Door gaps
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Tuned
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 459
Likes: 123
From: Maryland
Door gaps
Finished up gapping a door this past weekend, and although it is not on an Effie, I thought it may help out someone working on door gaps themselves.
No matter how well we can get the door gaps adjusted, it seems most of the older vehicles are plagued by the door fitting too tight to the A pillar behind the windshield. In looking at this bare door, it had about 1/16 gap at the top, sure to chip and rub paint during road travel.
It was marked to provide a gap consistent with the other door edges, and the front edge ground down to that mark. A compass works well in marking this.
This now shows three layers of metal on the leading edge, the outer skin, the inner door, and the folded flange.
The layers are gently squeezed together and tack welded.....
...followed by welding along the complete length.
The front edge, then back edge was sanded flat, then the weld beads sanded flat.
This should provide much better clearance to prevent any paint damage.....
No matter how well we can get the door gaps adjusted, it seems most of the older vehicles are plagued by the door fitting too tight to the A pillar behind the windshield. In looking at this bare door, it had about 1/16 gap at the top, sure to chip and rub paint during road travel.
It was marked to provide a gap consistent with the other door edges, and the front edge ground down to that mark. A compass works well in marking this.
This now shows three layers of metal on the leading edge, the outer skin, the inner door, and the folded flange.
The layers are gently squeezed together and tack welded.....
...followed by welding along the complete length.
The front edge, then back edge was sanded flat, then the weld beads sanded flat.
This should provide much better clearance to prevent any paint damage.....
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,276
Likes: 0
From: Westminster,Md
As usual..good write-up with Pics! Thanks! I was just thinking,. a belt sander with a fine belt, might be the tool to use to get those weld beads in-line,then clean that up with a straight file, that should help get the welded straight line back ..any thoughts??
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,159
Likes: 28
From: manitoba
great post! did the same to my f100, there were some places that the door gap was too wide so i welded on the door edge just like you did until the gap was proper,lots of work but at the end it looks way better!
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