Door Gaps

[FEQMA]

I have a really big gap between the driver door and front fender--more at the top than at the bottom. The gap at the back of the door is decent and pretty even. I can't think of anything that I could do to improve this very much. The gap between the fender and cowl suggests that I could move the fender back a little, but then the gap at the bottom of the door would get skinny. I'd have to raise the front of the fender a lot to make the gap even. Am I missing something, or is this just the way things are?

 

[Sam69sat]

Most of the gaps were not even close to perfect when these cars were new. Not a body guy but i like this way this guy fixes them.

 

[pnora]

If you are fitting things with the car on jack stands stop now.

 

[Jerry Hall]

In the days these cars were new there were all different thicknesses of body shims. You make one thing fit and it's going to change something else, so you will have to realign and adjust the whole front clip. Just takes time and patience.

 

[RemCharger]

Get the weight supported properly so the front end isn't sagging

 

[Jerry Hall]

Your rear door gap actually looks tight at the top and wide at the bottom. Align your doors with the rear body, and work your way forward. As two have already stated, get the car weight correctly balanced. Preferably on its tires and wheels on a level surface.

 

[Lefty71]

Im not a body guy at all, but that looks like a hinge problem. The back of your door looks beautiful to me, but the front looks like the whole door is dropped down on the rocker, and the top bush is wallowed out. Of course, unless the boys are right and you have the front sagging on stands, how can we know what damage has been done to the frame rails in the past?? Everything from the firewall forward is designed to fold up in a wreck.....

 

[eldubb440]

I always start with the door parallel to the rocker, matched up to whatever body lines on the quarter

 

[eldubb440]

looks to me you just have to raise the front of the fender a little

 

[eldubb440]

there is also an ear, with a hole, on the side of the cowl.......

a stud under the top rear of the fender sits in the hole....... if there is a shim there, remove it....... putting a nut on the stud will pull the rear of the fender down, which may be your issue (rear of fender a tad too high)..... you can also tap the ear down if it's holding things up

this stud/nut is critical to the whole thing

 

[SilverTBM]

Yea don't set body gaps or block sand on jack stands. Build some 2x4 cribs if you want the car in the air. Especially, for blocking on a creeper seat. Are the quarter panels & rockers original? I started with aligning my door to the original rocker. And I adjusted the quarter to door gap when I was rewelding the replacement poorly done quarters back on. I got fiberglass fenders so that doesn't help you much. I do know that these cars take a lot of work to get the gaps right. Good luck!

 

[SilverTBM]

Also, It might help to work on your body lines first and see how the gaps land. The bottom of the fender needs to come out. Its going to take a few hours per side just an FYI.

 

[Dave6T4]

I spent a LOT of time getting hood, trunk and door gaps to look good on my 1967 R/T. Probably better than when the car was built. For door gaps, you start at the B-pillar, and work forward, since the rear quarter panel is not adjustable. People who know what they are looking at, sometimes compliment me on my car's gaps. This just happened on Sunday at a local car show.

 

[Coelacanth]

Also, It might help to work on your body lines first and see how the gaps land. The bottom of the fender needs to come out. Its going to take a few hours per side just an FYI.

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I need to adjust both my doors on my '70 Charger. Thanks for the advice to wait until it's off the jack stands. Front-to-back, both my doors and gaps look perfect. However, both doors are sticking out too much at the bottom, and the passenger door is sticking in a bit too much at the top. Reading the FSM door alignment procedures is a bit confusing. Do you have any tips on exactly which hinge mount to loosen to pull in the bottoms of the doors, and to pull out the top of the doors? It would help minimize the trial-and-error. Thanks!

EDIT: The pics are all looking from the rear of the doors towards the front.

 

[eldubb440]

I need to adjust both my doors on my '70 Charger. Thanks for the advice to wait until it's off the jack stands. Front-to-back, both my doors and gaps look perfect. However, both doors are sticking out too much at the bottom, and the passenger door is sticking in a bit too much at the top. Reading the FSM door alignment procedures is a bit confusing. Do you have any tips on exactly which hinge mount to loosen to pull in the bottoms of the doors, and to pull out the top of the doors? It would help minimize the trial-and-error. Thanks!

EDIT: The pics are all looking from the rear of the doors towards the front.

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door in/out adjustment is the bolts holding the hinge to the door....... the captured nut plate inside the door needs to be free to move....... do top, then bottom or vise versa.....just dont do both at once

 

[cosgig]

Top hinge needs to come out a bit and the bottom needs to go in. Front and back. Adjust the door to the striker jamb and rocker first, then adjust the fender to the door.

 

[toolmanmike]

Doors are especially hard because the cowl, quarter, and rocker are not movable parts. (for the most part)

 

[moparsaver]

Problem solved Lol. Take the suggestions given already and good luck! Time and patience

 

[Coelacanth]

Thanks for the adjustment tips, guys...much appreciated.