Door removal tips
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Tip #1 is not to remove the doors if you do not have to. Keeping the doors on retains the original alignment and saves a lot of future work.
If you remove the doors, you will want to index all the hinge attachment points so you can realign the doors when it's time to put them back on. Keep the hinge shim stacks together and mark where they go.
Doors are heavy - true grunt work. Prepare accordingly.
The edges of the various openings in the steel door shell can be sharp and will cut fingers. Be careful.
Good luck.
If you remove the doors, you will want to index all the hinge attachment points so you can realign the doors when it's time to put them back on. Keep the hinge shim stacks together and mark where they go.
Doors are heavy - true grunt work. Prepare accordingly.
The edges of the various openings in the steel door shell can be sharp and will cut fingers. Be careful.
Good luck.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
I was told by a guy that he removes 2 original washer bolt combos from each hinge end and installs 2 loose washers epoxied to the car and puts the bolts back in and let them dry over night. That would be 8 per door. When he puts the door back on that supposedly puts the door back where it was. He did say he removes the epoxied washers and puts the originals back. I guess the epoxy would hold if you weren't too rough with it.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 267
From: Austin Texas
Corvette of the Year Winner 2017
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Remove the door panel, then use a sharpie, and outline the bolts and washers, that hold the door inplace,
put a small jack under the door, have a helper hold the door, and unbolt the final top and bottom bolts, unbolt it and slide off.
Just use the sharpie outlines to realign the door. 69VETT
put a small jack under the door, have a helper hold the door, and unbolt the final top and bottom bolts, unbolt it and slide off.
Just use the sharpie outlines to realign the door. 69VETT
Last edited by 69Vett; Sep 11, 2009 at 12:06 PM.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 649
Likes: 10
From: Shelby Twp MI
I wish I did this, but I saw if you drill a 1/4" hole through each hinge before you take the door off it's alot easier to align back up. Simply put a 1/4" drill bit in the holes.
Also, the wiring was a PIA for me to get out of my doors. You may want to do this before you're juggling the door with one hand and trying to fish out the wire with the other.
Also, the wiring was a PIA for me to get out of my doors. You may want to do this before you're juggling the door with one hand and trying to fish out the wire with the other.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
I wish I did this, but I saw if you drill a 1/4" hole through each hinge before you take the door off it's alot easier to align back up. Simply put a 1/4" drill bit in the holes.
Also, the wiring was a PIA for me to get out of my doors. You may want to do this before you're juggling the door with one hand and trying to fish out the wire with the other.
Also, the wiring was a PIA for me to get out of my doors. You may want to do this before you're juggling the door with one hand and trying to fish out the wire with the other.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 1
From: grand prairie texas
I like emeigtch's idea I wish I had done that a couple years agop when i had my doors off. I actually found it prety easy to remove and install the doors. I put towels on my floor jack pad and positioned it under the door figuring the center weight wise and I had my friend balance the door in the open opsition while I unbolted the door from the main pillar and slid jack and door away from the car. Same procedure worked for reinstall. Like others have said unhook the wiring harness from the door and feed it inside the car and be careful not to tear the rubber conduit that goes between the body and door
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,938
Likes: 2
From: Arkansas
The moron that painted my car jacked me around and painted my doors off the car and gave me the task of re-installing them. I got screwed on this paintjob and the doors were a pain to re-align. I ended up taking a spot of the edge of the door because it nicked the fender during the trial fit. I eventually got them where they are aligned ok.
My doors look right now, and are never coming off again
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Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,108
Likes: 11
From: No Prov RI
My 55 year old body man takes a bare door of by himself and puts it back on by himself....
it's all in the balance and how you position yourself. But if the door still has hardware in it you should have a helper.
Hammadown
it's all in the balance and how you position yourself. But if the door still has hardware in it you should have a helper.Hammadown