Author Topic: Door Gap (Read 1793 times)

silas · « **on:** March 29, 2004, 01:06:25 AM »

hopefully someone's got some tricks to help me out.

i wanted to fit the doors to check the gap before i brace the a & b pillar and cut out and replace the heater channels. i spent quite some time trying different adjustments on the striker plate and front hinges. the gap up top is good, but you can see that it widens in the middle and the lower area. also, the top door pillar and b pillar are flush but at the bottom the door sticks out farther than the bottom rear quarter.

is it possible that the door is screwed, or that maybe the body got a little twisted from all the moving? also, does anyone know the correct measurement between a & b door pillars on the body? how about correct measurement between drivers b pillar to passengers b pillar? any help is greatly appreciated.

Matt · « **Reply #1 on:** March 29, 2004, 08:42:52 AM »

I see the right door is on, how does that fit??? IMO your lower hinge needs to be adjusted in, that will line up the 1/4 and door. For the widening gap, stuff a wet rag (folded so it's thick) between the door and the hinge pillar on the lower hinge and close the door slightly (on the rag), this will bend your hinga a bit and may solve your problem, go gently though, you don't wanna go hard on this kind of adjustment.

If your right door fits nice, take some comparative measurements from left to right and see if there is any difference. how did it fit before it was blasted? any chance that whole rear 1/4 was full of poop??

Matt

silas · « **Reply #2 on:** March 29, 2004, 04:52:13 PM »

thanks for the help matt. the passengers door is on and fit better than the drivers, but still needs a little tweeking. i'll try what you said.

i posted this on thesamba.com to see what would happen, and bruce saw it there and mentioned the hinges and hinge pins may be sloppy or worn or bent.

i'm gonna check all that out.

anyone know of the stock measurement from a to b pillar and b to b pillar? just curious as to what they are.

Russ · « **Reply #3 on:** March 29, 2004, 05:42:58 PM »

Silas,
try posting in the samba body and paint section i bet you get more responses
(as opposed to just the general section in the samba)
Russ

slammedbus · « **Reply #4 on:** March 29, 2004, 08:13:30 PM »

I would not be too eager to fit up the doors until the body is bolted down to the pan. I did this on my notch and when I bolted everything back down I was a 32nd out again and had to start again. I'm no pro but I would wait till after. Get it stinking close now and play with the little adjustments after. Just my 2 cents.

jim martin · « **Reply #5 on:** March 31, 2004, 10:21:29 PM »

here is a couple of thoughts-
i see the door has no trim holes ? is it a differant door?
as well as the bottom edge of the door is low as well as the door seam above molding is low.
without looking at the frt A piller it would seam you need to shim the lower hidge to push the door up , that will level the door and even the gap.
then drop upper and lower hidges to drop complete door as it may be tight near the top.
how is the gap at the a piller between the hindges.?
as far as it not being bolted down too the pan it shouldn't change the door space .remember how ridged my car was when we pulled the body, there is no give.
but 100% you need to triangle the body before you remove a heater channel.i would x brace in each door frame and across to each A piller and across both B pillers.