I think I have a problem
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
From: LaVista Ne
I think I have a problem
Painted my Jams then put the dorr hinges together. Then I put the doors on so I could get started block sanding. After I got the doors on and the back gap looked pretty good,,,,,, I looked at the front one.
I am guessing I have to cut the front clip off and put it back on so everything lines up. Any thoughts?
I am guessing I have to cut the front clip off and put it back on so everything lines up. Any thoughts?
Last edited by 72 bucket of parts; May 11, 2011 at 10:10 PM. Reason: Picture
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
From: LaVista Ne
It's on the wheels. I can't even take it lose from the radiator sadle and get it tighter. The body sat on a stand for years without the front end suppoeted. I am guessing this had something to do with it. I don't see any way to close up the gap without moving the front clip.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 267
From: Austin Texas
Corvette of the Year Winner 2017
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Inspect the area just under the windsheild, if you look closely, you will see where the fiberglass Firewall, is supposed to be riveted/bonded/glued to the metal Birdcage/ window/Dash frame. This is a common area problem, if you see a gap- your restoration will take much longer ! 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,850
Likes: 142
From: Tampa, Fl.
With Paul.Position the door so as to average all the gaps. Work with what you have and get it as good as you can. Then, and only then, make your decision. After all, this junk did come off an assembly line! Look at lots of C3 pics. The left upper gap seems to be a problem area.
Chuck
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,264
Likes: 3
From: Vero Beach FL
What did it look like before you took the door off? Does the other side look the same? To me it looks as though the door needs raised a bit in the front. Is the bottom of the door even with the bottom of the fender? I recently went through this myself. I had to replace the original door with one from a donor car. I could not get it to fit I worked on it for days. I took the door off looked at it very closely only to discover that the door had been reworked and the top third had been ground down about 1/8th to 1/4th of an inch. I glassed the door edge back on and it solved the problem. It is not unheard of to close the gaps by adding some fiberglass to the doors edge or fender / surround . After you are curtain that the door is as lined up as it can be run some masking tape along the fenders edge closing the gap to what you want it to be. That would give you an idea of how much glassing it would take I bet its not as much as you think. Do a search here on the forum there are a couple of example .
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,264
Likes: 3
From: Vero Beach FL
I agree with Alan the front looks low. If the bolts in the door are up as far as they go you can get a little more height out of the ones in the pillar even though they are for moving the door horizontal.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: LaVista Ne
Well, I have been messing with it all weekend and had come to the conclusion that the clip needed to come off. Now that I have read all the replys I think I am going to mess with it some more. I found it odd that the body line would not line up, so maybe it is a case of the door needs to go up. The top of the fender sticks out just a little farther then the door also. The difference from top to bottom is huge. it almost touches on the bottom of the door, and I can put my finger between the fender and door on the top. It is on all 4 and level. The hinges have been cleaned and re-assembled with new bushings. I tried jacking up the nose while the saddle was loose from the frame and could not close the gap at all. I think I am going to try and raise the door as suggested and see if that would look better. I really don't want to take the clip off, I'm afaid that would be way over my head. I started to head down that road and think I can set it back without any problem. The rear gap does not look bad, but if I raise the front I guess I'm not sure what the back will look like. If I can remedy the problem this way it is well worth the time to try. I really hop I don't have to take the clip off.
Kelley
Kelley
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Get some pics from the side showing the entire door so we can see the gaps front and back.
Many times you just need to reposition the door to find a happy medium.
If the front clip hasn't been off I would hesitate to try and reposition it.
If it looks good everywhere else you might want to consider adding glass.
Many times you just need to reposition the door to find a happy medium.
If the front clip hasn't been off I would hesitate to try and reposition it.
If it looks good everywhere else you might want to consider adding glass.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 112
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From: LaVista Ne
I messed with it some more and this is where the Driver door is setting now.
I got it up a little and doesn't look real bad. I think I can make it work. I would need to add glass to the front to fix the gap, and the bottom of the back sets in a little from the quarter panel. On the curb side it looks like this.
Similar issues here. Except I can't get it high enough. The body line is lower on the door than the fender. I am thinking about making the hole on the door where the bolt slides a little longer to facilitate moving it higher. I have maxed out both the piller and door movment. the back of the passanger side door also is too far in on the bottom. I am guessing I could fill for the gap and the bottom back of both doors but am wondering why it is off this way. I know they were cheap cars, but thought the door should fit better than what I am finding.
Kelley
I got it up a little and doesn't look real bad. I think I can make it work. I would need to add glass to the front to fix the gap, and the bottom of the back sets in a little from the quarter panel. On the curb side it looks like this.
Similar issues here. Except I can't get it high enough. The body line is lower on the door than the fender. I am thinking about making the hole on the door where the bolt slides a little longer to facilitate moving it higher. I have maxed out both the piller and door movment. the back of the passanger side door also is too far in on the bottom. I am guessing I could fill for the gap and the bottom back of both doors but am wondering why it is off this way. I know they were cheap cars, but thought the door should fit better than what I am finding.
Kelley
