68 Body line question

[NHCharger]

Is the body line on the quarter panel a perfectly straight line? When I pull a string line from the middle of the marker light on the quarter to the door jamb the body line is higher over the wheel wells (about an 1"). The Charger has replacement quarters that were hung about ten years ago so they are probably Goodmark's. The body lines on the doors and fenders are straight. I've tried looking at reference pics but I just can't tell.

[rebby]

Which line? The "upper" line is obviously not so I assume that you're talking about the "second" line. That's not perfectly straight either. Perhaps these will help???

[JB400]

He's talking about the line that runs through the center of the door.

[Indygenerallee]

Yes it is straight.

[Mike DC]

 
That upper body line (below the door handle) shouldn't run all the way to the front of the fender though.  It's supposed to gradually fade out just before it reaches the front bumper area. 

[charger Downunder]

 
That upper body line (below the door handle) shouldn't run all the way to the front of the fender though.  It's supposed to gradually fade out just before it reaches the front bumper area. 

I second that

[cdr]

my 68 is the same way, original panel,has to due with it having a curve in the panel,if you are repairing use tape to keep body line straight

[NHCharger]

Mike, yes on my fenders the body line fades out before it meets the bumper.
I have used tape the keep the body lines straight. I use the widest tape possible because even when you pull the tape straight you can still get a slight bow. I actually use a 4 foot piece of 12" wide aluminum coil stock to draw a straight line, then tape to the line, this gives me a perfectly straight line. It was a lot easier with the fenders and doors since they're off the car and I can lay them flat. When I do this with the quarters it doesn't work out.
If you take a straight edge and hold it against the computer screen on Rebby's first pic his quarter panel line does the exact same thing I'm talking about.
I guess it has to do with the quarters flaring out at the wheel wells.
Thanks for the quick replies.

[cdr]

Mike, yes on my fenders the body line fades out before it meets the bumper.
I have used tape the keep the body lines straight. I use the widest tape possible because even when you pull the tape straight you can still get a slight bow. I actually use a 4 foot piece of 12" wide aluminum coil stock to draw a straight line, then tape to the line, this gives me a perfectly straight line. It was a lot easier with the fenders and doors since they're off the car and I can lay them flat. When I do this with the quarters it doesn't work out.
If you take a straight edge and hold it against the computer screen on Rebby's first pic his quarter panel line does the exact same thing I'm talking about.
I guess it has to do with the quarters flaring out at the wheel wells.
Thanks for the quick replies.

i tried the same thing with a long straight edge & had the same result

[bill440rt]

NH, yes it does have a slight "bow" and will curve upward a bit. Very deceiving.
Mine does the same thing. I had to adjust the "tape" when block sanding as well to keep the curve of the line.
Hope that helps.   

[68RT440]

Im glad somebody asked this question as Im fitting up my CBD quarters on the 68 and noticed this same thing. It had me freaked out because I put a straight edge on mine and noticed a slight crown of the body line. It looks worse when youre looking at it from the rear towards the front, but it just seems that the bow outward that the quarter has over the wheel opening makes the body line look different from every way you look at it...

[NHCharger]

I spent a couple of hours on it yesterday and tonight. When you tape it it looks even worse and ANY slight whoop dee doo in the tape line sticks out like a neon sign. I spent almost an hour working to get the tape line to look right over the wheel wells. Next time I'll start drinking before working on the car, not after.

[richRTSE]

I wonder if one of those laser projectors (Craftsman?) like they use to put in drop ceilings would help to get a straight line... 

[cdr]

I wonder if one of those laser projectors (Craftsman?) like they use to put in drop ceilings would help to get a straight line... 

i tried that no workie

[cdr]

I spent a couple of hours on it yesterday and tonight. When you tape it it looks even worse and ANY slight whoop dee doo in the tape line sticks out like a neon sign. I spent almost an hour working to get the tape line to look right over the wheel wells. Next time I'll start drinking before working on the car, not after.

block away from the tape line