TC door alignment.

[Ray White]

Please could someone advise me as to the best way to get the pointed front corner of the doors to line up with the corner of the dash? At present the doors are about 1/4" too high and the driver's door slightly touches the body as it closes. It is a new body and I don't remember seeing this when I first got it.

I have the car supported on axle stands with it's wheels off while I work on the wings.
A body shop guy is suggesting removing the steel panel and re shaping the wood. Is this wise?

Thank you , Ray.

[Mark McCombs]

Ray, before anything drastic, take a look at the rear edge of the door to see if appears that the rear edge is not straight, and the overlap with the hinge post sheet metal. Reason for this is the 'up and down' of the front of the door can be adjusted at the hinges. A thin sheet metal spacer under the top hinge will lower the front door corner and vise versa. Once you see if this is helping, you could remove the offending hinge, place it in a vice and give it a bend to achieve the same effect. But it this correction will effect the vertical line of the back of the door so its a juggle. If you're lucky you will find the back door edge 'leans back' so bringing the top hinge forward will cure both issues at the same time. Let us know and a picture will help.

[Mark McCombs]

Important note to my post:

When you say you have the car up on jackstands, make sure they are under the axles or wheel splines so the potential frame / body deflection is the same as if the car were resting on the wheels.

[Ray White]

Important note to my post:

When you say you have the car up on jackstands, make sure they are under the axles or wheel splines so the potential frame / body deflection is the same as if the car were resting on the wheels.

At present the car is supported under the chassis rails. I will place the axle stands as you suggest and see what happens. It wasn't like this when the body was delivered so may be my fault.

[stephen stierman]

I assume the running gear, engine, gearbox, etc. is in the chassis as that will make a difference also.

[Ray White]

I assume the running gear, engine, gearbox, etc. is in the chassis as that will make a difference also.

Yes. All the running gear is installed. I will get the car back on it's wheels and see what happens.

Thanks for the advice.

Ray.

[loustaller]

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Here's what I was faced with with my '49TC. I tried straps, shims and force without success so I decided to reshape the door skin to fit. I was cautious and careful and spent too much time thinking about it but I finally just did it. I began by removing all the wood leaving me with just the metal door skin to work on. I started by trying to move the top corner in with just hand pressure but to it didn't want to move so I removed some sheet metal with a few small cuts in the upper corner of the inside curved edge. I was then able to slowly and gently massage the top inwards. It now fits against the cowl almost perfectly. Next will be to replace the old wood with all new pieces I bought from Don Pelton. I'm sure I'm going to have to modify the wood a bit so it takes the shape of the new door profile.
Before I attempted this I compared both door and found that the left side was almost straight at the top corner where it was sticking out from the cowl by approx 1/4" while the right side door which fits very well had a very slight inward curve so I figured what the hell so I went for it.
A lot of work and a few bucks for the new wood but I'm very happy with the results, so far.

[Ray White]

Thank you for sharing that experience. I commissioned a new body at considerable expense and would have expected better. Shouldn't grumble; It's all part of life's rich tapestry.

[antijam]

If you don't remember seeing the problem when you first got the new body it's possibly become distorted after fitting to the chassis. As a free standing tub the body is still very flexible. Is the door catching the body towards the top? If so it's possible the metal frame is not sitting true on the chassis. From your symptoms I'd suggest slackening off the two middle body mounting bolts and removing the two rear bolts from the bottom of the side curtain box. Insert some packing - around ¼" thick to start with - between the box and the chassis and see whether this improves or worsens the problem. If it improves it, vary the thickness of the packing under the box and if necessary add some under the middle bolts to optimise the door fit.

[Ray White]

If you don't remember seeing the problem when you first got the new body it's possibly become distorted after fitting to the chassis. As a free standing tub the body is still very flexible. Is the door catching the body towards the top? If so it's possible the metal frame is not sitting true on the chassis. From your symptoms I'd suggest slackening off the two middle body mounting bolts and removing the two rear bolts from the bottom of the side curtain box. Insert some packing - around ¼" thick to start with - between the box and the chassis and see whether this improves or worsens the problem. If it improves it, vary the thickness of the packing under the box and if necessary add some under the middle bolts to optimise the door fit.

Thanks for the advise. I seem to remember going through all that before offering up the rear wings. Having got the wings and tank right it now seems I need to start over because of the door fit.

I think I will go lie down in a darkened room

[Ray White]

So this afternoon I lowered the car down onto its wheels. Unfortunately it has made no difference. I even tried bouncing the car at the back but no change.

The doors can line up as desired if pressure is applied....but spring back up when released. I have discovered the reason the driver's door rubs slightly is because it is catching on the head of a nail. This has caused a slight groove in the door edge... I am not impressed

I have yet to tinker with the chassis packing but I already have 1/4" under the back.

[Steve Simmons]

Just a thought, what about bending the lower hinge slightly rearward? Assuming there is room to do so without the door contacting the bodywork.

[Ray White]

Just a thought, what about bending the lower hinge slightly rearward? Assuming there is room to do so without the door contacting the bodywork.

Hi Steve. Great news to report. This evening I put some brass washers behind the top hinges ..... and the doors now fit like a dream.! I also realise I have inadvertently improved the clearance of the doors where they meet the body above the hinges. In addition, I have hammered home the errant nails and there is no further scoring.

I couldn't be happier and feel I can now get on with the restoration of the running boards which have had their inner edges cut away. This will require some careful welding and when looking for some suitable metal, I realised that I can re - use an original discarded body panel as a donor.

Ray.

[jddevel]

Congratulations Ray. Another step forward. I took the course of buying my new tub from Hudsons and included new doors as I was advised that door fit was a problem. Mine I will admit are perfect. The only problem I`ve encountered is the gap between the end of the running board and the rear wings but I can put up with anyway- it takes the eye off the poor result of my first attempt at spraying-2K paint. Just wont let people too close to view

[Ray White]

Congratulations Ray. Another step forward. I took the course of buying my new tub from Hudsons and included new doors as I was advised that door fit was a problem. Mine I will admit are perfect. The only problem I`ve encountered is the gap between the end of the running board and the rear wings but I can put up with anyway- it takes the eye off the poor result of my first attempt at spraying-2K paint. Just wont let people too close to view

I also don't like such a big gap there. As I am making new ends for the running boards, I am minded to extend them slightly....(the p/o filled the rust holes with Polly filler !), I don't mind a small gap but otherwise it just doesn't look right.

( I always thought the MGA was aesthetically challenged in that area as well).