MK1 Escort wing to scuttle / fit

[tibbs]

Hi lads,
In the process of putting the front end of my mk1 together, could do with a few pics of the wing to scuttle fit and the bonnet to scuttle gap. At the moment with everything lined up I've a 5mm gap from wing to bonnet and wing to scuttle but an 8mm gap from the bonnet to the scuttle if that makes any sense! Also if someone had a measurement from the front edge of the bonnet hinge to the front of the inner wing that would be great!
Thanks in advance!
T

[Zakspak]

Hi Tibbs,
Did you search the site ? I’m fairly sure there’s some info here on the alignment not just the front end but doors, boot etc.
Any pics or info of your car/project ?

[Zakspak]

Have a look at this thread.
http://www.turbosport.co.uk/showthre...=349122&page=2
Unfortunately 5tox hasn’t done an update for a couple of years but he’d done all the main body work front to back. I remember him having issues with gapping and he covered how he sorted it. Hopefully something useful for your project

[tibbs]

Hi Zakspak, Thanks for the replies I really appreciate it! I had a search and came across a few bits but nothing as good as that thread, there's some great pics on it that'll help. Here's a few pics of how it looks at the moment. The scuttle to wing is touching on the door side and widens towards the bonnet (would like to get this more consistent) same on both sides. the door to wing gap is good on the passenger side but a bit wide on the drivers side. With it all fitting like this the bonnet is fully forward on the adjustment so it's level with the front of the wings but the gap at the bulkhead/scuttle side is 8 mm.











I took it all apart for like the 100th time just to see if I can get the scuttle any better. When I push the wing further back against the bulkhead the fit is lovely with around a 2mm even gap the whole way around, but where the wing meets the front panel there isn't enough room for the front panel to fit behind it the wing flange that meets the front panel is around 2 mm behind the lip of the inner wing. I've checked the inner wings from a car that has never been welded and the strut top holes are exactly where they should be in relation to the bonnet hinges which haven't been touched. I'll get a pic of it tonight it'll make a bit more sense! Thanks T

[Zakspak]

No worries, glad it was useful. Nice to see those pictures, the site needs more content.
Are all the panels original ? If not I’ve seen people having to weld on strips at the rear edge to get wing/door gap correct. And if they are original even if you took them off that shell they probably flexed and settled after removal. They were put together using hydraulic spot welding machines remember that could easily overcome fitting issues. Just looking at the scuttle it doesn’t seem to be sitting down into the top of the bulkhead fully, that could be why it’s sitting forward at its front flange and close to the rear edge of the bonnet. Also have the ends of the scuttle/bulkhead panel where the meet the wing and curve up to the A pillars been worked on as in the pics they look like they bulge out slightly which could be causing that non uniform gap with the rear wing top. ??? Probably just the pics, it’s definitely a 3 dimensional problem but possibly worth looking at.
Also unpainted, I’d suggest a 2mm gap is far too tight. On here somewhere I believe there’s a Ford drawing of spec sheet that gives gapping measurements. I’ve seen it in the last few years.
And these are Fords not Aston Martins, you can drive your self nuts trying to get it perfect. I totally understand that, I’ve done the same with mine. I think I gapped my panels at 5mm unpainted. You might need to take a panel hammer to certain areas to get it right. I wasted over a week messing about with fitting outer sills after being told to get a lump of wood and a big hammer and knock them into position on the car. After a week of trying to be subtle, tweaking here and there and getting nowhere, I got that lump of wood, twatted them with a club hammer as I’d been told and they were done, fitted perfectly, 15 mins a side.
I’m not saying don’t worry about getting it right but don’t wear yourself out and risk losing the enthusiasm.
Looking forward to see how you sort this out.

[katana]

I wasted over a week messing about with fitting outer sills after being told to get a lump of wood and a big hammer and knock them into position on the car. After a week of trying to be subtle, tweaking here and there and getting nowhere, I got that lump of wood, twatted them with a club hammer as I’d been told and they were done

Best advice i've seen anywhere for quite some time

[tibbs]

Are all the panels original ?

No pretty much the whole front end is new except the bulkhead, the wings a period spurious ones they're actually not in bad shape thankfully.

Also have the ends of the scuttle/bulkhead panel where the meet the wing and curve up to the A pillars been worked on as in the pics they look like they bulge out slightly which could be causing that non uniform gap with the rear wing top. ???

Yes they've been done (had a pile of work done on it years ago, even had front inner wings but they were too short had to replace them!). The passenger side one is perfect in height but the drivers one dips down I'll need to build it back up to meet the wing top. The profiles of where it meets the wing top are perfect shape though I've checked them with a pattern from an untouched car.

Ye are right about not being too gentle with it my friend told me the exact same the other day!. I've given it a good few hours now again ang got a better fit of it, ended up bringing back the flange on the front of the inner wings a couple of mm to allow the front panel sit a bit closer to the bulkhead. It all looks decent now with a 5mm gap round the bonnet and 4mm on the wing top. Only issue is the gap on the passenger side to the door, it's v tight at the top but 5mm at the bottom, that'll need a bit of sorting!

[Zakspak]

That looks cracking!!
I’m not going to give any advice on that passenger side wing/door gap as it’s a very 3 dimensional problem, other than don’t discount any options. As you know you pull or push in one place it can adjust another. I think you’ll find that gap will come right without much effort just a bit of time trying different tweaks between the door and wing.
Going for the 4/5mm gap was the right thing to do, and the car looks right/original
Are you going to start a separate restoration thread here, even though you’re well in on the project ? Be good to see how you get on and read any tips and techniques you use along the way.

[tibbs]

Thanks Zak, I've had the wings on and off I'd say 200 times in the last few weeks but it's getting there. I must dig out the photos from the work that was done previously and start a thread. Haven't got out to the shed since but hoping to give another go this weekend!

[Zakspak]

If you come to a dead end on adjusting that gap you could consider trimming a couple of mm off the rear of the wing to even up the gap. Do a little at a time, just maybe 10-20mm down the edge first from the top, pop in a couple of spots of weld to keep the sections together working down the fold and then reshape the rear edge/fold with a medium disc and hand file. It could be those are old pattern wings that aren’t quite right ? Hope that makes sense, say if it doesn’t and I’ll try again