Door post install help

[mattt]

So after making the mistake of taking the Bronco in to a local body shop to have the pass. side door post replaced, I'm now on to cleaning up the mess and possibly doing it myself. I should've not bothered with the body shop since they hadn't done one before, but I figured they'd do a better job than I would...not so sure anymore.

I thought we had an understanding that to remove the old one, they would drill/cut out the spot welds and cleanly remove it to maintain the integrity of surrounding metal. I even did some prep work before taking it in by stripping/removing all paint/primer at all junctions of the door post to the body. Well....they cut the old one out with a torch....Yikes! That bugged me, but I was ok as long as the finished product turned out acceptable. When I went to pick the Bronco up when it was "done" I was disappointed. They did install the new post, but, in the wrong spot...too far back by about 3/16". That left a wide open gap between the windshield and door frame. At that point, the shop manager said they would re-do it and would very carefully remove the new door post so it could be moved into the correct position. When I went to check on the progress after a few days, believe it or not, the guy cut the new one out with a torch also!?!?!? WTF? The shop has compensated me for a door post, but the Bronco came home with me to try to pick up the pieces and make this right. I have another new door post and I've started the process.

My first question is in pic 1, does the lower flange of the door post slip inside or behind the flange of the outer rocker? I suspect it does as that is how I remember the stock one being.

Second question is whether the flange slips in between the rocker and the inner kick panel? Same there...I think it does but I'm looking for confirmation.

Last question is about what is left of my rocker after they hacked TWO door posts off the Bronco. Is what's showing in pic 3, enough of the rocker to even attach to the door post?

The additional pics are how the new post looked after removal, & a comparison shot between drivers side post location(yellow) & passenger side post location(primer)

 

[AZ73]

I'm typing on a phone so it's too much to explain at the moment but go look at my build (link below). I did the doorpost with pix so you can get an idea. If someone doesn't give u better details later pm me.

 

[rjrobin2002]

I had to go rescue my Bronco from a body shop that was trying to replace my door post and ruined a new inner fender and the door was 2" low at the jam when they were done. I stopped by to check on their progress and they were fixing to cut my door up to make it close right. I grabbed the keys and told them to kiss my ass and that they were incompitent. I did it myself and it sucked pretty bad to do inner fenders, door post, floor pans, and rockers and I could never do it for someone without charging them several thousand dollars to justify my labor.

 

[mattt]

I'm typing on a phone so it's too much to explain at the moment but go look at my build (link below). I did the doorpost with pix so you can get an idea. If someone doesn't give u better details later pm me.

Thanks for the info. That is a very nice build you have on your hands. Great work! Some of the pics answered a few questions, but I'm still not sure on the door post flange where it butts up to the rocker. Does it slip inside of the rocker flange or just butt up tight to it?

The rusted out hole in showing in the bottom of the inner rocker and lower kick panel is going to be repaired. That is the only spot with substantial rust and I do not want to remove rockers, & inner kick panel and replace with new given the so-so fit of replacement panels.

I'm working from a deficit here since the factory spot welds were not cut/drilled out. With the way the body shop removed the old door post with a torch and a cut off wheel it's hard to tell how everything was before the destruction. It's really a shame because I've seen a few paint jobs on Broncos this place has done, and their paint work is acceptable. I guess that means two things.....they have a good painter & they have a _____(fill in the blank) body guy.

As I've dug deeper into this, I've found many spots where the guy just cut the old post out and left part of the original door post flange/tab in place behind panels. I'm working on getting all of those pieces out now so the new one can go in correctly.

 

[mudstud]

I just posted some pictures in my build tread that may help. http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2359196#post2359196

 

[AZ73]

Here's the order:

Inner rocker
kick plate
door post
Outer rocker
The lower front flange of the outer rocker goes on the OUTSIDE of the door post. Unfortunately I won't be where the pictures are for another 24 hours, but if they didn't do the drivers side, go look at that.

 

[mattt]

Thanks for the clarification AZ73. That is what I needed. So my suspicions are correct that the flange on the door post is always behind the outer rocker. Since I'm not replacing rockers(inner & outer) I was unsure where the door post fit in the puzzle.

My drivers side door post was replaced about 3 years ago. I would have loved to have the same guy do the passenger side, but he has since retired. As far as using it as an example, I can't really do that either because the body man who did it took it a step further than stock and blended all panel transitions perfectly with weld, grind, skim coat. For example, where the outer rocker attaches to the door post in the jamb, right below the lower hinge, it is a seamless transition on the drivers side. Whereas, when I stripped the passenger side, I saw where Ford just brazed(gold color puddle) that connection in 2 spots(like a spot weld). The point where the rocker jamb laid over the door post was very obvious. The way the drivers side is done now, it is not obvious.