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I bought an 88 iroc. I need new window seals, and maybe some window adjusting to get the passenger side to fully seal, but the driver’s side door is somehow crooked. Not sagging, crooked. The top side of the door sticks out further than the top. Im not exactly sure what to do to fix, I tried some researching, but I didn’t see the problem anywhere on the internet. I thought about grabbing the whole thing and just twisting it in place, but I’m not sure what issues that could cause. The door has new hinge pins and everything, so it doesn’t sag, it closed perfectly, its just the top side is further out than the bottom. I’m pretty certain the frame of the car isn’t messed up, just the door. Is there any chance anyone else has dealt with this before situation as well?
The pictures are of the driver’s side. The passenger side is perfectly fine, just the seals need to be replaced to fix that side.
I have the same situation, but with my passenger door. I have replaced the hinge pins, and used a door bending tool to ensure the gap on the door to the door jamb is in tolerances (paint sticks). I do know that my doors are the original "as born with" from the factory, since 82/38 doors used a different front triangle and mount then 84 and later Camaros. In addition, besides some nasty door dents there was no major metal damage to the door (thankfully). With that said, what I can remember from my youth (Dazed and Confused) this gap was normal on some of these cars. GM didn't have a great build quality. They were mass produced at a very quick pace by assembly line workers who probably didn't really care much (we all go to work to ultimately get a pay check). We are expecting perfection from an originally imperfect vehicle. Frustrating, HELL YES. We (or at least I) watch one too many episodes of Phantom Works and want my amateur restoration to be as perfect as possible.
Thats what I thought. The doors on mine are the doors it was built with. I was hoping it wasn’t just 80s GM stuff, but if it is, that makes me feel a bit better about it being that way. I’ll check out that alignment tool though, maybe it can help. I’m hoping to fix it so that it can help my windows seal better
The door hinges are welded, therefore non-adjustable.
I was told by the Pontiac dealer that the "fix" is to actually bend the door.
At least that's what they do for sagging doors.
Supposedly they have some sort of fixture to attach to the door to do this.
That's all I know.
Here is a reference for my door. Now I don't have the door striker installed at the mount, yet even with it installed there is still the unsightly gap.
I checked the driver's side and there is the same gap (granted not as bad)..
Door strikers not adjustable.
I had a friend that worked for Ford Motor. If the door on the early Mustangs were "bent", they used a 2x4 to straighten them.
All correct information - per the factory service book the door hinges are non-adjustable. The striker bolt is somewhat adjustable, as the manual states in can be moved fore and aft using shims (big washers) of different thickness until the proper latch to striker bolt is achieved. Up and down adjustment can be made by removing the striker bolt and opening the hole in the sheet metal using a 3/8 rotatory bit. Ask me how I know? I have re-read that same page over and over again, to see how I can solve the problem (per GM). Back in the day, I remember one of my girlfriends in high school had a Sentra where the door frame would not sit flush on the body, and it made all sort of wind noise. One of the old guys at the auto parts place I worked at (the day of the independents, before Autozone, etc.) went out to look at it. Had me roll down the window. I put his knee on the inside of the door panel and grabbed the window frame and pulled a little. Problem solved. Sort of like what Gerry above mentioned with the 2x4s.
So gm spot-welded the striker the body. Why? That is just plain stupid. The way these vehicles were assembled back in the day, left much to be desired.
I needed to adjust the striker for the passenger on my T/A so know I know how. Should have checked my shop manuals.I know the a-body cars were all adjustable.
Tkx ACebell
very similar observation on my car - 91 Trans Am. Doors also look to be original (green metallic being a pretty rare colour and the stickers on the door matching up)
Sort of get the build quality point but odd that my passenger door doesn't exhibit the same door overhang compared to the quarter. And it ultimately results in water/ air leaks unless you adjust the window (still not perfect) but then makes it that much more difficult to close the door. I think something isn't right
So gm spot-welded the striker the body. Why? That is just plain stupid. The way these vehicles were assembled back in the day, left much to be desired.
I needed to adjust the striker for the passenger on my T/A so know I know how. Should have checked my shop manuals.I know the a-body cars were all adjustable.
Tkx ACebell
Drill out the spot welds and replace the striker with an adjustable one. It can be done.
Same being said for the hinges. They can be converted to adjustable but it’s better to be left to an experienced body and fab guy.
Even when doing this it only corrects part of the problem.
When reworking and before repainting these cars there are ways to cut the panels, massage them into place, weld and bodywork the panel.
It’s a long drawn out process.
If your a purest leave it as is and preserve the originality of the car. If your a show car modifier then have at it and plan on many hours of cutting and fitting. GM is certainly not alone in badly fitted doors and panels. It’s all about production and the almighty $.
Good luck to us all striving for perfection in an imperfect world. Old ford door gaps being cut, welded and tweaked. You want to talk about bad gaps and uneven panels. These trucks were assembled at the Helen Keller school of bodywork and the panels were manufactured next door by Larry, Curly and Moe. Just one example of a cut panel. Required to achieve the correct gap and level. Hours and hours of painful work. This is not for the inexperienced and faint of heart. It all depends on how perfect you want it.
The striker has some adjustment to begin with. It is NOT spot welded or welded at all. Its (loosely) captured in a metal bracket thats spot welded to the backside of the door jamb. If the hole is not large enough remove the threaded plate thats captured in the bracket (the bracket is only welded on one side, so it ca be pull away from the jamb), enlarge the hole, re-insert plate and adjust striker.
My 84 had this welded bracket/plate configuration on both jambs, so does my 89. You can access the plate by removing the plastic vent at the top of the jamb. The bracket also keeps the plate from spinning when the striker is turned (provided you bend back the bracket after re-inserting the plate) The 2x4 can also be effective, but careful not to crush the GFX.
What I don’t follow about adjusting the striker, is then isn’t the bottom half of the door (that sits flush with the quarter) going to be recessed?
seems to me like the upper part of the door needs to be bent inwards
Great call GTA1990, I was gonna mention this, but didn't. If the bottom of the door is in alignment with the body and the top of the door isn't, I see no way that dinking with the striker is gonna make the fit correct for both the top and the bottom.....
That's what the 2x4 would be used for by wedging the 2x4 at the bottom of the door and pushing at the top. You tweak (push) the upper part only with little to no effect on the lower portion. Once even then the striker would be adjusted if needed.
If you zoom in, it sort of looks like the bottom of the doors are not aligned perfectly flush with the rear quarter panels. Thus, maybe the strikers' holes would need to be enlarged to correct the gap at the top? Interesting to see that an original low mile, unmolested car can tell us the info we are all wondering. Anyone going to Mecum in Kissime, FL and wanted to take some pics for reference?
12-19-2023, 03:16 PM
