dplotkin

What is the reccomended proceedure to move the drivers door forward a tad? I've got a jamb rub I need to correct. (65 convertable).

Dan

RestoMike

Door panel off. Loosen bolts on hinge. Slid door forward.

DansYellow66

As ResoMike said, but the trick is holding the rest of the door adjustment with all the bolts loose, especially if you haven't spent time adjusting doors before. I think on a convertible (if I had one) I would remove the door panel, shut the door and place paint stir sticks, popcycle sticks, wood wedges, etc in the door gap at the bottom to support the up/down alignment. Then loosen the 6 hing bolts in the door and slide it slightly forward in the opening. By working with a door in the closed position you lessen the risk of it getting way out of wack adjustment-wise. You might have to gently pry with a wooden wedge at the rear gap or tap an edge of an opening on the inside surface with a wooden mallet to jog it forward a bit. You can protect all painted surfaces with blue tape first. Then tighten the bolts and carefully open the door looking for any sign of interference at the front and see how it latches. There is a possibility you will have to raise the back of the door slightly to engage the striker correctly.

Those that have messed with doors a lot will dispense with the above and just loosen the bolts and shove/lift/trial fit/readjust/trial fit/tighten the bolts when satisfied.

dplotkin

Mike & Dan: That was just what I needed. I managed to get the hood lined up myself with help from a friend so I'll call him up to give me a hand with the door.

Thanks

Dan

RestoMike

Dan,

Dan offered up some solid advice. I've always found when setting doors it is helpful to have someone to help. It'll lower the frustration factor and the extra set of hands and eyes will help. Lastly it's common once you get the door set to satisfaction (not perfection...typically doesn't happen) you may need to reset the striker.

Go get'em!

dplotkin

All I ever get from any of you guys is solid advice, and I cannot say enough how much I appreciate it. I've got 7 steel cars & my Vette, the only one I've owned and only for a year, so all of you have been invaluable to me in getting up to speed as a student of the C2!

Dan

1snake

You guys forgot the most important part of adjusting doors - Remove the door striker. You can not properly adjust a door with it installed. After the door fits the opening, reinstall the striker and adjust it for proper latching.

Jim

Scott Marzahl

Depending on how much forward it has to go, you may need to add another door striker shim behind the striker. I use a piece of 3/4" MDF on the sill between the door and I have glued wooded door shims to make it fit tight to the door jam (one made for each side). It made it a breeze while removing, installing or adjusting the door while I was doing all the body work and geting the doors to fit perfect.

You don't mention if the door rub is at just the top or all the way down but you could have some bad body mounts causing you problem.

dkleather

You may also have to adjust the vent window assembly and it's fit with the windshield post depending on how much you disturb the present fit of the door. That procedure is well spelled out in the shop service manual. The following article might also help you with the door alignment. Good luck. Dave

http://www.lbfun.com/warehouse/tech_..._Alignment.pdf

Fawndeuce

If you have never done this before, I would place painters tape along the edges of the opening to prevent paint damage.
With every adjustment, very slowly open the door through it's full arc to be sure that there is no contact anywhere.
Door adjustment is always a compromise to get the best look and fit, sometimes a very small adjustment will make it hit and chip your paint.
I personally use cedar shingles to shim, easy to cut with an Exato knife for best fit and adjustment.



Paul

AZDoug

All it takes is for the door to suddenly let go, and bang, you have a nice chip in the paint.

Doug

dplotkin

The car was frame off restored, so I am hopeful this is not a structural problem.

I posted some pictures below to show what I have. I appreciate everyone's help. Dave, do you have a better source for Robert Pelland's article? The ,pdf on the link you graciously posted will not print out legably. When the weather breaks I'll move the car to a friends shop to perform the adjustment & do a paint blend inside the door/jamb. We know we will have to deal with the front & rear door gaps and the vent window frame, a little give and take I guess, but Pelland's article looks like the ticket for tips, along with all of yours. Thanks again.

Regards, Dan

Scott Marzahl

What do the front and rear gaps look like with the door closed?

RestoMike

Dan,

Provided fittment of the door is acceptable at top, front fender and rear quarter, your pics would suggest does indeed needs to be moved forward. Is gap between door and front fender wider than typcial? As suggested before remove the striker, loosen hinge bolts slide forward....retighten. Check fittment. Readjust is necessary for fender gap and rear jam clearance.

dplotkin

I should have snapped a shot of the door shut, I'll do that & re-post, but it is a bit wider up front than in back, I think there is room to split the difference. the other doors gaps look about the same, but no rubbing.

Dan

DansYellow66

The rear of the door could be down just a little bit too - from either a bit of bushing wear or the body mount bushings have compressed some over time. It probably just barely cleared when it was freshly adjusted after paint - but as some time went by and the door sagged or the bushings compressed just a tiny bit, the clearance at some of the sloping jamb surfaces closed up. Should be easy to adjust out.

From those close up photos, it looks like a nicely done car.

dplotkin

Thanks Dan, we are going to give that a try. Yes, it is a nicely restored car, which is why I fell in love with it. But unlike my 61 Plymouth Superstock, I didn't restore the Vette, so now I have to "sort" it out. That's where you guys come in, and have been of invaluable help.

Dan

dkleather

Do you have a better source for Robert Pelland's article? The ,pdf on the link you graciously posted will not print out legably.



I don't think so but I'll keep looking. Dave

donbayers

RestoMike;

I see you are in Oklahoma. Where at?

Do you have a shop or just an individual?

I may need to some minor door adjustment when our car gets here. Thank all for the information