conv door adjustment

[Frank M.]

I just got my 66 painted, including new door weatherstripping, and now the doors won't close with the windows up. After having a frustrating time with the paint shop, I look it to a restoration shop for a resolution ( should have gone there originally). The guy there said that part of the reason that it won't close properly is due to the fact that the rivets that attach the pillar panel-hinge to the panel-door lower inner (got this terminology from pg1B-31 of the 66 service manual) are loose. When he tilted the door up and down, you could see and feel that the rivets were loose. He said he had never seen this before. My question is, is he just blowing smoke, or could that be part of the problem, and if it is, how do I fix it. If you take the window out, can you get to them and peen them somehow, or were they put in as a form of pop rivet originally. Any help will be appreciated.

Frank (31521)

[Scott M.]

Re: conv door adjustment

The door rivets can come loose, its not an uncommon problem but not sure they would prevent your door from closing. They would tend to let the door sag at the rear. Is the vent window installed correctly? Or the weatherstrip is just really firm preventing full closure? The rivets are tough to gain access to in order to buck them. I was able to buck a few of them on my car but the others I replaed with large head steel pop rivets. Some guys use 1/4"x20 projection weld studs that have a head that looks very close to a factory rivet. Then you just use a nut on the inside of the door.

[Frank M.]

Re: conv door adjustment

Scott,
Thanks for the reply. I should have said the door will close with the window up, but you really have to wail on it. Part of the problem is the top was not adjusted properly, and hopefully when that is adjusted the door will close better. I'm sure that the new weatherstripping is also part of the problem and once that compresses the closing should ease a bit. I always thougt that the cause of door sag was a worn hinge and I guess I still think that. If I read you right, the rivets might be a minor problem, not a major one. I'm not familar with the term "projection weld stud". Where do you get one?

[Edward J.]

Re: conv door adjustment

Frank, if you can take the door(s) at the rear and move them up and down while someone watches to see if there is door movement at the hinge or the riveted area, Just in front where the hinge passes through the front of door. this should tell you where the problem is, If any.Like Scott says the Rivets can be a problem with age,and so can can worn hinge bushings.Some of the weatherstriping that is reproduced can create problems when closing the doors also, the material does not have the give that the factory weatherstrips do. a few good warm days will help to compress them.

[Scott M.]

Re: conv door adjustment

McMaster Carr has the studs. http://www.mcmaster.com/#weld-studs/=lv1ush

[Jim R.]

Re: conv door adjustment

This happened to a 65 coupe I had repainted in 1980 I purchased new weatherstrip from GM and when installed the only way to get the door to shut was to as you said (wail) on it, this in turn broke the door loose from the rivets, I think it was fixed by removing the door and redoing the rivets or glassing or both I can't remember, then I replaced the weatherstrip with corvette rubber weatherstrip.

[Donald O.]

Re: conv door adjustment

When I redid my 67, I had the latches and striker off and no weatherstrips. Once the door sat closed the way I liked it (all seams aligned and gaps even) then I removed the vent windows and next I installed the latches and strikers, and after the paint installed the w/s. Both doors close like a metal bodied car, nice and solidly, like they should.
Put the hardtop on and adjusted/aligned the side glass. Then installed the soft top and adjusted the top to fit the windows.

DonO

[Gary F.]

Re: conv door adjustment

I replaced all 4 hinge pins on my 63 Coupe. Any play in the pins will magnify itself by the time you get to the end of the door. With new weatherstripping, keep doors closed for several days to give the weatherstrip a chance to remember where it's been, and mold itself to your door & opening.

[Frank M.]

Re: conv door adjustment

Thanks everyone. I think Jim hit the nail on the head. I installed Corvette Rubber weatherstripping(WS) around the door, which was a lot thicker then the flattened WS that had been on the car for 40 years. I think from wailling on the door to close, that loosened the rivets. So now I have the cause and the solutions. Thanks again.

Frank