too much material too & most of the time need trimming to fit. Whenever possible I'd go with full 1/4s over skins. Just my opinion.
 
If just partial 1/4's, doors not needed. Jackstands under kmember, and front of rear spring hangers, and rear, at bumper.
 
When you are putting on any panel it is important that you put you stands under the suspension on all 4 corners. (rear axel & front control arms) Do not put them under the frame. You body will flex and it will change when you put it back on wheels, so this is very important.
 
You might also want to consider putting new bushings in your door hinges while the doors are off.
 
CUUDAK said:
Absolutely!!!!
Hang the doors and align them before you start cutting! Alignment starts with the doors to 1/4's then on to the front-end.
Click to expand...


Not to mention that you should really make sure the vehicle is level and has the full weight of interior and whatever else you may put in the car to account for body flex. Uni-body car will sag a bit in the middle as you add wieght, unless you have a tube chassis car then that shouldn't be a concern.
 
Where does the suspension pressure travel to? The frame. Not the UCA, not the rear shackle. I have done several, supported by the frame, including a full back-halve; doors fit perfect.
 
What about doing most of the 1/4 change with the car sitting normally, as it would sit on the ground when possible? I always wondered about where to put jack stands on both the a bodies and b body cars when changing full 1/4's.
 
Because of variances in suspension components (i.e. leaf springs, torsion bars, tires, etc.), I like to have the suspension and rear removed when changing panels. I put jack stands under the frame at or near the LCA and at or near the front leaf spring hangers. I then level from front-to-back and side-to-side and use shims between the jack stands and the frame.
 
If you want to get technical about it just put the car on pinchweld clamps and be done! Most folks just leave them on the suspension. You start putting jackstands under the frame rails then the *** of the car will drop and alignment will be a nightmare! If your just putting 1/4 skins on and not removing the trunk floor/rear body panel you will be ok to leave it on the ground. I have installed 100's of 1/4s in a production bodyshop without any issues with the car sitting on all suspension. Once completed there was only 1-2mm difference. Not critical in any way! The structure of the car is still intact as long as you don't cut out the wheelhouses and trunk floor. The roof structure ties into the top of the wheelhouses, wheelhouses are tied into the trunk floor and rockers therefore the rear framerails will stay put!

Sometimes things are overexplained! Make sure all tires have the same air pressure and get busy!!!
 
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