murrietavetts

I have spent many frustrating hours on getting my 66 passenger door to be flush with the body. I have been reading the manual and moving the striker in every position. The door sticks out about 1/4"and is consistent all the way down. Didn't know if I need to purchase emergency spacers.
I wanted to post a picture, but can't fiqure that out.
Thanks for your help.

66BlkBB

I use Photobucket, others use TinyPics, etc. You have to create an account to upload your photos. Which ever you use it is a simple matter of uploading the photo you want to the app that you want to use and then copying that image (IMG) and then paste it to your post.

I looked for the instructions that have been given on the forum on prior occasions but couldn't find them. Someone else will step in if they think I led you astray with my version on how to do it.

Bluestripe67

Is this the leading edge or the trailing edge? If it's the trailing edge, maybe the rear qt. panel was replaced and not aligned correctly. I have that issue on my '67 for about 2-3 inches at the bottom. I'm not bothering with it since it's not noticed by most people. Dennis

Pilot Dan

Are you working on a Convertible or a Coupe??? Big difference. We need a picture to give you the best advise. Pilot Dan

A-Snake

Posting pictures for 'murrietavetts'. It is a roadster.

murrietavetts

A-Snake
Thanks for posting.

Pilot Dan

Front gap looks pretty good, the back which is your problem could be one of two things in my way of thinking. First, you have new weatherstrips and they are holding the door open a bit. Second, IF you have adjusted the latch inwards as far as it goes, then I'd take a serious look at those rear quarter panels to see if they were replaced and fitted poorly at some point . Pilot Dan

mike coletta

A common mistake is to adjust the striker too far inboard. Adjust the striker out, and then close the door easy. You should hear one click, then push it, and you should hear another click. If the striker is too far inward, it will catch on the first click, but won't go far enough inward to catch on the second (which is the closed position). Does that make any sense??


Mike Coletta

DansYellow66

Pull the striker plate completely out (can mark it's current location with an outline of tape) and see if the door closes completely. If so, reinstall the striker and move it out a little.

New weatherstrip will sometimes make doors hard to close completely. If that is the case, don't try to force them - slamming the door will only end up cracking the paint at the door handle and play havic with the windows and channels. Instead set the door striker to where the door will close with a moderately firm effort (not slamming) and live with it not being flush for awhile. About once every 30 days, move the striker in slightly (1/16 inch or so) to where the door again takes a reasonably firm effort, but not slamming, to close it. Usually after 3 or 4 months the weatherstripping will compress and take a set to where you can adjust the doors flush and they will shut with normal effort. After 6 months or so they will close pretty effortlessly.

murrietavetts

Mike,
I'll take off the striker plate next and see if the door closes completely. I could never get that 2nd click, with the striker plate in any position. In fact, I thought I needed to pull the plate further out for the 2nd click and made the gap worse and I was using calipers to gage each movement.
Thanks

murrietavetts

Dan,
Thanks for the advice on taking off the striker plate. I'm also going to look at the weatherstripping.

DansYellow66

I don't think new weatherstripping will be as big a problem with a convertible as it is with a coupe. Those big window surrounds on the coupe doors are real finicky. I suspect the striker is in too far.

mike coletta

If you can close the door flush with the striker off the car, then it needs to come outboard. If your striker has the rubber bumper screwed into the inside of the latching cavity, remove it, and try closing for "two clicks".

Mike Coletta

murrietavetts

I took of the striker plate and the '2' small metal plates and the door still won't get flush with the body. It feels good with the top piece of the weatherstripping sliding on top, however the gap is still there. Even tried lifting the door a little to find a sweet spot.
Is it time to take it to the body shop?
Thanks,
Ron

Pilot Dan

If you can't get the rear of the door flush with the quarter panel (with the striker removed) and the front of the door is flush, you have a panel alignment problem. Adding a shim to the front would help the back but move the front in the wrong direction, a compromise solution. In the end, maybe that's the best you can get without doing a serious panel rework.

murrietavetts

Dan,
Thanks for the quick response. I'll keep playing with it and for curiosity will take it to the local body shop and see what they say.

DansYellow66

Is there evidence of the door fiberglass directly hitting the jamb fiberglass - such as paint abraisons or chips? Does it seem to just be the weatherstripping that is holding it out - in other words it has some spring to it when trying to push it closed with the striker removed? One or the other has to be preventing it from closing.

Finally, earlier I had assumed you installed new weatherstripping on the doors when this problem developed. But in going back and reading the earlier posts I don't actually see that to be the case. Is this new weatherstripping or old weatherstripping? A couple more pictures of the door jamb area and the end of the door could be of some help.

abe g

I am the original owner of a 63swc with door fitting from factory worse than yours! The fibreglas body panels stand out from the door, and no manner of adjustment helps. This was typical of "get them finished and out" manufacture then (and now). So stop looking for perfection, it aint the way they made them! Best of luck, Regards, Abe G

DansYellow66

True - this is the factory fit of my doors to the orginal GM fiberglass on the rear quarter.



Same the other side.



The rear of my coupe door window frames protrude about 3/16 inch out past the wrap down of the roofline. I probably should have filled the roof sides to match the door when I painted the car but I wasn't interested at the time in putting that much filler depth on and feathering it out. They were far from perfect.

64tux

i took my passenger door apart to redo the latch. the door was fitting and closed nicely before i started. i redid the latch and when i tested the door it did the same as in this picture. i couldn't believe it. the door fit great, now it felt like something was binding at the front of the door. could not figure out where it was binding. after playing with it for a couple hours i gave up for the night. after thinking about it all night long, i convinced myself it had to be the weatherstripping. so the next day i went out to the shop and took off rhe weatherstripping on the underside of the door. it was better but not perfect so i loosened the strike plate and moved it forward. it worked! the door closed and fit right. and for some reason after i put the door panel back on the door it fit even better.
the bad part of this story is that i emailed [ murrietavetts ] before i figured it out and asked him what he did to fix his problem. he told me he sold his vette because he didn't want to take it to the body shop and get it fixed. i couldn't believe it. i hope he didn't sell her to cheap!!