How can I fix the Dutchman panel height?

[yalpngulp]

My trunk lid is around 3/8 of an inch higher than my Dutchman panel. I have spent countless hours and 2 lids trying to get it down further. I even went to the extent of ovalling out the holes a bit to get more travel. The only idea I have at this point is to put a jack in the trunk and push the Dutchman panel up to tweak it into position. This is an original panel, so therefore the factory could have had it this way, but I want it flush. the trunk lid fits everywhere else perfectly.

 

[steve340]

I got a car back from the panel work and they had done all the trunk lid alignment without using the rubber trunk gasket - similar problem though mine was the rear quarter could not align. Had to go to another shop to unstitch the quarter and move it up.
I would not use a jack on that panel you will most likely bend it- 3/8 of an inch is quite a bit.

 

[69Bee]

Manual manipulation was used, even at the factory...

 

[gkent]

The problem (from my personal experience) isn't the lid, its the gasket. original gaskets were much softer than anything I've seen reproduced. The repops make the lid bulge. You only notice it there because the hinges pull it down on the sides.

 

[dadsbee]

You have to streamline (read stuff) the front corners to make the center fit correctly. Wind noise reduction!

 

[yalpngulp]

The problem (from my personal experience) isn't the lid, its the gasket. original gaskets were much softer than anything I've seen reproduced. The repops make the lid bulge. You only notice it there because the hinges pull it down on the sides.

I haven't installed the gasket yet

 

[yalpngulp]

You have to streamline (read stuff) the front corners to make the center fit correctly. Wind noise reduction!
View attachment 1046256 View attachment 1046257 View attachment 1046258

The front Corners are fitting fine, but it gets gradually higher in the middle of the Dutchman panel

 

[747mopar]

What has been replaced/repaired on the car, quarters, dutchman panel? If the corners are fitting and the center is still high I'd prop the corners of the truck lid up on blocks and try working the center down by hand/foot. I had to do this with a hood once, ended up bouncing up and down on the hood but it eventually laid down. Just go slow..

Now if the Dutchman has been replaced you may start there, if you do try pushing it up always use a fairly rigid board the width of the panel to achieve this. Simply pushing on the center will put a peak in it, a firm board will spread the force and keep the arch even.

 

[gkent]

If two lids have the same issue then the problem isn't the lid, its the panel. Maybe ask another member with a properly fitting lid to measure from the trunk floor to the lip on the panel and compare that measurement to yours.

 

[dadsbee]

The front Corners are fitting fine, but it gets gradually higher in the middle of the Dutchman panel

Why I showed mine, if you have the corners flush the center will be high...

Did someone sit on the dutchman while working in the trunk??

 

[gkent]

Why I showed mine, if you have the corners flush the center will be high...

I was trying to figure out what you meant by "stuff the corners"! So you're saying yours fits flush at the dutchman but the corners are low ??

 

[dadsbee]

Yes, why I showed pictures Stan so he could see they're down an 1/8th or a bit more. If you look at those shots you can see the quarter panel showing vs flush at the dutchman. It's just the design of the trunk lid, as my old one and the better one I got from a member here both fit exactly the same. Everything else.... sides, Dutchman etc are perfectly flush. Same as leaving a front fender just slightly higher than the door to cut wind noise, but a bit more drastic.

 

[yalpngulp]

What has been replaced/repaired on the car, quarters, dutchman panel? If the corners are fitting and the center is still high I'd prop the corners of the truck lid up on blocks and try working the center down by hand/foot. I had to do this with a hood once, ended up bouncing up and down on the hood but it eventually laid down. Just go slow..

Now if the Dutchman has been replaced you may start there, if you do try pushing it up always use a fairly rigid board the width of the panel to achieve this. Simply pushing on the center will put a peak in it, a firm board will spread the force and keep the arch even.

I replaced the drivers quarter but everything else is original

 

[yalpngulp]

Why I showed mine, if you have the corners flush the center will be high...

Did someone sit on the dutchman while working in the trunk??

Nobody here has sat on it but you never know over the last 50 years. I figured it was naturally High if the corners were matching, so I guess I have to do some tweaking to get the whole thing flush. I will try a combination of sitting on the trunk lid and bouncing and Jack the Dutchman up with a two-by-four Distributing the pressure

 

[747mopar]

If two lids have the same issue then the problem isn't the lid, its the panel. Maybe ask another member with a properly fitting lid to measure from the trunk floor to the lip on the panel and compare that measurement to yours.

Agreed but after seeing Dadsbee's fit issue I'm assuming this is another typical poor fitting Mopar panel lol. Regardless, if the OP doesn't like the way it fits it's time to start tweaking something... Maybe tweaking both a fuzz?

 

[747mopar]

Nobody here has sat on it but you never know over the last 50 years. I figured it was naturally High if the corners were matching, so I guess I have to do some tweaking to get the whole thing flush. I will try a combination of sitting on the trunk lid and bouncing and Jack the Dutchman up with a two-by-four Distributing the pressure

I'd start lighter than a 2×4, that might push the outside up? I usually use a 1" thick piece of hickory. Good luck

 

[gkent]

Well you won't be tweaking the trunk lid, the added strength of that inner structure will make that very risky and would likely cause some major distortion in the top of the lid. I'd focus on the dutchman.

 

[gkent]

I'd start lighter than a 2×4, that might push the outside up? I usually use a 1" thick piece of hickory. Good luck

I agree. Something that is tough but will flex with the shape of the panel to apply somewhat even pressure.

 

[yalpngulp]

I Jacked it about 1/4 inch past where I wanted it a few times and then massaged it and now it is flush. I didn't touch the trunk lid. Only took about an hour, so not too bad. I started with a 2 ft long 2 by 4 and then work my way down to a six inch piece which seemed to do the job better

 

[747mopar]

I Jacked it about 1/4 inch past where I wanted it a few times and then massaged it and now it is flush. I didn't touch the trunk lid. Only took about an hour, so not too bad. I started with a 2 ft long 2 by 4 and then work my way down to a six inch piece which seemed to do the job better

View attachment 1046835

That's awesome, glad to see you got that straightened out in a hurry