Any tips or tricks to align the doors? I took a door off and am having trouble trying to re-align it.
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Re: '68 door alignment question
You should find a reasonable description of the various adjustments + proceedures in your copy of the 1968 Chevy Chassis Service Manual. You'll also find a chapter dedicated to Corvette body issues since Corvette was NOT Body By Fisher as the other cars in the Chevy stable which are covered by a separate Fisher Body Manual.... -
Re: '68 door alignment question
Larry, no problem!
I have done it a million times or so. Start by going to your local hardware store and purchase some of those wooden wedges that carpenters use to frame windows and doors. Seriously, no joke.
I assume you remember or noted which shims went where at the hinge piller. If not, no big thing. Work carefully so you don't bang things up.
1) Remove the sill plate.
2) Hange the door loosely with 4 bolts in each hinge (2 in the piller section a two in the door. If you didn't loosen the ones in the door, leave them alone for now. The bolts at the piller post allow you to adjust the door up and down and the one's in the door are use to adjust vertically. Remove the door latch post.
3) Carefully, I mean carefully close the door. YOU do not want to pinch the front fenders as the door closes and you only want the door to shut far enough to be nearly flush with the rear fender. You might want to mask the edges with masking tape for added protection. Try get someone to help you. Watch the edges closely. When the door is shut, use the wedges under the front and rear of the door to adjust the hight of the door. It doesn't need to be perfect, yet.
4) Check only the hight of the panels from the front fender to the leading edge of the door panel. (I am talking about the surface of the panels, not the top of the door). If they are flush, than you have the right number of shims in place. Other wise, you need to add or remove shims to get if flush.
5)Ajust the hight of the front and rear of the door with the wood shims untill you have the door at the right hight. When you get it, tighten the piller post bolts down hard and add 2 more bolts (one in each hinge at the piller post).
6)Open the door CAREFULLY and loosen the bolts inside the door. Carefully shut the door and slide the door horizontally for equal door gaps. Install two more bolts in the door section of the hinge.
7) Repeat all these steps untill you are satisfied. Do the best you can.
Lastly, install the door latch post snugly and latch the door on it. Ideally, you what it to move if you bumb the door in or out. You don't want it so tight that it lift the door out of alignment as you close the door. Push the door closed untill it is flush with the rear quarter panel.
9)Carefully, unlatch the door and tight the latch post.
10) Carefully, shut the door and watch for fit, adjust as necessary.
NOTE: You may have to adjust the window tracks after all this is done to get the window to meet the window opening correctly. That is another story and for another day. None of what I said is written in stone, you may have to improvise to your own situation. Later, TerryComment
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