Need help. Finally got my Elky painted and now I am trying to reassembly my 69 SS front end. I have all the front end together but the lower filler panel doesnt fit to the grille support in the center as it should. The support is about 3/4 of an inch set back from the panel. I cant find an area of adjustment? What am I doing wrong or missing??

Rich,

Could you post a pick of the area in question?

I will try to explain it better. The support that runs up and down and behind the grille. THis support should rivet and also screw to the filler panel thats behind the bumper. The area where the filler panel should rivet and screw to the support has a 3/4 inch gap between them. Like maybe a spacer or adjustment somewhere? Hope this helps.

Was it assembled correctly when you got the Elky? Could it be the center support is from another year Chevelle?

If it's the support I'm thinking of you can shim it further out from the rad support to tighten it up to the filler panel. Mine has quite a few shims on the grille supports to get everything aligned.

There shouldnt be a reason for that support to be shimmed.

There are almost NO shims in my whole front end. Could your car be that far out?

The filler panel is a new aftermarket !!!! The old one fit fine but had been banged up pretty bad once I blasted all the bondo off it. It does look like the botton support hole can be moved around side to side, I'll try the shims!
Thanks for everything Guys!

Shimming it would bother me..You couldnt find an original at a car show?

I think I should get me some lifting help and see how the bumper fits to the filler panel and go from there? Make sense?

Yes. I'd be worried that something would rub that way. I've had 4 69's and dont think any of them ever had shims there.

The filler panel is a new aftermarket !!!! The old one fit fine but had been banged up pretty bad once I blasted all the bondo off it. It does look like the botton support hole can be moved around side to side, I'll try the shims!
Thanks for everything Guys!
Aftermarket filler panel??? Nuff said.

Return the repop and get your money back. Goto walmart and buy bondo and fix the old one...

I bought the repro filler panel for my 69, from Ground-Up, and it fit perfect. I did have to drill the four 1/4" holes for the lower grill brackets, but other than that, it went right in with no alignment problems. I'd put the repro piece on top of the original, and eyeball it, and that should give an indication, where the problem is.

Maybe there are different companies that make a repop panel...

I wouldnt add shims though...find the real problem...

Sorry to hijack the thread, but does anyone know if you can get the supports that rivet to the panel anywhere? I seem to be missing one :( I'm sure *I* didn't misplace it..

Thanks for all the help! Going at it again next week after this storm passes out of here!
My garage heater died a couple weeks ago!

Sorry to hijack the thread, but does anyone know if you can get the supports that rivet to the panel anywhere? I seem to be missing one :( I'm sure *I* didn't misplace it..

Yes actually I think yesterday I noticed an auction on ebay for the lot of 4...

I am going to a car show tomorrow so I will look for them. I have a filler panel but that is my replacement in case mine gets whacked...

Yes actually I think yesterday I noticed an auction on ebay for the lot of 4...

I am going to a car show tomorrow so I will look for them. I have a filler panel but that is my replacement in case mine gets whacked...


Thx, you don't have a link to the auction do you?