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Wed Jul 15, 2015 1:32 pm

Anyone know what the correct stock spacing between the shock towers and the body is? And I am assuming that it should be the same on both sides correct? I ask because on my 64' on one side there is not even enough room for a finger to slide in while on the other I can fit my whole hand...

Wed Jul 15, 2015 1:54 pm

I have a 64 and I can put my hand behind the towers and the body and I had it narrowed 2"s which is 1" in each side. Sound like your body is off to one side due to an accident or the frame is bent or some other very bad bending of the frame parts. My son and I are working on 64 now also (http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=631993&sid=a1bd845d1ee78aefb2f2187070a3d5a5) and there are pictures of the head and the shocks and such.

Could your towers be bent?

Wed Jul 15, 2015 2:35 pm

Maybe, but they look pretty straight.

There is some body damage on the left hand side (the side that is tight). I know it's not a narrowed beam since I just finished replacing the torsion springs and they are stock length. What makes it even more strange is that everything else seems to line up nicely. The passenger door doesn't open/close smoothly but the hood closes nicely with no gaps. I was already thinking I was going to have to replace the front clip but it sounds like I may need to go further back...

Thu Jul 16, 2015 6:21 am

Start measuring. Get some straight pictures and let us see. Some guys outhere will see things you and I would miss.

Fri Jul 17, 2015 1:15 pm

Some pics...

Drivers side:

Passenger side:

a pic of some of the damage:

I am sure that this damage means that the smooth fenders on the vehicle are not original, unless the damage happened while driving with the fenders off... there are a couple layers of paint on the car the they seem to match...

Any way what do you think about the spacing on the beam?

Mon Jul 20, 2015 5:54 am

You clearly have body damage so that is most likely the cause. Three options, live with it as is, bang it in with a mallet to clearance it or cut & replace.

Maybe just the angle of the pic but the shock tower may be tweaked also on the damaged side.

Mon Jul 20, 2015 6:51 am

Yea, This got hit in the past in the front right. looks like a flat hit to the right coner. The finder(s) have been replaced and this was repaired with a hammer...sort of.