Home page
SPONSOR AD SPONSOR AD

Topic: Door hits when closing

in Forum: C3 Body


Door hits when closing

Posted: 11/26/03 2:41pm Message 1 of 15
Former Member
Send PM
Joined: 11/21/2003
Posts: 7
When the car is on the ground, the door hits the body when it closes. If I have the car up on jacks, there is the standard 3/8" gap. Any ideas what is causing this?

Thanks,
Rick


|img|http://www.geocities.com/a69_vette/Sig.JPG|/img|
SPONSOR AD:: (Our Sponsors help support C3VR)

Door hits when closing

Posted: 11/26/03 3:39pm Message 2 of 15
Profile Pic
Former Member
Send PM
Frederick, MD - USA
Joined: 9/8/2003
Posts: 3398
Vette(s): 1969 convertible L71 427/435 4-speed black interior
If the car was a unibody, I'd say it was rusted to the point you have a "rubber frame". Mopars are famous for that when rust runs amok.

Actually, I think your body mounts may have become loose or deteriorated on that side. When the car is on the ground, the body may be sagging since it's unsupported (or under-supported), when on jacks it's raised back to its normal level position.

That's my best guess.


Door hits when closing

Posted: 11/26/03 3:49pm Message 3 of 15
Former Member
Send PM
Joined: 11/12/2003
Posts: 63
Vette(s): 69 coupe with recent body off restoration.
69, just behind the doors is a body mounting point. Take a look at your frame just in front of the rear tires. Does it look rusted? Sounds to me like your frame and/or body shims are badly rusted causing sag in that area. The frame area in front of the tires is a common rust area for C3's. An inspection of this area should make the problem clear.


Door hits when closing

Posted: 11/26/03 4:18pm Message 4 of 15
Former Member
Send PM
Joined: 11/21/2003
Posts: 7
The car had a complete frame off resto in '86. Since that time it only had 1,500 miles put on it (it was a trailer queen). I got the car in May of this year and didn't have a chance to drive it until August. Now that the car is getting driven to weekly & monthly shows, the passenger door is having this problem. I looked into the inspection/body door in front of the rear tire, the rubber bushing seems to be fine (but this was with the car on jacks)and the bolt is tight. If this bushing were replaced, how would it change the body on the frame?

Thanks, Rick


|img|http://www.geocities.com/a69_vette/Sig.JPG|/img|

Door hits when closing

Posted: 11/26/03 4:39pm Message 5 of 15
Profile Pic
Former Member
Send PM
Frederick, MD - USA
Joined: 9/8/2003
Posts: 3398
Vette(s): 1969 convertible L71 427/435 4-speed black interior
Sounds like it may be the wrong bushing or needs shimming up to properly level the body. If the body was taken off for restoration some years back, the bushing may have since compressed, or was set up with the frame on jacks rather than the way the car actually sits...on tires on the ground. Few Vettes were shimmed alike at the factory due to variations in construction tolerances, etc. restorations are by necessity custom performed as well.

As an afterthought...did you check to make sure the door hinges are solid and the door is not sagging?


Door hits when closing

Posted: 11/26/03 5:16pm Message 6 of 15
Former Member
Send PM
Joined: 11/12/2003
Posts: 63
Vette(s): 69 coupe with recent body off restoration.
There is no rubber bushing inside the inspection door. What you probably see is seam sealer or some other similar material. The shims are between the body channel and mounting point on the frame. This is under the bolt and steel you see in the inspection door. The shims are sandwiched between the body channel and frame. When the car is jacked and the door gap is correct, look or feel the shims on that mounting point. If a shim is missing, you either won't feel any shim there or the existing shim will move freely. If it moves freely, all you will need to do is undo the bolt inside the inspection door and insert another shim in this location. This will keep this area from sagging when you let the jack down. Your description of the problem would indicate this as the problem. It could be that when the restoration was done a shim was not centered by the bolt and it worked its way out. Strange things happen. In any event, a car of the condition you describe would need only a simple fix. Good luck and have a nice Thanksgiving.

|UPDATED|11/26/2003 5:16:38 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|



Door hits when closing

Posted: 11/26/03 8:13pm Message 7 of 15
Profile Pic
Lifetime MemberLifetime Member
Send PM
Waterford, MI - USA
Joined: 9/13/2002
Posts: 1754
Vette(s): 1973 Red coupe
If you see a rubber mount than they were replaced when the PO did the body off work. Rubber mounts weren't used until 73. That being said, if everything was done right at the time, you could have a problem with the rocker channels like I had. See my web site. Just because someone did a frame off before doesn't mean everything was done right. Check the frame to see if it is sagging. Then check the rocker channels.


Brian - NCM Lifetime Member

73 coupe L48, Flat-top pistons, Performer RPM Heads, Crane Cam and roller rockers, Holley 650 vac sec. Performer intake,
3.55 gear BTO 200-4R trans,
Leather seats, Seatbelt Plus 3point seatbelts, Pioneer CD player
Magnaflow Exhuast System

Dewitt radiator and dual electric fans
Borgeson Steering box
 


Door hits when closing

Posted: 11/26/03 10:36pm Message 8 of 15
Former Member
Send PM
Joined: 3/9/2003
Posts: 281
If rubber mounts weren't used, what was?

|headscratch|


'69 350/350 conv.

Door hits when closing

Posted: 12/1/03 2:07pm Message 9 of 15
Former Member
Send PM
Joined: 11/12/2003
Posts: 63
Vette(s): 69 coupe with recent body off restoration.
The original spacer used above the rear wheel and between the body and frame was a white ceramic material, but new replacements are metal, aluminum I think. The mount in front of the wheel and the one you may have a problem with uses one of those spacers. That mount uses a bolt that turns into a caged nut welded to the frame. The shims are square washers that the bolt passes through. Your problem could be as redwingedvette says, but if there is no rust, you need to look at the shims. If you check what is happening when jacked and let down, you will have your answer.

|UPDATED|12/1/2003 2:07:37 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|



Door hits when closing

Posted: 11/27/03 8:53am Message 10 of 15
Former Member
Send PM
Joined: 11/21/2003
Posts: 7
Who ever did the frame off used (what feels like) rubber spacers. I can feel one in the inspection hole, and I can "tap" on the one between the birdcage and the frame rail.
How difficult is it to put a shim(or 2) in this location.

Thanks,
Rick

http://www.geocities.com/a69_vette/Black69vette.html

|UPDATED|11/27/2003 8:53:23 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|



|img|http://www.geocities.com/a69_vette/Sig.JPG|/img|

in Forum: C3 Body


SPONSOR AD: (Our Sponsors help support C3VR)