| O'Connell | -- 11-10-2009 @ 1:33 PM |
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While I'm on the topic of door opening measurements, is there any way to adjust the doors? One side of the hinge is riveted to the door and the other side doesn't look like there is much room for adjusting.
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| G Tosel | -- 11-10-2009 @ 7:36 PM |
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The door adjustment requires that you provide shims between the body and the frame. This requires some effort to assure that the doors fit properly. Your question about the difference of 1/4" between left and right doors could be solved with the body shims, but if the sill has been changed for any reason this could account for the difference. If this has been done, the only solution would be to cut and move the body sections. Is the vertical alignment of each door straight? If not, then shims may correct this issue. Gary Tosel
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| supereal | -- 11-11-2009 @ 9:39 AM |
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Gary is on the right track. If the doors don't fit, usually the critical area is the alignment of the cowl section. A very small movement of that part of the body makes a big difference in the door openings. Usually, the frame is somewhat out of line, and this makes the shimming a long and frustrating exercise, particularly if the body was removed during restoration.
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| wmsteed | -- 11-11-2009 @ 9:49 AM |
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Having been involved with the restoration of 2 convertibles from the 1930's, both of which were Briggs bodied cars, as is the '35 cab, I can tell you from first hand experience that the bodies can be very difficult to line up. You might have to set the frame/chassis up on a frame machine/platform to make sure it is straight, then shim the connection points as needed to bring the body into alignment. The first '39' we worked on was an unmolested body that needed repairs to correct rust-out damage in the quarter panels...the floor pan was almost perfect. The gap between the door edge and the "B" pillar was a uniform 1/4" wider on the right, compared to the left. The sill was cut to close up the gap so it would match the left side. The second '39 we worked on was an eastern car which had extensive rust-out in the floor pan and quarter panels. A previous shop had started repairs to the body, replacing the floor pan with poorly fabricated sheet metal. The quarter panels were repaired using window screen and bondo. The second '39 also had the same gap difference between the two door gaps. The doors also hung down. The chassis was set up on a frame machine which caused the bondo and window screen to break loose. Prior to the installation of new rocker panels the door gap was corrected. From my experience with the Briggs bodied cars, it would appear that Briggs was not that concerned with the variation in door gaps, times were tough in the car industry in the '30's, and it was just a car, not a grand piano... Bill 36 5 win delx cpe
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| G Tosel | -- 11-12-2009 @ 3:25 PM |
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The comment regarding the 1/4" difference in the door openings reminds me of the difference on my 36 5W Coupe that the passenger door dovetail has the strike in the center while the drivers side has the dovetail about 1/4" higher. This is a difference in the body not the doors and they do make dovetail male fittings with the offset, so knowing the issue I just had to use two different strike plates. This had to have come from the factory this way. It does take some effort to make the doors fit the body. Thanks. Gary Tosel
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| flatheadfan | -- 11-13-2009 @ 1:29 AM |
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Gary- Where can you buy off-set strike plates? I have been looking for a long time and haven't come across any. Thanks Tom
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| supereal | -- 11-13-2009 @ 8:15 AM |
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We have had to make striker mounts and shims from aluminum plate on some closed cars when the latch and the strike don't match. There is usually enough flex in open cars to permit a door to pop open if the latch isn't fully engaged, or the hinges have some slop.
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| 34Pha&35Cab | -- 11-16-2009 @ 7:22 PM |
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If your door-gap is because a door has been sprung by being opened too far, such as by the wind, you might just have a bent hinge. This had happened to my '35 Cabriolet, sometime in the past. I corrected it by simply putting a wooden block inside the hinge and gently pushed the door towards the closed position. Do this slow and easy and it just might go back to it's home position. Mine did, and it also cured a drooping door handle problem. MIKE
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