door spaces
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 123
From: CA.
door spaces
1st time poster, great site by the way. anyway just bought a 72 stingray, last vet i owned was 20 years ago. question is on passenger door where it meets fender there is a pretty large space on top compared to other side. fender seems a little higher. i was told to fix you have to cut calking where fender attaches to firewall. is this true and should i just let it go? thanks, nutsy.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Before you start cutting stuff put the car on a flat level hard surface and start measuring from the lower edge of the body down to the floor, all the way around.
Then, do the same for the frame. What you're looking for are differences in height between the frame and and body. What may have happened is a body mount may have worn down or rotted away causing a part of the body to sag or change positions.
Also, a previous owner may have replaced a body mount and installed a shim too many.
It'd be best to have a look at all the body mounts and check for shimming before you cut anything.
Then, do the same for the frame. What you're looking for are differences in height between the frame and and body. What may have happened is a body mount may have worn down or rotted away causing a part of the body to sag or change positions.
Also, a previous owner may have replaced a body mount and installed a shim too many.
It'd be best to have a look at all the body mounts and check for shimming before you cut anything.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,991
Likes: 3
From: Piscataway NJ
It could be that the bonding adhesive let loose. It is a 35 yo car. There is a triangular support under that area of the fender that is where it is bonded together. The trangular piece is riveted to the cowl if you remove the pass lower dash you can see the rivets or worse a rusted out cowl. The other area to check is the radiator support at the bottom were it bolts to the frame extension. If the support is rusted out it will not be supporting the front clip as it should and the first place it will add stress is the area you are talking about.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,270
Likes: 4,362
From: Westminster Maryland
I've noticed the larger gap you've asked about on many, many original cars. I think this was a poor fit from the factory. I really only see good gaps in that area on cars that have had the door and or fender massaged.
I've also noticed it's pretty easy to make this gap too tight, and then the door edge gets a 'nick' in it when the door is opened full against the hinge stop.
You have to be careful!
Regards,
Alan
I've also noticed it's pretty easy to make this gap too tight, and then the door edge gets a 'nick' in it when the door is opened full against the hinge stop.
You have to be careful!
Regards,
Alan
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 123
From: CA.
ALAN, i know what u mean. the driver side door has nice gap but when u open door your lucky if u have a 32nd of an inch. anyway molding that sits on top of right fender is about a half inch higher than other side. seems if i could drop it down somehow it would fix gap. everywhere i look under car is like new. no pits in frame or anywhere and all painted really nice. just that this gap on top of door seems to catch my eye everytime.
