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BE Door Fit

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B

BWillis

Jedi Knight
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Todays Question:

Installed one door this weekend and I can't get a fit that I'm happy with for a few reasons.

#1. I've already mentioned the seal that's to thick.

#2. The door fit at the latch. I can't get the door to close enough for the outer panels to lineup. No amount of adjustment seems to work. I have new latches and strikers and they appear to be identical to the original in the dimensions.


The only solution that I could come up with but have not yet implemented is to add spacers to bring the latches further into the door. Anyone else had this trouble?
 
Did they fit fine before being disassembled for paint?

Unibody cars are frustrating when it comes to door alignment.

It becomes a matter of file and shim and "spring/warp" until things fit.

I usually fit the doors last since the weight of the motor/trans, etc. affects the fit.
 
It's hard to remember to be honest. I began taking it apart the day I drug it home /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

This seems to be related more to the striker position that any flex. I'll keep playing with it, maybe it will decide to give into my will at some point.. LOL

Where's Jack when I need him??????????
 
Some times the strikers need to be bent a bit Ben, can stick a screwdriver in the hole and do so.
 
Along these lines, I need to adjust my driver's door. Can someone remind me where the possible adjustments are, and what they do?
 
Door hinges, at the A post, in and out.

Door hinges, in the door forward and back.

Door latch on the B post, in and out at rear.
 
I am having the same problems... I just decided to give up for now and work on something else for a while. Maybe I'll give them a try again.
 
Hang the doors BEFORE the weather strip goes on.
Get the lines right and the strikers right.
The strikers did have shims from the factory if they needed them. Some had 1, some had 3.
On my 58 I had to make 1 out of some 1/8 aluminum because one door was missing from the car when I bought it. The spare door just didn't fit right.
Since these cars were more or less hand made, or at least not computer perfect, some fiddling with fit is the norm.
I know a guy who was at the Mini factory (Leyland Mini) and he watched as a worker took a door, held the bottom with his foot and bent it at the top to get it to fit right. He tweaked it 3 times before it went down the line. I bet the same sort of presision alignment secrets went on at the Spridget factory too.
 
I was following the Midget restoration in Classic Motorsports Magazine. The current issue talks about refitting the doors. (No real advice though) Their comment was that it took 3-4 hours to get the first door mounted and ten minutes for the second. Ahhh experience.
 
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