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69. Body back on. Driver side door fits like a dream .. passenger side was in terrible shape. So I got this door from a 70. And having alignment issues. The bottom near the rocker wont line up. Can anyone give advice. Please. And thank you. Fyi.
I don't have photos to show, but the back bottom corner on mine looks about like that on one side or the other. No signs the car has ever been hit; I'm told that's not unusual... Be interesting to hear the comments of others.
I think being fiberglass that door was fit for car it came off. When you are happy with fit you can sand down the spots to get the gaps correct. If everything else fits but rocker is low you can use fiberglass and glaze to match it up.
Hi derek,
I believe the doors were were assembled, (the fiberglass skin was bonded to the steel shell), in bulk, by a supplier.
The doors were hung and fitted into the body and then the body cut by hand at St.Louis.
Because of this body assembly method a door that fit it's car very well originally, MAY not fit another car nearly as well.
Fiberglass work is often required on both the door and body to achieve a satisfactory fit, gaps, and transitions.
The lower rear corner of the door typically fit better than your photo shows.
Now is the time to do the work.
I had the same exact problem on the drivers side, it was all chipped up by flying debris being exposed like that when I got the car. On my refinish, I built the area up with mat and resin starting about 10 inches away from the door edge and contoured it in.
I looked at both of mine on a no hit original paint June of 68 coupe.
Fit isabout the same on the lower rear section as yours on both doors.
I guess the quality control started later in production?
My gaps are all even else wise no sags.
I would not have really picked up on it unless it was pointed out.
Now is the time to make it right before you paint.
I also have the rivet bumps showing on the front surround.
It is what it is at 49 y/o.
Marshal
Well thank you for the replys. I just wanted to check and make sure I wasnt missing something in a shim or adjustment. I will start on bodyworking that door and build up that area. Thanks.
my other question is this. When I am assembling my body I am noticing that the passenger side is a little out of whack on the body. It is a New frame. . I am having a little bit of troubles with that passenger side however .. now that I know about the door i will work on that. The hood sits a little raised on the passenger side after fitment. Which I can take out a shim at the hinge. But .. its my lower crossmember. The under side bolt to the rad support on the drivers side is perfect alignment The passenger side is angled about a 1/4 of an inch. So i pushed on that side brought it down to get the bolt in and placed 2 shims under the rad support. Would this have anything to do with the frame bolt shims. ? Thank you in advance!!.
Last edited by derek15003; Oct 1, 2017 at 11:02 AM.
Reason: Revise
Hi derek,
There were often shims used between the bottom of the core-support and the top of the front crossmember.
It could be that shims are required where you describe them.
It really takes some experience (like DUB has) to know just what to do based on what is seen and what the situation is.
For folks with little experience, like many of us, it's more a matter of trial and error.
What's equally difficult is to not get into a situation where one adjustment helps a particular area but throws something else out.
You really need to try to work everything at once which requires 3 brains and twelve hands.
When you mention that one of the bolts up through the forward crossmember isn't aligned with the nut on the bottom of the core support it makes me wonder if the the frame extension that the crossmember bolts to might need a bit of adjustment?
??
Regards,
Alan
Might an adjustment here help the core support fit?
My passenger side doors also don't fit as nice. But is it worth it paying around $200 for good used ones and then another 100 to ship it?
Looks like the fiberglass is a very specific thing.
Hi,
The gap at the top of the front of the door to the top of the fender is typically not as good as the rest of the gaps for the doors on both sides.
The 'factory' gap can be 'improved' with some fiberglass work, but the restorer needs to be careful that the gap doesn't get so 'good' that the edges can be damaged when the door is swung.
Careful!
Regards,
Alan
this is a shot of the original door. I threw the bolts in and closed it. Much better. I will have to do some work to the metal thats pretty shot. But i think its better than the other door with the gaps all out of whack.
Originally Posted by Alan 71
Hi,
The gap at the top of the front of the door to the top of the fender is typically not as good as the rest of the gaps for the doors on both sides.
The 'factory' gap can be 'improved' with some fiberglass work, but the restorer needs to be careful that the gap doesn't get so 'good' that the edges can be damaged when the door is swung.
Careful!
Regards,
Alan
Honestly...depending on how much 'metal' work and rust repair you need to do to the original door. Correcting the gaps on the 'new' door is not that big of a deal.....because I do it often. If you want/need tutorial help in this area....let me know...because it is what I do for a living.
Sometimes the amount of bad rust and where it is located overrides the amount of time to correct gaps.
they both beed about the same amount of metal work. The replacement door I have looked good untill I stripped it down. Both have the areas around the hinge pocket at the bottom. So I would have to do either one. I am definitely interested in getting the gaps as tight as possible so I would love a tutorial if you can. But i think i will go with the original door because of that rocker gap being better Thanks dub!
Derek
Originally Posted by DUB
Honestly...depending on how much 'metal' work and rust repair you need to do to the original door. Correcting the gaps on the 'new' door is not that big of a deal.....because I do it often. If you want/need tutorial help in this area....let me know...because it is what I do for a living.
Sometimes the amount of bad rust and where it is located overrides the amount of time to correct gaps.
DUB
Last edited by derek15003; Oct 1, 2017 at 08:19 PM.
I will be more than glad to help you close up the door gaps...but also understand that if you get them too close...you are inviting problems in the future. I am only 'saying' that from experience on how I used to do them in the past and how it came back to 'bite me' in a bad way.
As for the metal work on your door...and if you are going to freak out if it comes back after you fixed it. I know when I have to do metal work on these doors I often times have to remove the outer door skin and fix the steel and then bond to door skin back on.
Door alignment question
