69red

What would be the best way to even out the gap on my door. The front of the door fits the front fender well with a consistent 3/16 gap. The rear of the door has a 5/16 gap. It is flush with the rear quarter panel at the top rear of the door but the rear quarter panel is proud of the bottom rear of the door the by about 1/8 inch.

To even the rear door gap I was planning to build up the rear quarter panel with fiberglass and mat. Could VPA be used?

What would be the best way to make the bottom of the door flush with the rear quarter panel? Do I add to the door or remove material from the quarter panel?

Thanks



The rear quarter panel is proud of the door bottom by about 1/8 inch. The quarter panel is flush with the door at the top.





The rear door gap is a consistent 5/16 inch.





The front door gap is a consistent 3/16 inch

DUB

You lost me in what I made BOLD in your text. I do not understand what you were trying to say.

I can not answer this due to I need to see the rear door gap at the quarter panel.

Will get to that....need to see the gap at the rear of the door and quarter first...and I need a photo STRAIGHT ON CENTERED. Then take one at the fender and door gap STRAIGHT ON CENTERED also.

DUB

zwede

To get the rear lower part of the door out, you bend the door frame.

It is safer to add to the door jamb to shrink the gap than the edge of the door. If you do decide to add to the door you need to do it with resin & mat for strength. And you need to grind back at least an inch for mating surface.

DUB: He's saying the lower rear edge of the door sits further in than the quarter, while the top is correct.

DUB

QUESTION: Your car is NOT up on jack stands...is it???? In the last photo you posted in your first post...I see a jack stand. That is a BIG NO-NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DUB

69red

Thanks for the replies. I'm sorry if my questions were not asked more clearly. I am attaching more photos of the rear door to quarter panel gap. I want to narrow this gap. It is now 5/16 and I want to make it 3/16 to match the gap at the front of the door.






This photo shows the 5/16 inch door gap. To close this I was planning to add to the quarter panel. Would VPA work for this or should I use fiberglass and mat?








This photo shows how the bottom rear of the door and the rear quarter panel are not flush. The door bottom is in and the quarter panel sticks out beyond the door. To fix this do I add to the door or take way from the fender? If I added to the door could I use VPA?

The car is on jack stands. I have been restoring the frame and suspension. I am getting ready for the body work and paint.

69red

Zwede, what is the best way to bend the door frame?

zwede

Mike (tracdogg2) did mine for me. He just used his hands. He's pretty strong.

DUB

Honestly...I would not do anything until you get your body back on the frame.

But if you feel you can achieve success in doing it OFF the frame...have at it.

What you show in the photos in the above post #5...It does not look that bad...versus the other photo you showed with the flat edge.

If your door is good at the top....and in the center of the door at the body line it is good....and then the door begins to go inwards a little bit the further you go down to the bottom of the door. The door can be 'tweaked' a little bit to correct this. If that is not going to work...and applying HEAT to the door can aid this 'tweaking'. Then it is possible that the 'B' pillar(s) can be splayed out a bit ...due to possible loose rivets or fatigued fiberglass in the floor pans.

Which is why I ...personally/professionally would not spend a second on this UNTIL the body was back on the frame and shimmed and locked in pale so I then could make a determination on what I would need to do.

DUB

69red

Thanks for the replies. The body is on the frame. The photos are a little deceiving because the rear trailing arms are out.

I will trying bending the bottom of the door out.

I would like to close the door gap by 1/8 inch. Can I do this by adding VPA to the quarter panel? If I do it this way do I need to bevel back some of the fiberglass like I would if I was using fiberglass and mat?

Thanks

zwede

You don't need to bevel back since the jamb is a nice big mating surface. You need to get down to the fiberglass though and the raw fiberglass roughed to 40 grit.

I've never used VPA so can't give an opinion on it. We had some similar repairs on mine and used dynaglass (which worked fine).

DUB

GREAT...the body is on the frame.....BUT....the car needs to be either on the tires...or supported by the suspension. Especially that this car is a convertible.

VPA can be used to close the gap at the door.....but you might want to re-think that idea of getting the gaps tight. WHY? Well I used to have that same idea and mentality a LONG time ago...and what I have found...is that even though it looks good to have tight gaps....you are opening up yourself to PROBLEMS. And these problems are (especially in a convertible) is the flexing of the frame and the gaps can close up and sometimes make contact with each other and then you have CHIPPED PAINT.

Something to consider.....if you have an Assembly Manual...and are looking at the 'body checking area' and you can see the +/- measurements GM gave for the gaps and being flush. I have done numerous Corvettes....and when I am doing a fiberglass Corvette...I make the gaps wide. More towards the high end of the width GM allowed for. AND the reason I am doing this is because I an gelcoating the panels, priming them,,,applying paint and clear. AND in doing so...I KNOW by now how wide I can cut the gaps so when the car is painted and buffed and the panels put back on and I measure the gaps...They not only look great and are consistent....but they fall withing GM specs. BUT...also keep in mind that when I am doing this....I am also making a conscience effort to apply these products to the edges of all of my panels correctly and sand them accordingly.....thus....adding material.... and thus...closing up the gap from where it was in the raw sanded fiberglass state.

I KNOW it is your Corvette and do as you wish.

And I would see if adding one more shim at #4 body mount on the left side would help close up this gap at the top....BUT.....I would ONLY DO THAT once you get the car on its suspension.

DUB

69red

Thanks, everyone for taking the time to answer my questions.

68notray

I've done body work for several decades on GM products. When it comes to body panel alignment GM usually gives you plenty of ways to fit your panels better. First I go with a "split the diff" concept. If the front door gap is narrow and the back gap wide, shift the door aft 1/16" and see what you got. Or, if you notice the rear door gap is not vertical, there is a reason for that. If you adjust the door angle downward just a fraction of a degree it closes the door gap a huge amount. Another chance to split the difference.

DUB

I have also employed the 'split the difference' method....but it depends. But like what '68notray' wrote. If one line and or gap is correct and the other is NOT...there is reason for that. And what it takes to get it right is what separates the 'men from the boys'...as I put it.

DUB