1960 door post

[michael broyhill]

;helphello, I am pre -fitting door post and windshield before painting my 1960, windshield fits body perfect, but there is a 1/4 inch gap between the 2 post when I bolt up door post, are there any tricks to moving door post forward thanks michael

 

[firstgear]

the door post attaches to the frame inside the door. If you look at the frame inside the door, you will see that there is some adjustment inside there by loosening a bolt and swinging the door post.

Hopefully that makes sense, there are adjustments inside the door.

good luck...Herb

 

[michael broyhill]

herb thanks for your reply, I can loosen bottom bolt and swing post side to side but how can you adjust door post back and forth??? michael

 

[Tom Bryant]

I share your grief in this matter. These cars had lousy fit and way off gaps from the factory so it's a battle to get things lined up and looking even. I replaced all of my hinges with tight as new used ones many years ago. The left side fits very tight with even door gaps all around. The right side has a gap at the pillars like you discribe. I replaced the right door also since it had a '58 door on it when I bought it. I also had to replace the lock pillar section and repair the hinge pillar due to collision damage in the past and a kindergarden class repair. (cardboard, window screen, lots of bondo).

Anyway, my front door gap is about where it should be but the post needs to move forward slightly. I could also use just a slight bit more clearance at the rear of the door where the latch is but the rear gap is loose already. I may not have set the hinge pillar perfectly although I thought it was at the time.

Here is what I am thinking. Slightly elongating the holes in the hinge strap that bolts to the door would allow the door to move ahead enough to set the pillar gap. Once the door is set perfectly I can then re-set the front gap by removing a little f'glass from the front edge of the door until the gap is perfect. In my case I will also have to build up the rear edge to set that gap.

It's a lot of work but I need to do it to make things look right. Also be sure to do your adjustments with the weatherstrip in place or allow for it's compressed thinkness. It would suck to get it all done and find that the doors won't close with the w/strips installed.

Tom

 

[Tyler Townsley]

On the subject of door alignment I thought I would relay a conversation with my paint/body guy today. My 55 is in pieces and he is doing minor body work and paint the end of the week. He has done at least 6 c1-c2 for NCRS judging with most being TF cars. Has had several cars featured in corvette mags so I trust his knowledge and judgment.

I raised the question about drooping doors and while not discounting a car could have weakening at the posts he opined that most misalignments are due a lack of knowing how to do it rather than any weakness at the posts or as pointed out worn hinges will have an advese effect any adjustment . His one caveat was that the car had not been hit so hard that it was twisted at the frame or the car was assembled from several cars.

His first step is to check to make sure there is no frame twist or misaligned body parts. If there is you can deal with some if you understand how. You shim the body as level as you can and then start with the door at the post. Using the hinges you adjust the gaps on the door at the post. You then get the back of the door level with the fender by shimming the front at the radiator. This shim adjusts the verticality of the posts, so to lower the back of the door you add shims to the front. You then add/subtract shims at the floor points under the seat to twist the rocker in or out so the bottom of the door aligns. If you remove all the shims at one point and it is still out you have to raise the body at all points and reshim. To deal with minor frame twist you just have to start out with enough shims on the low side to level the body to the high point. The back shims tilt the rear section but he usually tries to only use shims here to get it level.

He said it took him doing 4-5 c1s to finally figure that the above was the best way to get a car shimmed right. The one thing to say about the above is the average corvette DIY guy can do it with very little cost and if it does not work you should have a idea why it doesn’t, IE Twisted frame or the car was put together from several pieces and you have a major expensive problem to solve.

Tyler

 

[firstgear]

On the subject of door alignment I thought I would relay a conversation with my paint/body guy today. My 55 is in pieces and he is doing minor body work and paint the end of the week. He has done at least 6 c1-c2 for NCRS judging with most being TF cars. Has had several cars featured in corvette mags so I trust his knowledge and judgment.

I raised the question about drooping doors and while not discounting a car could have weakening at the posts he opined that most misalignments are due a lack of knowing how to do it rather than any weakness at the posts or as pointed out worn hinges will have an advese effect any adjustment . His one caveat was that the car had not been hit so hard that it was twisted at the frame or the car was assembled from several cars.

His first step is to check to make sure there is no frame twist or misaligned body parts. If there is you can deal with some if you understand how. You shim the body as level as you can and then start with the door at the post. Using the hinges you adjust the gaps on the door at the post. You then get the back of the door level with the fender by shimming the front at the radiator. This shim adjusts the verticality of the posts, so to lower the back of the door you add shims to the front. You then add/subtract shims at the floor points under the seat to twist the rocker in or out so the bottom of the door aligns. If you remove all the shims at one point and it is still out you have to raise the body at all points and reshim. To deal with minor frame twist you just have to start out with enough shims on the low side to level the body to the high point. The back shims tilt the rear section but he usually tries to only use shims here to get it level.

He said it took him doing 4-5 c1s to finally figure that the above was the best way to get a car shimmed right. The one thing to say about the above is the average corvette DIY guy can do it with very little cost and if it does not work you should have a idea why it doesn’t, IE Twisted frame or the car was put together from several pieces and you have a major expensive problem to solve.

Tyler

ask him what he does to close up the gap at the trunk lid.....

 

[Tyler Townsley]

ask him what he does to close up the gap at the trunk lid.....

Won't see him again until next Monday but will ask, At the top or bottom?

Tyler