Trunk lid not aligned with dutchman panel.... How do I Fix this?

[mopar4don]

So I have been working on gaping the trunk lid from my 69 Charger and have found a problem that I am not sure how to fix.



I have established the 3/16 gap on the 3 sides (looks good)











My problem is when the lid is closed, it sits below the dutchman by 3/16. It's good on the left and right sides.

Here I used a flexible ruler to show the problem and that square piece of metal is 3/16.
It is what I used as a gapping tool.



The other problem with it sitting that low, is as the lid is being opened it just touches the dutchman panel. NOT GOOD ON PAINT!

[mopar4don]

I have tried pulling the lip with a slide hammer NO LUCK!

I have tried supporting the gutter all the way to the floor and putting a block between the gutter and shutting the lid (this forces the lid up) NO LUCK!


The only other thing I can think of would be to slit the dutchman then close the gap and weld it.
But I would have to slit it almost the entire length and am REALLY WORRIED this would cause oil canning!
Which I did get when I gapped the sides (see the 1st pic the areas on the side that have on paint are were I ran a shrinking disc)

Does anyone have any ideas?
If I did cut a slit, what is the best way to do it to avoid oil canning?

I am at a loss!

The trunk lid is an original that I purchased.
The quarters and dutchman panel are AMD
The trunk lid is setting really nice and profiles all the way around. Except for the center

[Kern Dog]

Put MORE Bondo on the trunk lid.

 

[mopar4don]

Put MORE Bondo on the trunk lid.

 

Your a big help

[Kern Dog]

Nobody else had posted yet, so what the heck? No sense of humor with you?
Your thread on FBBO is getting responses.

[mopar4don]

Hi Kern, I did not take offense to your response. How could I with the little emoji guy you added.
Yes I am getting a lot of responses over on FBBO, which I am grateful for. But I always post dual threads (there and here) cause you never know who might help. OR who you can help.

Besides, this is the 1st forum I found (and like you) I am not giving up on her!

[70 sublime]

If the trunk lid fits flat on both ends at the back and just low in the middle I think I would try to bend the trunk lid a bit to fit the opening you have on the car before I would try to mess with the car to make it fit the trunk lid

[mopar4don]

If the trunk lid fits flat on both ends at the back and just low in the middle I think I would try to bend the trunk lid a bit to fit the opening you have on the car before I would try to mess with the car to make it fit the trunk lid

Any suggestions on how to do that? I have tried with no luck.

[70 sublime]

Think I would try putting a 2x4 piece of wood on the shop floor and then push down on the edges to see if it will flex any at all

If that does not work and you seem to like welding maybe cut a slit on the main cross support on the bottom side near the back of the trunk lid and then try to flex it down again

Just not sure if you should make the slit right in the middle or make two slits a little each way of center

[mopar4don]

Think I would try putting a 2x4 piece of wood on the shop floor and then push down on the edges to see if it will flex any at all

If that does not work and you seem to like welding maybe cut a slit on the main cross support on the bottom side near the back of the trunk lid and then try to flex it down again

Just not sure if you should make the slit right in the middle or make two slits a little each way of center

I think I will try your 1st option BUT before I did that I want to see how the lid closes against the weatherstrip. That will tell me how much if any I can push the edge of the lid

[hemi-hampton]

my first thought within first few seconds was to cut dutchman panel slit, push down & weld. if trunk original & dutchman panel aftermarket most likely the aftermarket piece is your problem. if you get oil canning a heat shrinking gun should fix, if you don't have one a electric Dent puller similiar to stud gun but not a stud gun should work as a substitute. The ones some people call Bear Claw. Pictured below.

[hemi-hampton]

it does have a shrink mode.

[mopar4don]

WOA, 2852.00 on amazon!

I'm sure it's a handy tool but I would have to try something else 1st.

[timmycharger]

I bought this to get rid of the oil can effect on my quarters and dutchman, worked great.

[mopar4don]

Or a shrinking disc, which is what I used on my trunk lid.
See 1st pic, on both sides of the lid I removed the paint. This is where I used the shrinking disc

[mopar4don]

So I thought I would try to bend the trunk lid... this is how I did it



So in this pic the block of wood was my gauge.
I have marks on it that I would use as a gauge to bend to.
Each time I would push it down, mark it, then take it off and test fit it.
If it needed more then back out on the driveway it would go, setting it on the 2x4's and pushing it a little more, about a 1/16 at a time.
Then test fit and repeat till I got it.





This worked really well and I am happy with the result

[timmycharger]

Nice! very clever!

[mopar4don]

Thank you

[hemi-hampton]

as long as it works, congrats