door adjustment for 81
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 108
Likes: 1
From: Georgia
door adjustment for 81
My door sticks out a little at the bottom. I noticed the shims at the bottom hinge. Are the shims slotted so I can just loosen the bolts and pull one out or do I need to remove the bolts completely to remove a shim?
What causes this over time? I was told years ago that fiberglass just moves over time. Is this true? The car has never been in any fender bender and I'm sure it didn't leave the showroom like this. Any ideas?
P.S. the hinges are new. I just changed them. The door was like this before I started and I was hoping the hinge pin and bushing would close the gap up a little.
What causes this over time? I was told years ago that fiberglass just moves over time. Is this true? The car has never been in any fender bender and I'm sure it didn't leave the showroom like this. Any ideas?
P.S. the hinges are new. I just changed them. The door was like this before I started and I was hoping the hinge pin and bushing would close the gap up a little.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
...or do I need to remove the bolts completely to remove a shim?...
...I was told years ago that fiberglass just moves over time. Is this true?...
Are you sure your problem is a shim?
Post a pic.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 672
Likes: 0
From: Chesapeake Virginia
the shims have holes for two of the bolts and slots for the other two. IRC the upper two have the holes and the bottom two are slotted.
as for what causes it, if you have new hinges then you can rule out the bushings and hinge pin. I think I would take a close look at the frame, I'll bet you won't like what you find.
as for what causes it, if you have new hinges then you can rule out the bushings and hinge pin. I think I would take a close look at the frame, I'll bet you won't like what you find.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 108
Likes: 1
From: Georgia
My frame is in great shape. I bought it from a guy that keep it in his garage for the last 20 years. I inspected all Thatcher I bought it about 2 months ago. My buddy is a body man and he said the car has never been in any accidents. He told me it may have came from the factory like that. He has worked on 30 or so vetted over the years and he said many of them didn't line up good. I tried sending a picture from my phone but I can't figure it out.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 672
Likes: 0
From: Chesapeake Virginia
as long as you're sure the frame is good, that's about all I can come up with other than maybe someone messed with the hinges before you got it and didn't get it back in place.
I doubt it came from the factory that way, I can't imagine Chevy selling a high dollar (at the time) sports car that wasn't right.-----WELL OK, maybe one or two but not all of them.
I doubt it came from the factory that way, I can't imagine Chevy selling a high dollar (at the time) sports car that wasn't right.-----WELL OK, maybe one or two but not all of them.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 108
Likes: 1
From: Georgia
Thats funny!
I think guy did try to adjust at one time. He made a comment that made he stop for a second when he said it. He said He said, "I tried adjusting the doors to make them fit better a few years ago." The passinger side saged a little so I assumed he was talking about that. I knew as soon as I saw it that the hinge bushings were no good on that side. I replaced them and it looks very good. He may have played with something on the direver's side because the bushing on the driver's side was better than the one on the other side. I couldn't figure it out. Wouldn't the drivers side be worste? Anyway, I will try to take a shim out and see what happens. I am still trying to send pictures. Hopefully I can make this thing work.
I think guy did try to adjust at one time. He made a comment that made he stop for a second when he said it. He said He said, "I tried adjusting the doors to make them fit better a few years ago." The passinger side saged a little so I assumed he was talking about that. I knew as soon as I saw it that the hinge bushings were no good on that side. I replaced them and it looks very good. He may have played with something on the direver's side because the bushing on the driver's side was better than the one on the other side. I couldn't figure it out. Wouldn't the drivers side be worste? Anyway, I will try to take a shim out and see what happens. I am still trying to send pictures. Hopefully I can make this thing work.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 108
Likes: 1
From: Georgia
hugie
You may want to take a look inside your door jams where the hinges mount to the frame. GM used shims to adjust your door depth to the body. These cars had no other way to adjust the doors to the body depth wise. All of them used shims just as they use shims to adjust the trailing arms.
You may want to take a look inside your door jams where the hinges mount to the frame. GM used shims to adjust your door depth to the body. These cars had no other way to adjust the doors to the body depth wise. All of them used shims just as they use shims to adjust the trailing arms.
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