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Need your honest opinion

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Old 04-28-2018, 11:35 AM
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Car: 1988 Trans AM GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 9-Bolt 3.27
Need your honest opinion

I will finally have some time after the exams to continue assembling the body and spent a whole long day trying to make some sense out of the front and fender alignment.

I need your opinion on what you think re panel alignment especially driver side fender to door. Can’t get is better than this. If I try to decrease the gap the door will rub and honestly I don’t know how these cars are supposed to be.
Old 04-28-2018, 11:37 AM
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Car: 1988 Trans AM GTA
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Re: Need your honest opinion

Photos attached
Attached Thumbnails Need your honest opinion-b825a7f6-b201-412e-bb5a   Need your honest opinion-a1737cb1-9954-43ac-8dbe   Need your honest opinion-2a9a2097-8251-43fb-adb1  
Old 04-28-2018, 12:00 PM
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Re: Need your honest opinion

It looks pretty good to me. Your hood to fender/front bumper gaps are nice. Probably more consistent than a lot of them left the factory. The rear of the door to quarter gaps look good too, about the only part that looks a little iffy is the front of the door to the fenders, but then that gap always look a little squirrelly with the GFX cars, and really I suppose even with the non-gfx cars because you've got to have room to open the door. As long as you have a solid 3/16-1/4" gap between the rocker and fender at the bottom, and nothing rubs, I'd say run it.

Disclaimer: Not professional body man. Not Chip Foose's sisters cousins brothers uncle. Not even looking at the manual for the exact specifications. If your eyeball says it's good, it's good!
Old 04-28-2018, 12:28 PM
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Car: 1988 Trans AM GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 9-Bolt 3.27
Re: Need your honest opinion

Thanks Drew. Quite a positive review from you.
Will wait for what others have to say.
Old 04-28-2018, 01:56 PM
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Re: Need your honest opinion

Originally Posted by aseychell
Thanks Drew. Quite a positive review from you.
Will wait for what others have to say.
I will second what Drew said , the gaps all look fine to me . On some of these cars the misalignment of the panels is "punch in the face obvious" and your car looks pretty well square on all of the gaps . Good job , and don't forget to post up some pictures of it when your done reassembling it
Old 04-28-2018, 03:36 PM
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Car: 1988 Trans AM GTA
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Re: Need your honest opinion

Thanks for your comments. Was sort of holding back until I got some opinions. The front part is damn complex . A lot of covers clips and screws.

I have my build thread you can surely follow it up. It’s starts from the very first day till now.
Old 04-28-2018, 11:51 PM
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Re: Need your honest opinion

Good job,looks great to me.
Old 04-29-2018, 07:19 AM
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Re: Need your honest opinion

It looks very good. Most cars and trucks will never have perfect alignment without metal work to the gaps
Old 04-29-2018, 10:14 AM
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Engine: 350 TPI
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Re: Need your honest opinion

Looks very good to me. Honestly, I will be happy with gaps identical to yours, once my car comes back from paint.

Great looking car, very nice!
Old 04-29-2018, 01:21 PM
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Re: Need your honest opinion

Looks great! These cars were not perfect from day#1. We fought and fought bottom door gap and found it is a very thin line between rubbing or huge gaping eyesore.
Old 04-29-2018, 01:37 PM
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Re: Need your honest opinion

The door gaps on these cars are huge. The door to body is close to 7/16 and door to fender is close to 3/8. And closer then that doors rub and you cant get the windows to align properly.
Old 04-29-2018, 01:49 PM
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Re: Need your honest opinion

Looks good!
Old 04-29-2018, 02:28 PM
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Car: 1988 Trans AM GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 9-Bolt 3.27
Re: Need your honest opinion

You guys convinced me to accept this configuration and today I spent half day assembling the front gfx and air dam hardware (for the second time). Also removed again the driver side GFX as I wanted to heat up the plastic a bit to remove a slight bow I had on top. Hopefully this week I will continue some work on it targeting to compete the exterior by end of May and then start working on the interior.
Old 04-29-2018, 05:14 PM
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Re: Need your honest opinion

I'm particularly envious of your headlight door gaps, bumper cover to hood gap looks real nice too, often a gaping hole there, even on well sorted examples.
Old 04-29-2018, 07:07 PM
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Re: Need your honest opinion

Looks great and I especially like the headlight door gaps.

Louis
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