Why doesn't the body sit straight?

The fenders are visibly in line with the body side. The problem with the Repli-Tubs is that the cowl is about 1/8" off from side to side, which transfers to the grille. I've talked to many others who shared the same grief. It is visibly good and most people won't notice the offset grille (I think the photos exaggerate the problem due to the angle that I held the camera .) I can pull the grille to the center but then the hood line with the cowl is drastically off so the best I can do is split the difference.

 

I hate to say this, but If I remember right, your project was done right after I did mine and I got the same repli tub. The fitment problems with the body is the same as mine (fenders, hood grill) but my lean got worse and was because of the springs. I originally had the original springs unpacked, re-arched, and put back together. They eventually sagged. I took others advise and bought a whole set of new ones. This worked great...a first...and then it sagged the same exact way. I bought an extra leaf for the two back and put them in. That worked great...and then they sagged. I measured the distance from the ground to the bottom of the fenders and found that the sag was actually coming from the front right side. If two people ride in the jeep, it rides level, but if I drive it with just me in it, it eventually gets the lean. I thought about putting in an extra leaf just in the front right untill my dad did the same thing to his GPW. His rode completely level with the one extra leaf in the front right...untill someone sits on the passenger side. It had an opposite sag on the passenger side now that was worse than the left sag.

Moral of the story is...I don't know what to do, other than ride with 2 people in it.
I read something a while back about somebody hitting the frame rivets with a big hammer, but I know mine is because of the springs and their inability to spring back
I've got into the habit now of pushing the jeep over when I get out of it.

 

I have been doing this for years. Admittedly, I haven't tried to fix the lean, I just figured this was the easiest solution.

Sent from my LS670

 

These aren't the best vehicles for an OCD person like me.

 

Thanks for the laugh

 

I agree with the last few posts. I working on straightening a 6 tub and it is horrible how they built them from the factory ...close will have to do with a trail rig ,but yours is so beautiful I can see why this is driving you crazy .

 

I used the engine hoist to lift on the right (passenger) side, which put some reverse stress and seemed to straighten it out some. I also lifted on the driver's fender in hopes of reversing that stress but ended up creasing the passenger fender mehh. It looks better in the front so now to the point where it is barely noticeable (except for the newly damaged passenger fender.)

These fenders have been beaten on and welded repeatedly so it is conceivably possible the entire problem rests with them. I am considering buying reproduction fenders. But that will trade one set of problems for a new set, I'm sure.

 

Your Jeep looks great.

I purchased one reproduction fender and it looked lower than the factory one I took off. It also does not have the smooth factory stamping on the front. They work great when you have an unrepairable fender. I fear you won't get better results with new fenders.

 

Good to know, I'll just keep tweaking them until they are correct. Thanks.

 

Oh, and a year later, the inner fender skirt on the driver side where it is welded to the outer skin broke loose. Now that it's bedlined and welded, I don't know how to fix it. It's not a real problem, but you can take your hand and shake the inner fender a little now

 

Looks good! I'm just starting on my '61. Before pulling the front end off, I noticed the same lean. The drivers side is lower, and after taking measurements it seems to be a combination of spring sag ( I can see a difference in how the shackles sit), and the body being tweaked a bit. I'm going to re-arch the springs and do my best when putting it all back together, and call it good. That is better than what the factory did!