C2 door alignment

[Steve D.]

63 convertible

I removed the weatherstriping and wing vent frames from both doors and was able to adjust them to close and fit properly. I reinstalled the WS on the passenger door and it still closes properly. After reinstalling the WS on the driver door however, the door will not close past the first catch of the latching assembly. I guess it is obvious that at some point the WS is not compressing enough to allow full closure, but so far I can't identify that point. If I do identify it, I am not sure what I would do (other than trim the WS?). Since the door fits properly without the WS, any adjustments I might make to the hinge or latch in order to accommodate the WS would prevent a proper fit.

Any thoughts?

Steve

[Timothy B.]

Re: C2 door alignment

Steve, Are you using the GM rubber?

[Steve D.]

Re: C2 door alignment

Tim

Don't remember specifically; got it from Corvette Central, and it was originally installed several years ago. A shop adjusted the doors, but they have never been right. The poor fit has been driving me crazy, so I am on a quest.

[Steve D.]

Re: C2 door alignment

I just looked in the CC catalog and it has a note that the WS is either OEM or American made

[Gary F.]

Re: C2 door alignment

Since my 63 is going thru a major re-build, I used double sided tape to hold the weatherstripping in place, so the adjustments to the doors were made with the weatherstripping on. When final finishing comes, I can easily pull off the rubber, then re-install it with glue after the car is painted.

[Steve D.]

Re: C2 door alignment

Good idea; I will probably get to try do that before I am through.

[Jeff R.]

Re: C2 door alignment

Try removing the little L shaped w/s at the front of the door just below the windshield post (door aux w/s). Many times this will be the problem.

[Timothy B.]

Re: C2 door alignment

I just looked in the CC catalog and it has a note that the WS is either OEM or American made

Steve,

You have to start with the rubber, I remember installing the GM service weatherstrip on my 63 coupe after I fit the doors and it was terrible, I had to slam the drivers door and cracked the paint. Fit the doors again and try the soft weatherstrip.

I also had a problem with the GM stuff attached to the deck lid on my 67 convertible and it never sat flush so the GM stuff is not something you want.

[Steve D.]

Re: C2 door alignment

Tim

Almost the entire length of the WS is soft; the ends however are firm. Thanks for your comments; it helps to know that someone else had the same issue. I will continue to persevere with patience .

[Steve D.]

Re: C2 door alignment

Jeff

Thanks for the reply, but that piece was in place when I got the door to fit.

[Stephen L.]

Re: C2 door alignment

When I put new weather stripping on my 67 coupe, the doors were hard to latch...had to slam them to latch. The door fit on top also bulged some.... As time worn on they became easier. After about 6 months the doors would close easily and the door fit is good.

[Steve D.]

Re: C2 door alignment

Thank you for the input

[Timothy B.]

Re: C2 door alignment

When I put new weather stripping on my 67 coupe, the doors were hard to latch...had to slam them to latch. The door fit on top also bulged some.... As time worn on they became easier. After about 6 months the doors would close easily and the door fit is good.

Steve,

Do you think they were like that when new? That's why I believe the supplier changed and the material is not like the original stuff. I installed the GM weatherstrip on my 67 convertible doors and it's still hard to close but nothing like the 63 coupe doors.

[Stephen L.]

Re: C2 door alignment

Timothy, I installed the weather stripping in 2005. I don't recall the vendor. Very possible that raw materials have changed since 1967. I ran into a similar problem on a Mopar trunk seal recently. The new seal profile was the same configuration as the original, but the trunk was hard to close. After a few months the trunk closes easily.

[Domenic T.]

Re: C2 door alignment

I put new old stock on my coupe years ago and had the fit problem, not to mention that they were OLD stock and they cracked and looked real old in the first year. I made the mistake of fitting the doors without thinking about the pressure the weather stripping will have.
I did something different this time and fit my doors with a pre-load on them. I used a tempory spacer at the roof line that holds the door out and shimmed the door to go in. If I remove the spacer the door will hit at the roof. If it squeezes to much as the rubber takes a set you can hide a rubber bumper in the weather stripping.

DOM