Body Questions

[jetice]

i am painting my car this winter and am trying to make the car sleeker. i just have a few questions about the body lines and gaps
1) the picture of the top car, is this line of any importance. my dad thinks a crease point. is it ok to fill it.

2) this is the body line between the quarter and the rocker. is this ok to fill or will this just give me problems

3) what exactly is under the plastic "helmet" that the cars have.

4) this is a picture of the gap between the left quarter and the deck lid at the back of the car. how can i make them flush? i have tried to move the latch and adjust the stops, but it is still off.

[81DaytonaPaceCar]

Many/all of those areas are flex points for the car.

If you fill them in, they'll likely just crack over time.

[steddy]

The "helmet" you speak of is because all 4th gens have the T-tops designed in them. They all share the middle t-top bar as a structural tie-in. Whether or not they have them was up to the order being placed. That area is definitely not something you'd want to fill.

Also, there is flex at the rear quarter to roof panel joint. On the other hand, you may...I repeat may be able to fill the area at the bottom fron of the quarter at the rocker panel to try and hinder rust that can accumulate in that area.

[Fbomb]

You can tighten the gap between the hatch and quarter panel by taking a piece of painter's tape and sticking it to the hatch in the gap, then laying down your bondo in the gap, leaving clearance so that you can still open the hatch after it's cured. Once the bondo is cured you open the hatch and you can sand it to form and to the gap you want. You'll probably have to paint the area REALLY well to seal it because it sees a lot of water.

[meissen]

The gap between the hatch and quarter panel is to trap water and have it run off down into a little drain that's right by the taillights.

[jetice]

thanks guys for the information. but with the trunk, i am talking about the top egde of the quarter lining up with the edge of the decklid. you can see in the photo (kinda) how the decklid is higher than the quarter. i have got the pasenger side to line up but cant get the drivers side