Weird Door Question
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 20
From: New Jersey
Weird Door Question
I have a 75 with 41K original miles. I know some of it's history, but not all.
This is the strange part. The drivers side door, from the side, looks perfect. The gaps are great and the door closes very nicely. No sagging. However, from the back, it looks like the middle of the door, along the midline, sticks out about 1/4 to 3/8 inch when compared with the rear quarter. The top and bottom line up, but along the midline it sticks out. You can see it when looking from the back wheel towards the front. Also, when the window is up, there is a slight gap between the glass and the t-top weatherstripping by the front pillar. The other interesting part is that the writing on the door glass on the back corner is different on the driver's side and the passenger side. On the passenger side the writing is on an angle but it is flat on the driver's side.
Does it sound like the door has been replaced? I thought that for the most part the C3 doors were pretty standard and interchangable. The hinges all look good and don't show signs of having been replaced. Like I said, it just is weird and I can't trace the history any further to see if it was ever in an accident (Frame and everything is orginal and shows no damage).
Hopefully this makes sense and any advice is appreciated.
This is the strange part. The drivers side door, from the side, looks perfect. The gaps are great and the door closes very nicely. No sagging. However, from the back, it looks like the middle of the door, along the midline, sticks out about 1/4 to 3/8 inch when compared with the rear quarter. The top and bottom line up, but along the midline it sticks out. You can see it when looking from the back wheel towards the front. Also, when the window is up, there is a slight gap between the glass and the t-top weatherstripping by the front pillar. The other interesting part is that the writing on the door glass on the back corner is different on the driver's side and the passenger side. On the passenger side the writing is on an angle but it is flat on the driver's side.
Does it sound like the door has been replaced? I thought that for the most part the C3 doors were pretty standard and interchangable. The hinges all look good and don't show signs of having been replaced. Like I said, it just is weird and I can't trace the history any further to see if it was ever in an accident (Frame and everything is orginal and shows no damage).
Hopefully this makes sense and any advice is appreciated.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 20
From: New Jersey
I am thinking the door was replaced at some point. The quarter looks like it is original. Overall, if they did replace it, they did a very good job. Do the C3 doors shape vary depending on the years? Unless you are looking for it, it is hard to notice, but of course I see it and it is bothering me. My wife thinks I am nuts!
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
The profile shape of the C3 doors did not change. And they are made close enough to that profile that you would never find 3/8"-1/2" noticible error between door and fender profiles. Either your door...or your quarter panel...or both...have been repaired poorly. You can cut a piece of cardboard to match up with the right-side door profile and see how it fits to the left door [held vertically and at the same position on the doors {back edge?}. That should tell you which panel is in error.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,687
Likes: 3,139
From: Shamong, NJ
I am thinking the door was replaced at some point. The quarter looks like it is original. Overall, if they did replace it, they did a very good job. Do the C3 doors shape vary depending on the years? Unless you are looking for it, it is hard to notice, but of course I see it and it is bothering me. My wife thinks I am nuts!
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,482
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,813
Likes: 1
From: JOPPA MD
My Orange 73 had this very same condition. It was not hit nor repaired. I had a photo of it, but must have deleted it. With the glass being different...sounds like a repair of some kind to me. Is the top of the door in line with the rear QTR? Mine was off (sagging downward) about a 3/16". It was very unoticeable, but like you, I new it was there and it bothered me as well. These C3 door's are heavy and tend to sag over the year's...but, as already mentioned...seems to have been repaired at one time or another. If, it functions well, I would simply, leave it alone. JMO.....
