Body panel alignment

The first thing you need is a transmission jack like they sell at Harbor Freight that uses a 1/2" drive ratchet. It is the easiest way to start lining up your doors. You have to play with the doors until you get the gaps as close as you can to match both sides than line up your fenders. You will also have to install the hood and front valance to get the fender gaps right.

Good luck it is time consuming lining up sheet metal.

If I can offer some advice, here it is: starting with all the sheetmetal removed, install the doors on the bare body. Align the rear edge and the lower edge as close as you can and as even as you can. I use a paint stirring stick as a guage to set my gaps, it should drag on both edges when you stick it in the gap. Open and close it several times, making sure to look all around for signs of hitting, scraping or binding. Once you're satisfied that it's as good as it can be, move on to the hood. Install the hood (no fenders yet) and align it to the cowl. Get it even side-to-side and across the back. I set the hood rearward as far as possible so it will open and not hit the cowl. Put two layers of masking tape on to simulate the thickness of paint and make sure it won't scrape. Next do the fenders. Align the fenders to fit the doors and the hood. I use a straight edge on the doors as well as run a couple feet of masking tape along the peaks of the body lines to help you see that they are as good as possible. Nearly every stock Mustang I have ever seen has the top of the fender too high where it meets the door. I typically grind the top rear fender bracket down a bit to line it up better. It takes lots of patience and a good eye, and it never hurts to have a buddy with some patience to help out. Good luck!

this site helped me....he has a video on how to align the door....which is what you need to align first, the fenders are pretty easy once you get that door right.

Mustang How To : Average Joe Restoration

And the problem with eating a bunch of popsicles is?? i used a paint stirrer, its about the right gap.

zookeeper,

Do you line up your doors with/without the door weather seals on? If do you without, do you find they alter the fitment once installed? Just curious because I'm having trouble lining up the bottom of the door by 1/4 panel with the weather seals on. They stick out quite a bit, even with the door having a big gap at the bottom.

Thanks.
Nate

Have you tried loosening the striker and bumping it with a block of wood or rubber hammer?