View Full Version : Coupe pass door alilgnment
CobraSnake7
12-28-2012, 07:12 PM
I am having a problem aligning the passenger door on a coupe I am working on for a friend. I am a retired body and paint journeyman with LOTS of experience. I built and painted my own MKIII in 2006, and still drive it. My problem is that the door is to long for the opening. How much can I safely grind off the front edge of the door to get a good fit? It looks like a lot can be taken off, but I don't want to get into a seperation problem when I do it. It looks like I can take off quite a lot, but does anybody know for sure what really is safe to do? Maybe some of you that have done this can help me. Please email me, if you would with pic's, to LarryGodsFriend7@hotmail.com, or on the forum. Thanks, CobraSnake7 (Larry)
riptide motorsport
12-28-2012, 07:35 PM
I took off about 1/4 inch, if you cut it off instead of grind it, you can put it back on if need be.
Fluge
12-28-2012, 08:43 PM
My passenger side door wasn't as bad as the driver's side. I think I just grinded it down to get a nice gap. It took alot of fiddling and I added spacers between the door and the frame to get it to sit right. The driver's side door needed major reworking. I have a grey body. What colour body do you have? The red body is much better.
Marc
xlr8or
12-29-2012, 12:53 AM
Make sure the door frame swings and latches as expected before fitting the door to it. I also took about quarter inch off the front of my passenger door the set the gap.
Mark Dougherty
12-29-2012, 04:29 AM
it is almost always better to remove from the back if possible.
If you trim from the front, the door moves forward. the frame stays put. thus you will end up removing the entire back of the door around the bear claw.
when the door is in place look at the inside gap where the stricker will eventually go into the door. this gap should be around 3/8 inch. The bigger it is the more problems you will have later.
CHAZC5ZX
12-30-2012, 10:48 AM
My recomendation is to mount the latch striker and door frame get it aligned and working right and then do whatever it takes to make the door fit the frame and the hole.
CobraSnake7
01-01-2013, 09:57 PM
Thank you all for your words of wisdom. I got both doors to fit just fine. A little taken off both doors, and all is good. PTL. Happy New Year to you all. Larry
My recomendation is to mount the latch striker and door frame get it aligned and working right and then do whatever it takes to make the door fit the frame and the hole.
Some of the absolute best advice I got on the build. Just roughed in the passenger side and will be stating the drivers this weekend
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xzagfEhflJM/UOoCuaLixQI/AAAAAAAAAQk/xaXKnoQpcXw/s1600/IMG_6587.JPG