Vitesse door adjustment

[Ron]

I'm now fittings the doors onto my project (well trying to anyway), a Mk1 Vitesse. I fully expected the doors not to fit straight away and they haven't disappointed me!

The problem lies with the door being too close to the bottom of the B post (top rear of the door) and therefore it won't close.
I've done some adjustment with the hinges and put some packing ( a spacer about 4mm thick) between the body and the chassis underneath the B post. It has made some difference but the door still won't close properly.
Is there a limit to the amount of packing you can put in, or do you just keep adding it until the door closes?

Is there something else that I could do to help?     :-/

Thanks, Ron

[Steve Cureton]

Your post confuses me as it seems to contradict itself (unless I'm mising the point) -  "too close to the bottom of the B post (top rear of the door)"

Is it too close at the bottom of the B post or the top?

Either way I suspect a bit of careful use of packers under the tubs will bring it back into line. If it has a hard top then don't try too hard until the roof is ready to be fiited as that could also affect the way everything lines up. It can be a painful process but there is no shortcut.

[wukkie1]

hi see herald vitesse body fitting manual on ebay

[ianb]

All you need to know here http://rapidshare.com/files/426419964/bodynotes_herald.pdf

[G8HSV]

er....http://rapidshare.com/files/426419964/bodynotes_herald.pdf

= Limit of 10 downloads reached?

[Steve AKA vitessesteve]

Also available from my website at:http://www.vitessesteve.co.uk/PDF/body_herald_vitesse_service_training_notes.pdf

[Straight Six]

That's a brilliant link, thanks Steve. 8)

[Pete Lewis]

the manual doesnt cover aged problems .

if door is hard in at top of b post and is proud at the bottom you have tub spread. and this needs  pulling in the top of the rear wings .

if doors foul top of A post then the baulkhead is leaning backwards

the manual doesnt say use only 1 rubber and as many solid packing as needed to get parallel door shuts

it doesnt suggest once you have the door gaps correct to add a postional bolt thro a sized hole to stop the two halves closing up
fitted to the overlap joint

you may need unseemly amount of packing to align a 40 year old wonky body on a refurbished   chassis  to drawing ,ie flat and square .

the manual is good for clues but not the  geriatric  quirks of these cars !!  

just some thoughts   Pete

[Ron]

Thanks everyone, back to it with more packing then!

Cheers,  Ron     :)

[Paudman]

peterhlewis wrote:

it doesnt suggest once you have the door gaps correct to add a postional bolt thro a sized hole to stop the two halves closing up
fitted to the overlap joint

I don't get this bit? Any photo?

[bxbodger]

It means drilling straight through the hinge, bulkhead kick panel, and the internal sliding piece and putting a bolt or self tapper through to keep the hinge in the position it's taken you hours/days/weeks to get right!!

Basically you end up with an extra hole at the top and bottom hinge which isn't slotted so the door shouldn't lose position should you need to remove it again for some reason. Problem is, doing this doesn't allow for hinge pin wear which may cause the door to shift position slightly.

Ron, don't forget you have some in/out adjustment on the door part of the hinge as well.  

[Pete Lewis]

Bx   thats not quite what I tried to say, but something well worth considering  

as the baulkhead is relativley in a fixed position by the front two mounts the rear tub can goe anywhere the holes will allow

I have fitted 2 bolts through the sill overlap where the two body  sections  overlap to stop the rear tub moving forwards and closing up the door gap  you have just fought to achieve.
we made up some stout tiimber setting gauges  with a slot for the door seal flange,  to act as a spreader across the door aperture at  waist.  height      it all helps