drivers side door

[Walt]

A question for the guys that have done there own body work, on the lower front corner of the drivers door how thick did the body filler end being when you got the door level with body?

Thanks
Walt

[Jeff Kleiner]

About 1/8".

It is surprising how consistent the flaws are. Here is the driver's door and cowl area of two different Mk4s that I've done. They almost look like the same car because the same spots need the same work (that's true all around the cars too, not just in the driver's door area):

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj43/jkleiner/100_4328.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj43/jkleiner/Mk4%207276/100_2403.jpg

I put the body on another one this afternoon and just finished fitting the doors, hood and trunk lid a few minutes ago. I can already tell that it's gonna' be "deja vu all over again" ;)

Jeff

Jeff

[skullandbones]

I can understand the defect on two MKIV bodies being the same but this was well known on the MKIII bodies. Why did that pass thru to the new version. I bet mine will have exactly the same bodywork as the lower front corner is set in. Wonder if FFR used the old molds to clone the new ones. Not a very smart idea if that was the case. I expected their continuous improvement processes to catch big issues like this. I'm not finished trying to defeat the defect by manipulating the hinge an other such strategies but it hasn't worked so far!

WEK.

[Jeff Kleiner]

You're right Bill, the driver's door situation is a carryover from the Mk3. Here's mine:

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj43/jkleiner/665747659111_0_BG.jpg

I've done another Mk3 and found it to be exactly the same---after seeing how many other forum builders had the identical situation I wasn't surprised. I was surprised to find that it still existed when I did a very early Mk4. I tried the hinge manipulation as well but it was futile. You've got to make the door meet the body at 4 areas in both the horizontal and vertical axis. If you get the lower front and lower rear aligned with the body the cowl intersection goes wonky. Make the lower front and two top corners of the door meet the body and the lower rear is out farther than you can pull the body. Get the uppers and the lower rear of the door good and that leaves the front lower corner in and the chassis frame members won't let you push the body in far enough to make the intersection flush. In the end the consensus is that having to do the bodywork to correct the mismatch at the lower front corner of the door is the lesser of all evils. I just adjust the door position to get the other 3 intersections as close as possible and roll with it, barely giving it a second thought anymore.

Cheers,
Jeff

[Walt]

Thanks for the information, I am a little over but am still sanding , I was afraid it was to thick always heard that filler to thick would crack.
Another question on filler is on the seam inside top of doors, what is the best way to get the filler to be consistent the length of the door, I saw something on here about using a piece of PVC pipe.
Any ideas what that is about?

Walt

[Jeff Kleiner]

I've never been able to get a good feel for the PVC when rolling the cockpit edges or door tops. I use a piece or radiator hose about 3" long and split lengthwise and just kind of cup it in the palm of my hand while drawing it along the length of the door.

Cheers,
Jeff

[Walt]

Thanks Jeff, I'll give it a try when I get there , amazing how much this has slowed down my build.

Walt