Door gap and hinge problem

[widowmaker77]

So I know this has for the most part been discussed a lot on here I’ve read every thread I can find and I still don’t understand what is going on.
I’m building my 66 bronco. Original a pillar, original cowl, original b pillar and floor braces are good. Replaced the outer rockers and the floor pans. My driver door is from Dennis carpenter and door hinges are for toms. My problem is I can’t seem to get the door anywhere close to shutting before the door hits the hinge. The bottom hinge seems worse than the top one.
My passenger door is original but hinges are toms also. On this door I don’t have that issue. What the heck is going on??? I have moved the driver door every way I can think of including moving the door in and out on the hinge it’s bolted to. Has anyone run into this before??
Also on the driver side my gap at the top of the windshield frame to door frame is about 1/4” at the bottom it’s 1/2” and not even close to the weatherstrip. How can I close this up? My gap is pretty good all around the rocker and quarter panel. I don’t have front fenders on. I will try to get some pics tomorrow if tits not railing too bad. Any help with these issues is greatly appreciated

 

[widowmaker77]

 

[DirtDonk]

Where is it hitting? If on the lip of the door edge where the slight opening is for the hinges, it's a common issue and the "fix" if you will is to enlarge the notch. Even my stock original doors and hinges on the '68 hit on one side. Sort of self-clearanced over the years because it was just barely touching the edge. Probably would never have even noticed it if I hadn't been dissecting it in minute detail trying to dial everything in.

Or do you mean that the flat part of the body-side hinge is hitting the flat front of the door housing?
If it's hitting somewhere else, a different angle on the pic might help.

Paul

 

[widowmaker77]

Where is it hitting? If on the lip of the door edge where the slight opening is for the hinges, it's a common issue and the "fix" if you will is to enlarge the notch. Even my stock original doors and hinges on the '68 hit on one side. Sort of self-clearanced over the years because it was just barely touching the edge. Probably would never have even noticed it if I hadn't been dissecting it in minute detail trying to dial everything in.

Or do you mean that the flat part of the body-side hinge is hitting the flat front of the door housing?
If it's hitting somewhere else, a different angle on the pic might help.

Paul

Ok let me back up a second. I’ve tried before to align these doors got super frustrated and moved on to other panel replacement. Now back to prefitment before final assembly and paint. You can see where the door has made contact and left a mark that has surface rust. I had forgot but I did “clearance the door where it is making contact. I can grind some more off but I didn’t want to keep going down this road if I’m going in the wrong direction. If there is another issue that’s actually causing it.
Also I added a couple of pics on my door frame situation. Any advice on how to proceed with fixing that issues would be greatly appreciated also!

 

[DirtDonk]

Not that this will affect the hinge aspect, but as you can see before you try closing the door you need to push the windshield frame forward, as it would be held by a top. That way your upper door window frame and windshield frame won’t have contact and add to the frustration.

Another thing that’s different here, but again doesn’t look like it’ll change your particular issue, is that the early hinges had countersunk holes and big Phillips head screws that sat flush.
Later doors and hinges just used hex bolts like you have, so obviously there was clearance enough in there, but that may have been more for the late doors. You have a mix of parts, so I could see things could have changed in a minor way that would affect your clearances.
But I see a lot of rusty areas, none of which look like they were hitting bolt heads.
Figured I’d mention it anyway.

I’ll look at the pics again when I get to my computer maybe I’ll see something I can’t see on my phone.

 

[widowmaker77]

Not that this will affect the hinge aspect, but as you can see before you try closing the door you need to push the windshield frame forward, as it would be held by a top. That way your upper door window frame and windshield frame won’t have contact and add to the frustration.

Another thing that’s different here, but again doesn’t look like it’ll change your particular issue, is that the early hinges had countersunk holes and big Phillips head screws that sat flush.
Later doors and hinges just used hex bolts like you have, so obviously there was clearance enough in there, but that may have been more for the late doors. You have a mix of parts, so I could see things could have changed in a minor way that would affect your clearances.
But I see a lot of rusty areas, none of which look like they were hitting bolt heads.
Figured I’d mention it anyway.

I’ll look at the pics again when I get to my computer maybe I’ll see something I can’t see on my phone.

Thanks for the reply’s! My top is bolted on to the windshield frame it’s just not in the pics. I
Actually went back out there and started looking at it in different aspect. Got the hinges to not make contact with the door and closed up the windshield frame to door fitment. There’s still 1/4 difference between the top and bottom of windshield frame to door but looks like I can move the top of the windshield out a little more and make the gap more even.
I’ll post some more pics of what it looks like now but had to run to town

 

[jmhend]

Thanks for the reply’s! My top is bolted on to the windshield frame it’s just not in the pics. I
Actually went back out there and started looking at it in different aspect. Got the hinges to not make contact with the door and closed up the windshield frame to door fitment. There’s still 1/4 difference between the top and bottom of windshield frame to door but looks like I can move the top of the windshield out a little more and make the gap more even.
I’ll post some more pics of what it looks like now but had to run to town

I may have missed this but two questions.

1- it looks like a new door or door skin. Correct?
2- are the hinges new or old / original?


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[widowmaker77]

I may have missed this but two questions.

1- it looks like a new door or door skin. Correct?
2- are the hinges new or old / original?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes sir. Driver door is new from Dennis carpenter
Hinges are from toms
Passenger door is original with toms hinges

 

[widowmaker77]

Ok so I’m adding some more pics of the windshield frame to door gap. Granted it is a wider gap at the bottom but I think I can push the windshield forward a touch and even that gap up some more. The best part is now my door frame is actually making contact with the weatherstrip and will seal up. I’m also adding pics for the passenger side. In the one pic of the door to quarter gap I had to add almost 1” of shims under the body mount behind the passenger Seat to get this gap even! The door was almost touching the upper quarter panel and had a wide gap at the bottom. Has anyone had to add this many shims to one body mount before?? This seems extraordinary to me

 

[sprdv1]

I wouldn't think that amount would be necessary, but you never know These things can be particular

 

[jmhend]

Maybe I'm missing something but I think the passenger side looks pretty good . No?

The drivers side still looks off. It looks like the top front of the window frame near the windshield is push up to far on the hinges? How are the striker post gaps and body lines?

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[jmhend]

Ok so I’m adding some more pics of the windshield frame to door gap. Granted it is a wider gap at the bottom but I think I can push the windshield forward a touch and even that gap up some more. The best part is now my door frame is actually making contact with the weatherstrip and will seal up. I’m also adding pics for the passenger side. In the one pic of the door to quarter gap I had to add almost 1” of shims under the body mount behind the passenger Seat to get this gap even! The door was almost touching the upper quarter panel and had a wide gap at the bottom. Has anyone had to add this many shims to one body mount before?? This seems extraordinary to me

Any updates?

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[widowmaker77]

Any updates?

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Sorry. Been tied up with work and family stuff here lately. Hopefully I can get back on it here shortly. I pretty much have the door gaps where I can live with them. I’m going to try to fine tune them a little more and take some measurements as to where the hinges are sitting before I break it all done for paint. To answer your previous question, the door gap to the rear quarter is around 1/8” the door is sitting level with the top of upper rear quarter.

 

[Madgyver]

how I fixed the gaps..

 

[jmhend]

Sorry. Been tied up with work and family stuff here lately. Hopefully I can get back on it here shortly. I pretty much have the door gaps where I can live with them. I’m going to try to fine tune them a little more and take some measurements as to where the hinges are sitting before I break it all done for paint. To answer your previous question, the door gap to the rear quarter is around 1/8” the door is sitting level with the top of upper rear quarter.

Nice, the question now will be how do you secure the hinges during paint?

 

[widowmaker77]

Nice, the question now will be how do you secure the hinges during paint?

That’s right. I’m just learning paint and body work as I go. Not really sure the best route to go but I think I’m going to primer and paint (first coat) with doors and hinges uninstalled. So I can be sure the a piller is painted behind hinges. Then install doors , final set gaps then paint last couple of coats of paint. I’m spraying single stage.

 

[jmhend]

That’s right. I’m just learning paint and body work as I go. Not really sure the best route to go but I think I’m going to primer and paint (first coat) with doors and hinges uninstalled. So I can be sure the a piller is painted behind hinges. Then install doors , final set gaps then paint last couple of coats of paint. I’m spraying single stage.

You may want to get long 5/16 bolts or all thread to hold the backing plates. I would suggest all thread. It will allow you to replace a bolt at a time while giving you the opportunity to remove the hinges. It will save you a lot of frustration if your backing plates are loose or if they fall.