TR2/3/3A A couple TR3 body questions

[tdskip]

Hi guys - picked at the TR3a a bit yesterday to see exactly how much bondo was on the driver side rocker.

The answer was not much, there are two or three pin holes but that is about it. Think I can fill those with MIG and then fill the interior with cavity wax and call it good?

I also noticed this door gap for the first time, thanks to the good work you guys are doing on your TR3s. Think I can adjust the top gap by playing with the hinges? They gap narrows as it moves down toward the rocker.

Thanks!

 

[Don Elliott]

MIG welding pinholes can be easy if you get all the rust out the edges where you want to start. Otherwise you will get a lot of spitting and burn-through. Do it bit by bit around the edge, let it cool and continue in circles till you finish the hole right at the center. Then grind off the excess and sand it smooth. With the front fender off, (or holes under the sill) you can get into the gap down beside the front of the "A" posts with some wax or other sealer to prevent rust inside.

As for the gap above the door, don't worry about it. When I did my 1958 TR3A, I think my gap there opened up more than yours shows when I was welding the front clip together. The front end (down where the bumper eventually goes) must have dipped and this opened up the gap.

I never had a VTR or a TRA judge comment on my gap here. But my TR is black and the gap is harder to notice with the black rubber seal above the curve in my door.

 

[tdskip]

Thanks Don - nice to not have to worry about the door gap!

 

[TomMull]

I agree with Don, except you car is not black and the gap a bit more noticeable, from the picture at least. Short of painting it black, you could try some easy stuff like making sure there is no slop in the hinge pins or perhaps shimming the bottom hinge.
If everything looks perfectly solid on the a post and the door and the door droops down as it appears in the picture, I'd try putting a block and a jack under the rear corner of the slightly opened door an jacking it up slightly, but bear in mind that I tend to be a risk taker. Tom

 

[mallard]

Tom is your car sitting on the ground? From the picture it looks like the car is on stands and the car is sagging on both ends. If it's on the ground the door looks like it would be an easy adjustment to get it right. It looks very tight on the bottom, and a wide gap on the top. Also a wide gap at the front of the sill.

I had a wide gap one my left door on the top and spent the time welding, grinding, and sanding. A bit more file work and it should be good.