"Ask Tony"

Do you have a question about 1st Gen Camaro?

1. What's the best way to replace quarter panels? Should I keep the front end on? what about the doors? what do you use as a filler between the roof and the pillar?  AND would you use a mig welder or a tig welder?

2. Any ideas for aligning the front fenders on a 68 Firebird? I have replaced the body mount bushings to eliminate the original sag. I have adjusted the door to the rocker panel and to the rear fender body lines. The top of the front fenders aligns with the top of the door but I have a 1/2" gap between the bottom of the fender and the rocker panel. The front of the fender rest on the cowling support so I can't lower the front any more. I didn't know if extra washers placed with the body bushing at the firewall mounting bracket would lower the front of the subframe and help close up this 1/2" gap.

3. How is the fit for the Goodmark outer rocker panels for a 67 camaro. I bought some from another company and they are about 1/8 to 1/4 off from front to back. And any tips on installation would be great.

4. Any problems with door jamb fit by the rear quarter panel? The ones I have fit too high into the door jamb where the rear quarter panel attaches to them. To fix them I would need to cut a slit from front to back and lower about 1/8 to 1/4 inch. I could probably do it, but there are other fit issues with them. Or I could buy new ones.

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1. Take the front off and take the doors off too. Then weld up a RH and LH door supports to screw on between the hinges and the door latch. For a filler, Eastwood sells a "lead kit" that we use. I only use a Mig (140 watts) on panels.

2. (1) The body bushing kit come with 2 different bushing sets, a short set for under the seats, and a tall set for upfront at the fire wall, make sure you have the tall set up front and the short set under the seat location. if you have it right, I have used 3" spacer washer to help. Did you also replace the radiator bushings?

(2) With the fenders on, with the gap at the bottom, do the body lines look straight, or does the fender lines aim up? If they aim up you will have to shim under the front firewall location.

- Did anyone replace the floor pans at any time? I have had cars where the new floor was put back on too high/low and the subframe, at the radiator support, goes up or down by that same amount.

3. Yes, sometimes they are a little short, other times perfect and I have even had them too long. When they are too short I cut the rear off about a 1/2" from the end, setup the outer wheelhouse, than make a small backup fill piece and weld the piece back on at the correct lenght to line up with the quarter panel. It only takes a minute or two to cut and weld and file/grind it smooth.

4. I do have to bend the outer rockers a little to fit as good as the old ones we take off. I use only Dynacorn and Goodmark parts 100% of the time and we have done 40 1st gen Camaros and everytime I end up bending and twisting to get the fit I want. Once I had to cut the rocker front to back at the bottom of the door edge, and lower the rocker to get the right gap, bottom of door hit the rocker, than welded it up. I guess we have gotten use to reworking parts to fit but than again I have to remind my son that this thing only cost us $50... you might do better with an original, but then again, you may just have a different problem. Just remember, it's only metal, you can cut it, weld it, hammer it, bend it, twist it, whatever it takes to fit.