How to close body alignment gaps - Exterior Forum

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How to close body alignment gaps
Friday, March 02, 2012 2:29 PM
What are some ways to close body gaps between fenders/doors and hood/fenders? I have about a 3/8"-1/2" gap on both areas after swapping hood, fenders, bumpers, side skirts to some aftermarket ones I had from another build (that fit fine on that one). They are all aligned best I can to close the gap including elongating holes and moving the fenders as much as possible. Any gasket type materials out there to visually close to gap from a distance or a somewhat easy way to do it? Everything still needs painted but it doesn't help the the car will be white either. Ideas?



12.6 @ 114.6 MPH


Re: How to close body alignment gaps
Friday, March 02, 2012 3:02 PM
You could go old school and use a torch and lead, lol. My first thought was bondo, but that's just going to fall off.


- Your not-so-local, untrained, uncertified, backyard mechanic. But my @!#$ runs
Re: How to close body alignment gaps
Friday, March 02, 2012 3:29 PM
All parts except the doors are fiberglass or carbon fiber. Body filler is prob really the only way to do it since its such a small amount needing filled (1/8-3/16"). That's why I was really hoping there's a white gasket or something just so the eye isn't drawn to the darker gap from a distance.



12.6 @ 114.6 MPH

Re: How to close body alignment gaps
Monday, March 05, 2012 6:27 PM
on my teal cav, i enlarged the mounting holes on the fenders. it allowed me to push them closer to the hood.



Re: How to close body alignment gaps
Monday, March 05, 2012 8:16 PM
--Boosted Z-- wrote:They are all aligned best I can to close the gap including elongating holes and moving the fenders as much as possible. Any gasket type materials out there to visually close to gap from a distance or a somewhat easy way to do it? Everything still needs painted but it doesn't help the the car will be white either. Ideas?
See the bold^

I ended up roughing up the areas that needed filled and used body filler with fiber to close the gaps. Cracking shouldn't be an issue since the parts were fiberglass to begin with. Worked out pretty darn good so far and enabled me to have a tighter than stock gap now and also be aligned the hight of the hood and fenders perfect as well. I'll post up some pics soon.




12.6 @ 114.6 MPH

Re: How to close body alignment gaps
Monday, March 05, 2012 8:38 PM
lol oh how did i miss that.. how about taking a spare hood, trimming off each side of it. attatching and welding those onto your existing hood?



Re: How to close body alignment gaps
Monday, March 05, 2012 9:21 PM
I don't know about 3rd gens, but my 2nd gen I was able to just loosen the bolts and push the fenders a little closer to the hood.You have to hold it in place while you tighten the bolts, but it worked for me.


2010 Honda Fit LX
Re: How to close body alignment gaps
Tuesday, March 06, 2012 8:09 AM
My guess is it has nothing to do with alignment and more has to do with your parts not being made correctly or they have been warped since they are aftermarket. I'm not dissing the quality, but parts should fit on without having to elongate holes.






2001 Cav Sedan LS - Work In Progress - Sunalier Status
Re: How to close body alignment gaps
Tuesday, March 06, 2012 9:00 AM
Staticav - hood is carbon fiber, so no wending there.

Tony - Already tried that

Linkin- I would deff agree with you that its prob a quality issue, however all parts in discussion here came off of my last j-body, which they all fit perfect on oddly enough. Maybe this one was in an accident and not squared up anymore.

Like I said though, I was able to reshape the fenders with filler to close the gaps up. I''ll post the pics when I'm done with them.





12.6 @ 114.6 MPH

Re: How to close body alignment gaps
Tuesday, March 06, 2012 10:02 AM
Yeah...I reread that after I posted... Now I'm not sure other than your accident idea.

I'd like to see the pictures.






2001 Cav Sedan LS - Work In Progress - Sunalier Status
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