77Blue

Been busy stripping the paint on my 77 and have the doors remaining. They are currently off the body, and the body is on a dolly. When I get ready to work door gaps I know the body should be back on the chassis, but do I need the doors to be loaded or can I remove the glass and hardware to do restoration work ? I have been unable to find a door gap thread which talks about glass in or out but there are so many I may have missed it.

SB64

The method Dub explained to me was trying to have the car as close to the final product as possible. With that I did both my69 and 71 with the doors loaded. I could then get a more accurate reading of what exactly and where to adjust things to get my door gaps as good as I could. I am sure others may have done the same procedure without the glass weight in the doors but this is the way I was shown when I asked the same question. You can obtain a ton of advice on the forum and that's great. Many of my questions over the years on paint and body have been answered by Dub. His methods are suggestions to help, take them or leave them. Your Choice!

RVZIO

77Blue

Thanks RVZIO, it seemed logical to me that you would want the weight of the mechanical and the glass but I'm sure there are many who have been successful with just the bare door. They've been off for awhile so I' don't even remember what the gaps were like before disassembly (and yes, I read DUB's posts religiously).

DUB

You can leave the parts in or take them out.

Simply because when you get the door set and adjusted and all of your gaps perfect. IF the door is empty and light...then there can be a chance that when you begin to load is all down with the parts that the end of the door may drop a hair or so.

This is no big deal because you can adjust your door up that hair and get it back to when you close you door with NO striker bolt in it is closed perfect level to the quarter panel. Thus letting you know that all you need to do is install and adjust your striker bolt so the door STILL closes level.

I prefer to have the door empty so when I am moving it around and dong all i do to I it does not weigh a ton.

AND when I go and install the door after I have cleared it off the car and I am installing it after it has been buffed and polished. I have learned that when I install it I want it a bit higher at the back to compensate for the weight of all the parts that I will add to it...so when I am done it can be closing perfectly level with top edge of he quarter panel.

Also with the tracks and all parts out of the door I can clean them up...lubricate what I need to and paint what I want so when I install the parts they all look good.

DUB

DUB

I might want to add that I will also service the door hinge bushings and striker bolt. So I am starting off with these pasts being good and thus making that possible valuable not come into play if I change them out AFTER I have recreated the door gaps to worn parts and wonder why things are not the same.

****IMPORTANT STEP*****
I also check to make sure the upper door hinges have not been hyperextended and can possible cause for a problem in the door in the future if it is opened up all the way and then a little bit more and chip the edge of the door like many of you all have seen.

DUB