Different Door gap question
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,136
Likes: 8
From: Chichester, UK
Different Door gap question
Hi,
I am coming to the end of my ideas what to do with my drivers door/rear fender adjustment.
I have managed to adjust the door gap and with a little more time I can get the door gap in to a nice shape.
However my problem is that the bottom lower edge of the door does not line up with the rear fender.
As you can see from the pictures the upper edge is in line with the rear fender, but the lower is not.
I have taken an impression of a 1979 door edge and it is exactly the same as my 1980 door.
It looks as the rear fender has shrank/compressed but fibreglass does not shrink or compresses.
Fibreglass cracks and I can not see any signs of cracking.
(Mind you I had to replace my rubber body bushings and this particular #3 was completely rotten!)
Any ideas?
I am coming to the end of my ideas what to do with my drivers door/rear fender adjustment.
I have managed to adjust the door gap and with a little more time I can get the door gap in to a nice shape.
However my problem is that the bottom lower edge of the door does not line up with the rear fender.
As you can see from the pictures the upper edge is in line with the rear fender, but the lower is not.
I have taken an impression of a 1979 door edge and it is exactly the same as my 1980 door.
It looks as the rear fender has shrank/compressed but fibreglass does not shrink or compresses.
Fibreglass cracks and I can not see any signs of cracking.
(Mind you I had to replace my rubber body bushings and this particular #3 was completely rotten!)
Any ideas?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,709
Likes: 3
From: Savannah GA
Your gaps look better than most. I believe that the "extra" material at the lower rear is not unusual, and if the slight "droop" bothers you it can be addressed when you paint. Have your painter reshape the edge to get the lines right. These cars were very seldom perfect when they left the factory and will require "correction" to be as nice as they can be.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,753
From: Charlotte NC
How does the other side of the car look in this area? If the other side of the car is inward...then it may be something else that I will mention.
The gap at the front...by the photo provided...appears to be a bit on the tight side. it can increased by sanding on the fender edge.
I have run into this issue on numerous Corvettes over the years. Some way worse than this. And from what I have found is that the "birdcage" is not square. It does not have to be off that much to cause this issue...which sometimes...but not always was caused by a collision.
Just make sure that your door hinge bushings are very tight with no play in them and that your striker pin is also solid and the ring on your striker bolt that the door latch catches on is not spinning due to the rubber inside it is worn out or missing.
I have seperated this lower portion of the 1/4 panel and brought it out to match the doors edge. BUT this is after verifying that the door weatrherstripping is contacting the jamg before doing so. OR...you can add material to this area because it is so small of an area to make it flush.
Lastly...the door could have been "tweaked" sometime in the past. Such as being closed on something that did not damage the SMC...but did distort the steel inner structure just enough at the hinge point to throw off the back lower edge.
"DUB"
The gap at the front...by the photo provided...appears to be a bit on the tight side. it can increased by sanding on the fender edge.
I have run into this issue on numerous Corvettes over the years. Some way worse than this. And from what I have found is that the "birdcage" is not square. It does not have to be off that much to cause this issue...which sometimes...but not always was caused by a collision.
Just make sure that your door hinge bushings are very tight with no play in them and that your striker pin is also solid and the ring on your striker bolt that the door latch catches on is not spinning due to the rubber inside it is worn out or missing.
I have seperated this lower portion of the 1/4 panel and brought it out to match the doors edge. BUT this is after verifying that the door weatrherstripping is contacting the jamg before doing so. OR...you can add material to this area because it is so small of an area to make it flush.
Lastly...the door could have been "tweaked" sometime in the past. Such as being closed on something that did not damage the SMC...but did distort the steel inner structure just enough at the hinge point to throw off the back lower edge.
"DUB"
