So the driver door on the 57 got pinched on the 4 post hoist when it rolled backward in neutral thinking that it was in park. Wasn't me. Was a family member and whatever, doesn't matter now.

When you close the door everything lines up fine but its a little tough to close the final 5%. The dent / crease doesn't matter 'cause its a patina shop truck and its got lots of dents. No, the only real issue is the top of the door near the vent window doesn't fit tight now against the cab.

I put a shim on the upper hinge to get the door to close as it is. The hinges are pretty stout and they do not look bent or mis shaped

My question is this:

Is my issue related to the hinge not being right, the shim having to come out or could it be the sheet metal in the door is wacky. Or could it be a combo of two or all three. Jeez I hope not.

If I take the shim out the door doesn't want to close as nicely. Adjusting the hinges in the door jamb made some difference but I can't really adjust them any further. Is it worth me trying to slowly and gently bend the upper door / window frame back 1" with a strap and a come-along and some heat?

 

A set of pictures would help us see more of the situation.

 

Here are some pictures

 

The door side of hinges have adjustments as well for forward and back.

 

yes. I have adjusted them as well to help with the fit. I have the door fitting almost as best I can with the hinge adjusting on both door side and jamb side. I can remove the shim in the upper hinge but if I remember correctly that will make the situation worse. It almost seems to me its the door itself that got a little wonky at the top when it got crunched.

 

From what can be seen in the pictures, the door fits nicely except the top front? Does it function properly in this position? If it does then the door needs RE tweak. If not, adjust may still need done. Where does it touch the cab for example.

 

Measure passenger side and compare.

 

Measure passenger side and compare.

 

To: Red60

thanks for your reply

Door fits nicely and gaps are not bad between the panels. Body lines near line up as well.

When you close the door it stops 98% of the way on its own and you have to give it a 2% nudge to get it to shut on the catch. Passenger door shuts effortlessly. Its sticky where the metal itself on the edge of the door is a little deformed.

I played with the hinges again this morning and nothing I do either door side or jamb side really solves the problem. Alas I might have to run it into a body shop to see if anybody there has an opinion.

I didn't realize these were orphan trucks and its not exactly easy to go through a catalouge and just get another hinge or door or etc. Oh well..

 

as far as comparing passenger side to driver side everything is the same except for the fitment issue at the top and the crease on the outer skin. The gaps and hinge locations and body seams are the same on both sides.

 

seems like if door dimensions and cab openings are the same it has to be a hinge tweaked or pushed into either side. Hinges are pretty stout. Hard to imagine tweaking one.

 

that's what I thought as well. Maybe I'll have to take the door right off, take the hinges off and see what is what.

 

Just came in from another round of adjusting. I moved the top hinge door jamb side all the way over, left the bottom hinge alone and although you now have to push a little harder on it to close on the latch the top of the door now at least is inside the drip rail part of the roof. I'm going to call that a win for now...

 

Great. I was going to say good enough was good enough for me but now have that song stuck in my empty head.

 

As part of the door tweaking you sometimes need to bend the door.
With the glass rolled down and something in the door jamb to hole it open a little push in on the top of the door frame to bend it back in.
It may not take much so go easy, a little at a time and test close to see how it fits.
Once you got it where it needs to be go easy on rolling the glass back up the first time if it is a little hard you may need to adjust the glass frame in the lower part of the door.
Dave ----