Aligning Body & Doors on 35-36 Roadster

[SUHRsc]

Does anyone have any advice on getting the doors to fit well on a '35 or '36 Roadster. In turn getting fairly nice door gaps without going to extremes.

It seems to me that I should shim the body to get things better... but its not a simple flat frame like a Model-A.

Before I go off in my own direction I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask here.

How did the factory get them correct from the start?

Thanks
Zach

[wamnram]

Shims, Hammer, cuss words. If you already have a decent gap at the bottom rear of the door, you can adjust the top of the B-pillar in or out to get the entire outside rear door lip to match the rear body curve. Then adjust the cowl (Shim/tilt forward or back) to get the same gap width the entire top to bottom of door. Then adjust the cowl (up or down) to get the rear top of the door to line up with the top of the body.

[Don]

A lot of shimming,of body and hinges maybe bending the hinges some, takes time...

[SUHRsc]

Thanks guys!
Pretty much what I expected to hear....

It seems like the whole back section of the body could stand to tip up slightly.

This side for example has the gap tighter at the bottom but the top of the door too low.

[Karl Wescott]

Basics:

1. Frame true and square.
2. Body true and leveled, square across hinge post and latch post openings, sound structure.
3. Doors true, sound structure.

Alignment:
1. EVERYTHING relates to everything else. The body, doors, hood, grille, fenders, and running boards need to be aligned to each other at the same time.
2. Door to cowl (gap) fit is only adjusted by bending the hinges. There is no up/down or in/out adjustment without surgery on the hinge mounting.
3. Think of the cowl and the rear body as independent boxes, the mount bolts on the four corners are the critical ones for alignment. Each bolt changes things on three axis within the box, side/side, front/back, diagonal. Rule of thumb, if everything is correct except for one detail, you are three shims from a solution. Corollary, the last shim will fix three things.

For some GENERAL guidelines try our tech: http://www.wescottsauto.com/WebCatal..._Technical.pdf

Have fun and enjoy the car.

[SUHRsc]

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Thank you very much Karl!!