MixxMaster

I finally have my own Corvette. A 1973 project that is in pretty good shape! The previous owner took off the doors to remove the paint better, and couldn't get them aligned. I've been going crazy trying to get these to fit right. Any ideas? Here's some pics of the passenger side(Already took the driver's side off trying to get it aligned) There just doesn't seem to be a simple way to do this!

Only have that and an electrical mess that should give me a hassle. Not bad for a project!

turtlevette

you need some shims under both hinges. Maybe he lost them or forgot to put them back.

CF6873

Most C3s have a thick pack of shims between the hinges and the post. You will want to get the proper ones that fit.

MixxMaster

ahhh, that's a relief. Gotta admit, when I first got the Vette, that had me concerned, as I never really noticed how huge of a gap there is between the fenders and windshield, and then saw how the door fit, I was thinking something was wrong with the front clip. Other body guys told me that was normal and the doors were merely out of alignment. Still good to here that they were right. Thanks for the quick response. I'll check the AIMS for the shims, and try to find them or order some.
BTW, only on here could people understand the feeling on finally sitting in your own Corvette! I look forward to learning a lot more and getting this baby in prime shape!

ratflinger

Here's what I did ( I had the right number of shims). I used an engine puller & 2 straps to hold the door up. I cut a piece of wood as a spacer to place between the rear of the door & the body. I trimmed this until my front to back spacing was good. Then I could adjust the engine puller to get my height correct. If you don't have the right number of shims marked for each door, then you are going to spend extra time adding shims until it looks & feels right. You'll probably need between 2-6 per hinge. I think I had more on the bottom hinges, something like 3 on top & 4 or 5 on the bottom.

MixxMaster

Great idea! One of the guys in the body shop was talking about taking over 3 hours to line a Vette door. I now see how much of a headache it can be. I'll order some shims and get them set up, them make a note of how many are used for when the doors are taken off for paint(hopefully by late spring - aiming for 2006 Lemans Metallic Blue).
The only things I will change so far are shaving the handles/locks and leaving all but the CORVETTE letters off, and most likely putting in a fiberglass front bumper, glassing it in(if a body off in the future will still be possible like that) and switching the rear exhaust panel, since sidepipes are in future.Finish it off with a stinger hood and re-do the entire interior(What little there was was all crap. Bubba has been all over this baby)
Can't tell I'm still excited, huh? I FINALLY got my childhood dream!

onaqwst

<---- see pics for shaved areas....hahahhaha...

MixxMaster

I've been mostly lurking for about a year, and always love the work you did, onaqwst! Reminds me of what Foose would do with a Stingray.

Guess what, I think I found the shims. The bad news is, they are on the car still, between the hinges and the body. Looks like they've been there from the beginning. Or are there other shims? Any ideas?
A pic:
Both sides have shims on each hinge. This has me wondering again...

MixxMaster

while I'm at it, I was wondering what bonding agents/resins work best. I am aware that 73 was when they started making the Corvette with SMC, but what products will work best? I saw Vette Panel Adhesive, yet it says it's for Non-SMC...I'd like to get most of the body stuff done before winter hits, and the cold weather puts a damper on things.

73, Dark Blue 454

You're not gonna like price of those shims,..total rip-off,..and you'll likely need 10-20 of them.

Trying to reduce the shock...

MixxMaster

hey, if I wanted to save money, I'd get a Civic. Just thought it's strange that more shims would be needed now. There's already about 6 on the bottom and 4 on the top, unless there's some shims or something that go in the door itself, I don't really understand why they are lining up like that. Do the shims also change the height of the door? Both are too low and about an inch away on the top. I tried manually moving the door I took off, and couldn't get it high and close enough on the front end without having the rear up about two inches too high. Strange, huh?

MixxMaster

Got a better pic of the gap in question. How much of a gap should be around the door? I took the weatherstrip off, so understandably it's not going to fit perfect now...

sperkins

Fusor

MixxMaster

would fusor be best for general glassing, or for more structural stuff?

Easy Mike

This door needs to come out and up a little to meet the front fender line and out on the lower rear corner to meet the rear fender line.

Order shims from the aftermarket providers. They're pricey these days (about $5 a pop). Use one as a template to cut a couple of hardwood spacers. Leave the door on and put your floor jack under the bottom edge of the door on the metal. Remove upper hinge bolts from both hinges and loosen the lower bolts. The shims are slotted to slip over the lower bolts.

Shim until you get alignment, using the jack to raise the door. It's trial and error, snug the hinge bolts up but don't torque the down. Open and close the door and check your gaps. When you're satisfied, torque the hinge bolts and open an FCB.

gyopp

Are there shims under the pass door hinges? If so I would check the pass fender bonding and make sure it has not broke loose or fell victim to birdcage rot. It may even have broke loose and been bonded back in the wrong location.
If you know someone that works in a sheetmetal shop they may be able to help you with shims. When I did my body off resto I had a buddy make me some stainless shims.

MixxMaster

There's shims on the passenger side as well. The bonding looks ugly as hell, but looks original, I doubt someone would mess that up and then give just that area a factory paint job. On the passenger side, the bonding IS cracked on the part below the windshield, but it's not a huge gap, just a hairline. Looks like a job for the Fusor. Don't really think it's the fender, as every other thing lines up and is attached like it seems it should(hood, everything sits on the frame right, etc)...just baffled. Should probably just listed to my body guy and let him align it, huh?

NHvette

The picture above does NOT look like original bonding of fender
to cowl. That yellow stuff is new.

Also, the other pics show the front of the passenger door needs to
come up to align with fender. However, it is even at the bottom.
I seriously think someone bonded the front clip on ... but was "off".

I have similar issues when I replaced my front clip. I NEVER had any door
shims installed. Now, I need 5 or more on each hinge.

You can probably get the door aligned fairly close, and then
build up/grind down the door skin and fender to make the gap "good".
Also, shimming the #4 body mount can help to make the door
openning smaller. This might help in getting closer - and less glass work.

Look for the shims on Ebay ... I found like 10 for $10.

MixxMaster

Yipes...not good news to hear, obviously. Well, if that truly is what needs to be done, what is used for re-bonding the fender? Also, what are the proper steps to make sure it IS bonded in the right spots? Line up the door, and then bond the fenders off of that?
I'll try to take some pics of the bonding during lunch break.

MixxMaster

Would this require taking the whole body off the frame? Or would it just be a matter of lifting the front enough to put a new mount in? Doing a full frame-off from the get-go isn't exactly a good feeling...