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TR2/3/3A little more door gap

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sp53

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I wanted to get just a little more door gap on the B-post driver side. I have done everything I can think, bent the hinges and adjusted them to push the door forward into the fender. I have not used a BFH or messed with the body shims. I have the car down on the frame tight with amount of pad shims Moss suggests. To my way of thinking, to open the B-post on the driver side I would add 1 or 2 shims to the passenger side in the area behind the seat and then remove 1 or shims on the driver side by the A post in front of the seat and with luck the cross angular pull down and lifting up should work and open up the B-post on the driver side.

I have tried in the past to get door gaps to open and close on a different tr3 and had very little luck and once cracked the finish. I blame those guys we have all heard of “John and Jesus” because the bar they set for door gaps is utopian. If someone knows another way to get just a very little bit on the B-post, please speak up. I will meditate for a new idea other than the BFH.
Steve
 
You might try finding a different door. I have found that the door lenghts vary as much as 1/8 ". I swapped one out on the last TR3 I built.
Marv
 
I can't figure out how or why...but even after mounting the body to the frame, every time you pull a door and re-install it the gaps change. There is some sort of sorcery that goes on with Triumphs.
 
John I have the fender off wet sanding it plus the gap on it is like maybe a 1/8 to 3/16 at the fender all over which makes it a challenge to install alone. The orbit on the door when it swings into the fender void is close probably because I bent the hinges forward, but I think I can live with it. I have noticed a difference in the older and newer fender to door fitting if they have been miss matched. The apron, hood, fenders, and doors are all off the same car, but I do have another 1958 door. Anyways, I have become fussy with all this probably do to my fear of painting. Heck if the driver door rubs a little on the B post, it is not a big deal. I have seen that on many tr3s.

Maybe in another space time continuum I can buy a new one and see what is really going on. All the shops I have talked to say to move the shims around, but I think a tr3 is too small and rigid to bend enough to make a difference. The last time I tried by lifting the 2 outer out riggers up and pulling out the shims in the front and back on the same side it cracked the paint on the rocker cover/outersill seam, but it did open things up maybe a 1/16 that is why I was thinking maybe a biangular twist might work.
 
Do agree with John, each time I would reinstall a door it fit a little different. The 250 I am working on now, I hung the doors last week after replacing floors, rockers and sills. Pass door fit perfect so I left it alone. Driver door, too far down, rear didn't line up and to close at front. Removed it, moved fender forward all I could, replaced door and nice fit. Normally I remove door again to sand and paint. Nope not this time. Leaving them where they are and sand, paint in place. If you were closer you could go thru my collection of doors and hopefully find one that would. Good luck!
Marv
 
Marv I tried my other 1958 Door and now I have room. Good call! I will put the fender back on and re-adjust the hinges and see what I can get. One thing I noticed is the door frame had a slight indent for the bottom hinge, and it looked factory. I will try and get a picture, it is like only 1/16. Plus now I am confused if this door is not the door for the tub!! I put 3 of them in epoxy primmer 3 years ago! Plus I could have mixed stuff up try to impress Jesus and John, Jesus is always stretching me and so is his cousin John.
 
Steve, believe me, you impress me just as much! It looks quick in a post, but you miss the days and weeks it took to get certain parts right. Remember my right door was fully fit and primed when I had to grind and reweld the front edge. I wanted to commit hari kari at that point! I’m almost starting to forget the 5+ years it took getting mine on the road...

You’re doing great and getting very close to the end of the project. It’s looking spectacular in the pics and is worth all the pain.

The slight hinge impression is a valid option. If all else lines up, but that rear gap is off I have clobbered the rear edge with my big rubber mallet to crush the hinge pad just enough to make it fit. You will likely want to trial install the door latches and front fender too before painting further...just to make sure.

I am enjoying the pics so keep them coming!!
 
I am watching and learning here. Have the braces to remove next. The blue tape is to help me not gash my head as much.

David

Body with braces.jpg
 
Mavr’s idea is working out; you can actually see the physical difference in the size of the doors if you look at the cowling on both. It is not much maybe 1/8. I did have the gray door into 400 paper, but I think that little bit of difference in size will be worth it, especially where the door meets the cowling at the top. I posted some hinge bending ideas that I learned in carpentry for hanging cabinets. In the case with cars and because the hinge has that orbit into the door void, the moving of the door itself happens when the actual hinge pin center is moved forward or back. I must add on a tr3, the pin is most often moved forward to get some more room. Because I have the brass hinges, I used a vise with 2 large adjustable end wrenches and locked them on the hinge part I want to bend with the hinge in a vise and pushed or pulled with no heat. A press would probably be better and the later steal hinges would bend easier especially with heat.
 
If the fit is close front and back you may have to use a body file and shave some metal off the skin. If you have a large gap at the front bend the door frame where the hinges mount rather than the hinge,to get the door to move forward hammer the outside if you go too far get a drift inside the door and bend it out again. This could take some time to get a good result, i probably spent weeks on it.

Graham
 
David, i stil have a few dents in my head from that nasty sharp end,a bit of tape did help
 

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I balled up a paper towel and taped it in position to save my scalp. It only happened on the drivers side for me.

David
 
I ground that corner round. Still hurt to hit it, but at least it stopped the bleeding!
 
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