Adj wood frame doors?

[George Rohrbach]

I am working on trying to get the doors on my '22 Studebaker lined up a bit better before paint. My problem is: at the the top of the door, the outside hits the body, and at the bottom, it is about an inch away.Shimming the hinges doesn't seem to help much. I am trying turnbuckles, but I am not sure that I have the concept. Anyone care to help with advise that has done this type of adjustment to the old wood frame doors before? Check the attachment for the outside pic, and the next message for the inside pic of the door.

[George Rohrbach]

Pc attachment of the inside of the door showing the wood arrangement.

[Jay Wolf]

I had a similar problem with a 1916 Elgin,

when closed the bottom of the door was a good 3/4 inch out.

I tried steaming it all that did was release all the glue.

After soaking it using Gaffers tape to hold it in shape over a form and regluing it it fit pretty well till the next winter and them it went back to just as it was before only the paint didn't match as well. So I have no answer.

[George Rohrbach]

Jay,

Thanks for the comment. What not to do is as important as what to do!

Beautiful car, by the way.

[Guest imported_oldmitchell]

Have a helper apply pressure to twist the door to shape desired. Use the largest corner braces you can fit and screw them in place. Use both the angle (inside) and flat (surface) type brace. Then paint the wood with West Systems Epoxy. Should hold perfectly once all is dry.

[Myron Williams]

Hi George,

First off, I am not an authority of this, but I hope this helps... Don Marsh sells a small book that he wrote on rewooding old cars. In it, there is an illustration showing what he's done to cure the very problem you describe. He takes a piece of pipe (probably 1/2") and welds a tab on each end that is made of flat metal stock bent at a ninety degree angle. You need to twist the door into the proper shape and then estimate how much twist is needed, then weld the tabs on the ends of the pipe with that much twist between the ends. Then all you have to do is anchor one end near the hinges where it's square... the other end will be pulled into the correct shape as you draw the screws tight in the opposite end.

Myron

[1937hd45]

George, The turn buckle you have in the photo may work, but you need to put lock nuts on the threaded hooks to lock the turn buckel in place.

[Guest]

Are you certain that the body is square on the frame? Is it possible that the cowl is not in it's right position. I once tried for days to fit a door and then I replace one body mount shim and everything fir properly.

Happy hobbying

[George Rohrbach]

Thanks to all for the help. I was finally able to get the fit ok, by using two turnbuckles together, and extending all the way from one corner to the other. Not perfect, but very nice.