chasing door alignment

[50Traveler]

The left rear door of my '46 Champion is hard to close. I know there are too many variable to easily get the door perfectly aligned, but in this case the top half of the door is too close to the body so I'd like to move it out a bit. Will the hinge shift a bit for adjustment or can I shim the upper hinge strap that screws to the door?

The other doors have seams that are too narrow on the side where they are hinged and too wide at the center pillar where they are latched. I may shim these to the paint doesn't chip an more than it has.

Are there any good handy hints for doing this?

Thank you,

Justin

[drdon]

Not really an answer to your query, but I asked a "body man" if he could fix the slight sag in the doors on my Coupe Express restoration. He said he could. Oops. He broke the body at the hinge attachment at all four hinges. I had to have a real restoration artist rebuild this part of the body by going in through the outside of the cowl and building reinforcement. It is perfect now, the doors close perfectly and are completely in line, but oh my the $$$. I guess I am saying if you try to lift the door to get a better fit on closing, be really really careful. The restoration artist thinks the first guy used a jack under the door. Wow. Good luck.

[nvonada]

I only have two hints. The first is be real careful with the screws on your door hinges. The look like a philips head but are not. Lots of people strip them and then you have a project on your hands. The second hint is to make sure the hinge pins are not worn. It is a back door so that is usually not a problem but check for play in the hinges. If the hinges are loose you will never get it to line up well. Ok, ohne more--extra hands are a plus when working with doors!

Nathan

[50Traveler]

Not really an answer to your query, but I asked a "body man" if he could fix the slight sag in the doors on my Coupe Express restoration. He said he could. Oops. He broke the body at the hinge attachment at all four hinges. I had to have a real restoration artist rebuild this part of the body by going in through the outside of the cowl and building reinforcement. It is perfect now, the doors close perfectly and are completely in line, but oh my the $$$. I guess I am saying if you try to lift the door to get a better fit on closing, be really really careful. The restoration artist thinks the first guy used a jack under the door. Wow. Good luck. LikeDon Aust

1937 Dictator "Doctor's" Coupe

1937 Dictator Sedan

1937 Coupe Express

1928 Harley-Davidson JD

1922 Harley-Davidson J

Thank you for the warning. Several people from several sources have suggested taking a 2 x 4 and a floor jack to work the door into place but I never wanted to do that. I am sorry you had to go through this but at least I can benefit from your experience and find a gentler way to a solution.

Justin

[50Traveler]

The screws on my hinges are big standard slotted screws. It takes a lot of muscle and a wrench on my biggest screwdriver to make any kind of slow progress. The hinge on that door is OK; none are as bad as I remember on some 1970's Fords. I am being careful.

Thanks again for your invaluable 2 cents,

Justin

[drdon]

You can get nice replacement screws for the doors, identical to original, at Ace Hardware. Cheap. I don't know if you have that

particular hardware store in your area but it is a chain that we have here in Colorado and it is also in Michigan. I am making the assumption that your hinge screws are the same as mine. Big leap there.

[starlightcoupe]

The 2x4 and some angular thrust is a hallowed tool on the assembly line but...only after all engineered adjustments have been made; and then, by someone experienced in the massaging of assembled panels.