Question: Body lines in 82 Collectors Edition

[mace]

Hey everyone. New to the site. Looking forward to rubbing elbows with vette owners!. Here's an observation I was making while admiring my 82 collector last night.
The body lines (hood,doors,back bumper,etc) seem to be uneven. On my hood the lefts side is definately closer that ant right. It looks off center slightly. The door lines, especially the passenger. BIg gap and looks to dip in front the front fender. Anyone else see this on this on their C3? You would think that the most expensive vette of its time, it would be more soild lined up.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

You would think that the most expensive vette of its time, it would be more soild lined up.

Ummmm, no. Corvettes of the era were not known for body work and paint quality.

Post some pictures of the areas you're concerned with.

 

[SVO]

As Mikey pointed out, GM wasn't known for paint & body to be job 1. With age, you may have other issues at play. It's typical for there to be a large gap between the doors and the front fenders, especially above the belt line. Late model C3's had 4 rubber blocks installed in the drip edge of the front surround to help center the hood. If the blocks are missing from one side, the hood gap may be tighter on that side than the other. If, as I'm understanding, you have a droop in the front surround at the front edge of the hood, you may have a problem with the radiator support. The front surround/inner fenders bolts to the radiator support and the radiator support bolts to the front crossmember. Corrosion in the bottom of the radiator support can allow the nose to droop. Collision damage and poor repair can also contribute to the problem. It may be time to swing up under the car and check things out. The assembly manual for your car will show you what the gaps between the body panels were, plus or minus, at the time of manufacture.

 

[mace]

As Mikey pointed out, GM wasn't known for paint & body to be job 1. With age, you may have other issues at play. It's typical for there to be a large gap between the doors and the front fenders, especially above the belt line. Late model C3's had 4 rubber blocks installed in the drip edge of the front surround to help center the hood. If the blocks are missing from one side, the hood gap may be tighter on that side than the other. If, as I'm understanding, you have a droop in the front surround at the front edge of the hood, you may have a problem with the radiator support. The front surround/inner fenders bolts to the radiator support and the radiator support bolts to the front crossmember. Corrosion in the bottom of the radiator support can allow the nose to droop. Collision damage and poor repair can also contribute to the problem. It may be time to swing up under the car and check things out. The assembly manual for your car will show you what the gaps between the body panels were, plus or minus, at the time of manufacture.

Yep. The Car has been sitting for 9 yrs on display. I did loosen the bolt on the hood and managed to realign it. It was rubbing on one side. The clowns that worked on it to get it for sale, must have just got what needed to be done. I'm thinking of having someone align the doors back up as well. The car only has 20,000 miles and like I said, been on display for 10 yrs. Luckily, the mechanical is solid and the underneath looks like brand new. It's an awesome-pretty car! LOVE the 82 style.