Door gaps fixed & finally got the engine in.

[ref772]

I've been fighting this for 2 days. I had the 70 convertible on a 4 post lift and the engine resting on heavy 2'x2' metal wheel alignment table. I thought it would be eaiser than trying to balance the engine on a floor jack by myself and just drop the car down on the engine. After several tries, I just could not get the body low enough without hitting the engine cover spring. Tried tilting up, tilting down. Gave up and slept on it. Nothing had worked, so today I decided to work on something else. Correct the door gaps. I found no rubber pads between the rear body mounts and the body. A heavy 3/8" rubber pad under the mounts corrected the gaps. That also raised the rear of the body some, so I tried stabbing the engine again. That little bit let the body drop down over the engine far enough so the bottom studs line up and then a little bit of wiggling and it mated right up. Might be driving it this afternoon!

[ref772]

I found another reason that I had so much trouble getting the engine in. After I got it bolted up, The rubber new firewall seal and the new seal on the right side tin (#1 & 2 cyls) were not touching the tin - leaving about a 1/4" air gap. When the PO set the body back on the chassis, it was not centered. The entire body needs to move back and to the left. Is it possible to unbolt the body mounts and move the body now that everything is back together?

[beetlenut]

With all those pan bolts plus the shockmount bolts and framehead bolts, I don't think you have that much adjustment. Are you sure it wasn't hit in the rear at some point, and the body is skewed slightly? That's what happened to mine, and I had similar horror stories trying to get my motor in and engine seal to fit right. Lots of adjustments, and several engine fitment sessions to get it right.
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scrapyards are for quitters
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[ref772]

It's never been hit in the rear, but has been hit in the front at some point. The body was removed by 2 duffeses years ago to replace the floor pan and then gave up and quit. Thats where I came in. I figured it would be a major pain to move the body just 1/4" so I think it is staying where it is. I think I'll fab up some rubber extensions to the existing seals to close up the gap and call it good.