Door gapping

[GreenV8Machine]

Im having issues with my drivers door gap. The original was very rotten, and didnt mate up too closely at the top anyway, so was replaced with a mk2 door which I got in better condition. The passenger side front door came from the same car too and fits a treat, but the drivers door has a gap in the bottom rear corner, and lets in a draft on the motorway, but the top corner catches on the b post.
Any thoughts on how to gap the door correctly, maybe where to put a shim? Scotlands gunna be cold on the rbrr!

[piman]

Hello GT6,

is the trailing edge of the door too wide at the bottom compared to the gap at the waist rail as there is room for some adjustment of the window frame (With the glass down of course).
Other wise you need a shim on the bottom hinge. The other option is to put a suitable bit of metal (large diameter bolt ?) between and as close to the hinge pin as you can. Press heavily on the door which has the effect of pushing the door frame inward so bringing the door closer to the top leading edge. Take care that you don't get too close to the front wing as it can catch there.
Door gaps can take some fiddling with sometimes, basically shimming and a bit of gentle persuasion.

Alec

[Roger Keys]

piman wrote:

Hello GT6,

is the trailing edge of the door too wide at the bottom compared to the gap at the waist rail as there is room for some adjustment of the window frame (With the glass down of course).
Other wise you need a shim on the bottom hinge. The other option is to put a suitable bit of metal (large diameter bolt ?) between and as close to the hinge pin as you can. Press heavily on the door which has the effect of pushing the door frame inward so bringing the door closer to the top leading edge. Take care that you don't get too close to the front wing as it can catch there.
Door gaps can take some fiddling with sometimes, basically shimming and a bit of gentle persuasion.

Alec

I think you have that the wrong way round, ie the top hinge needs shimming rather than the bottom, though in fairness the OP doesnt say what the gap to the front wing is like.

[piman]

Hello Roger,

if the bottom rear is wider than the top, shimming the top hinge will make that worse, it's the bottom that needs to go back, not the top.

Alec

[GreenV8Machine]

hmmmm, seems the gap to front wing is too close to remove the top shim. might have to try a thinner shim, but it doesnt look good. bladdy things!

[Lord Sorbington]

It must be pretty bad if the door doesn't seal properly.  Could it just be a worn hinge pin?

Has the car had new sills and were they fitted using the original door as a guide?  If so did the original door open and close OK with the new sills?

Whoever repaired the sills on my car didn't pay a lot of attention to getting the driver's door gaps right, plus the lower hinge pin has some wear.  I think the front door apertures tend to become mis shapen when the original sills rust out and need to be carefully reset when new sills are fitted?

If you can't sort it out just by shimming I suppose it's a case of trimming / building up the edges of the door as necessary to get the panel gaps right whilst ensuring that the sealing faces on the door frame match up with the door aperture.

Or just weld it up and get in and out of the car through the window, Dukes of Hazzard style.

[piman]

Hello GT6,

do ensure sufficient gap between the rear of the front wing, shim or extra shim on the bottom will bring the bottom of the door trailing edge out and up. If all gaps end up being out the as the Lord says the door will need trimming :-(

Alec