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Expert
Posts: 1316
 
Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | Hi everyone,
Here's one that has made me scratching my head for the last 24 hours.
When I made the adjustment of my driver side door, I did it without the windows in (that was probably a mistake).
At the time, the door skin was touching at the A-pillar, so I tried to find a correct adjustment that would solve the problem.
It was not easy because the door skin was very, very close to the quarter panel at the other end (around 1mm gap, no more).
I finally did it using shims between the upper hinge and the door (that hinge was already maxed out on the A-pillar side).
Yesterday, I tried to install the vent window frame ...
It's touching the A-pillar at the bottom (the molding screw even scratches the chromed frame), and at the top !
And I'm already at the further position available where the center studs bolts into the door.
So what I did was grind a little of the front U support plate at the center and enlarge the stud hole, so that my vent window frame could be moved back a little.
It's almost OK, but the vent window frame still touches the A-pillar at the bottom ...
And I'm afraid I won't be able to move back a lot more that vent window frame, since the main window HAS to fit in !
And I can't move the door position ...
The only other option left would be to work the body by using shims at the body bolts ...
What do you think ?
Any other option ?
Thanks.
Edited by Chrome58 2012-05-04 7:38 AM
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 13055
  
Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | Hi Vincent, as the manual explains, one shall always start to adjust the door versus the rear quarter panel first (since that the quarter panel is a fix point). Your fix points are the rear quarter panel and the A-pillar. The front fenders can be adjusted as needed. Hope that this helps you somewhat.
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Expert
Posts: 3577
Location: Blythewood, SC | Put all of the glass into the door before you align it. The added weight will change the fit of the door. |
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Expert
Posts: 1316
Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | wizard - 2012-05-04 12:09 PM
Hi Vincent, as the manual explains, one shall always start to adjust the door versus the rear quarter panel first (since that the quarter panel is a fix point). Your fix points are the rear quarter panel and the A-pillar. The front fenders can be adjusted as needed. Hope that this helps you somewhat.
There is no adjustment possible at the rear quarter anyway, since it's a fixed panel.
And the front fenders are not on the car at the moment.
So I believe I'm making the adjustments in the right order.
57plymouth - 2012-05-04 1:08 PM
Put all of the glass into the door before you align it. The added weight will change the fit of the door.
That may well be the case, but I don't see how it could change the final adjustment.
Anyway, I HAVE to do it that way (all the glass in first) so that it'll give me the farthest position that the vent window frame can go in.
Edited by Chrome58 2012-05-04 7:46 AM
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 13055
Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | The rear quarter panel and the A-pillar are your fixed points Vincent, that's what I wrote in the post. I mean that you'll need to get the best possible door adjustment between those points, clearly, as you write, the ventilation window frame must be in place, as also this is a form of fixed point against the A-pillar.
Many have fought to adjust all the spaces to the best appearance, many strong words have been yelled in frustration, but the tolerances where not that good in the old days. Many restorers here in Sweden actually cuts up door skins and re-shape the profile to fit - this should not be necessary in your case, lest I don't hope so.
Below are some links that might be useful - maybe you already have them, but anyway, here they are....
http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Lit/Master/110/index.htm
http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Lit/Master/117/index.htm
http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Lit/Master/150/index.htm
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Expert
Posts: 1316
Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | Here are some pictures.
You see the door fit at the quarter panel and the vent window frame position at front.
At the moment, the vent window frame is not fastened yet.
 (P1020033b.jpg)
 (P1020035b.jpg)
Attachments
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 P1020033b.jpg (88KB - 246 downloads)
P1020035b.jpg (152KB - 246 downloads)
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1141
Location: Blackpool, United Kingdom. | Vincent,
pictures are not to good but by the looks of it the door is too low at the front hinges (door gap looks bigger at top than bottom), whats the gap like at the rocker, if you lift the door up at the front you can then drop it at the rear giving you a bit more clearance at vent window, you may have to elong the holes in the hinges to get them to go up.
Paul. |
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 13055
Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | Aaah, now we can clearly see your problem Vincent. For me, it looks like the door has maximum + tolerance and the body tends at minimum tolerance. Practically (without seeing the front fender in place) it seems like the door is too long for the opening. Do you have the same problem on both sides Vincent? Just for curiosity - measure the lenght on both the driver and the passenger door - are the equal in lenght? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1141
Location: Blackpool, United Kingdom. | is the door off this car? I have had to cut them here before and shorten them to get a gap, vent window will go back a bit more then.
 (door cut.jpg)
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door cut.jpg (146KB - 255 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 8444
Location: Perth Australia | Oh cr*p
It would be horrible to have to cut that nicely painted door
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Expert
Posts: 1316
Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | Well, somehow I did it ... Working on all the hinges, and starting by putting the main window in, in order to see what tolerances I got. I found an adjustment to the door and vent window frame that is working on all sides.
The only thing is that I will have to grind a bit of the door skin that comes in contact with the A-pillar (right where there's a yellow arrow on the last picture).
It touches the A-pillar molding, and a bit of the paint already went off from the contact.
Thanks everyone for your input !
PS : Sven, I only had that problem on the driver side. The passenger side is OK.
Edited by Chrome58 2012-05-06 2:25 PM
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Vent window position / Door adjustment
