Hanging/Aligning Doors: Science Or Voodoo?

[66 BLAKE 96]

Anybody have any insight on the doors on our old ponys?

I've had to take both doors off in the prep-for-paint process, and fitting them back on seems much more difficult than logic would tell me it should be. First of all, I know it complicates things that my hinges are pretty badly worn, but new hinges aren't on the horizon for a while. In the mean time, I'd like to get some sort of decent fit. So far, if I have the door hung so that it shuts well, and is reasonably aligned in relation to the top of the door at the 1/4 panel, the clearance is really tight at the bottom edge where it lines up with the 1/4 panel/door jamb area, and the gap at the fender is huge, with no adjustment room left. What a pain!

If there are no good solutions or mystery answers, it might suffice to hear your own horror stories. My misery would love some company.

 

[DarkBuddha]

Its just a plain old pain in the ass. I went through similar horror when I did mine a year ago. It honestly took two 6 hour days to make it right. The best I can offer is to definitely have someone working with you. Here's what I did: pull the fender, then align the door as well as possible to the quarter, then align the fender to the door. This got me pretty good results on my '70, with fairly uniform gaps between 1/8"-1/3". I've heard the earlier cars are worse than the '69-73 cars about this whole thing, so don't expect super perfect 1/8" uniform gaps everywhere. I've also heard of guys buying multiple doors, fenders, fender extensions, bumpers, etc., all in an effort to get the best fit possible, but as I'm not made of money, I just suffer with "as good as its gonna get" fit.

 

[66 BLAKE 96]

I just suffer with "as good as its gonna get" fit.

Yeah, I think thats what I'm dealing with too.

At least get a hinge repair kit and fix the hinges first.

hrm, I tried that only to find that there is a world-wide conspiracy surrounding the possibility of rebuilding hinges. I already got a kit to do it, and have thrown time and man power at it, only to prove to myself that it ain't gonna happen. I'm attempting this without a press, which may be the key to the problem, but if I'm throwing money at a press, I may as well fork over the dough for new hinges.

When I have an extra $100 to throw at the car, I guess I'll tackle the problem with new hinges.

 

[one2gamble]

voodoo

 

[66 BLAKE 96]

voodoo

LMAO!

 

[66 BLAKE 96]

Good news!

Turns out it is a little bit of both! Through a combination of highly scientific trial and error and the sacrifice of a chicken, both my doors are straight!

I found it very helpful to attack one dimension at a time. First, the door bolts that control how high the door sits at the hinge, and how far in/out the door sits. Second, work the hinges at the frame to control gap between the door and door jamb. Third, work those same hinges (while trying not to totally screw up what you had just established for the gap relationship) to get the height correct where the top of the door lines with the top of the 1/4 panel.

I'm not saying this is the only way to do it, but this is what worked for me.

**no actual chickens were harmed in the aligning of these doors**

 

[gp001]

You want fun? Try aligning repro doors !!!!!!!

 

[66 BLAKE 96]

You want fun? Try aligning repro doors !!!!!!!

If memory serves, that project degenerated into "fun with sledge hammers" didn't it?

 

[gp001]

If memory serves, that project degenerated into "fun with sledge hammers" didn't it?

It almost became a "Pound to fit, paint to match" scenario. I gave up and went with a "best fit" scenario. When I pull the car apart to be painted I will pay $$$$$ someone to fix it. The metal retainers that hold the mounting plates in the doors need to be removed, aligned, ad re-welded. I guess thos little asian kids making the doors aren't that precise. But then again, my Maeir hood fits like doo doo too, so I guess it's just an overall lack of quality control in our hobby.

 

[66 BLAKE 96]

But then again, my Maeir hood fits like doo doo too, so I guess it's just an overall lack of quality control in our hobby.

I've noticed that too. I've worked with fiberglass enough to know it isn't all that complicated. I bet someone industrious enough to work up and market an "exact fit" line of hoods could charge quite a bit more and make a killing on that kind of stuff. Everyone always ends up shelling out hundreds more than the purchase price to get 'glass to fit right anyway.

 

[66 BLAKE 96]

What's the press for? Hinge repair does not need a press. Pins come out rather easy with a hammer and they go back in the same way. You need a decent vise, but not a press.

That's the thing. This statement simply is not true. I don't know if I have some sort of super-adamantium-carbide-bad-mofo metal in my hinges that nobody else has, but no amount of sledge, vice, or act of god is going to move these things. I've tried everything short of a press, and I'd be better off melting these things down myself and recasting them than to actually get these frickfrackin' pins out.

 

[Demonic]

Bah, you think mustang doors are a b1tch... My old F-Body car doors weighed well over 100 lbs EACH! Try aligning those basterds while keeping your sanity. And it's inevitable that you will drop the door at least once on your foot, thats always fun.