[Tony69]

Hi guys,

I've been looking in the '69 Assembly Manual for gap specs. I've found some pages with specs for the door to fender, fender to hood, hood to cowl, etc. But nothing for the door to quarter, door to rocker and around the trunklid. I know what it should be roughly, but I'm looking for the factory specs and tolerances.

I'm having a tough time getting my doors lined up. Seems as if there's not enough adjustment on the plate inside the door where the hinge bolts to. Has anyone ever had to remove this plate and grind it smaller?...or modify the cage that holds it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Cammer-6]

if you cant line up check for previous damage
as for the trunk,the back is what you line up with ends of 1/4s

[Tony69]

Hey Cammer,

Without any hinges the doors line up with an even gap along the rocker and quarter...but when I hang the door on its hinges I can't adjust it enough. The doors are original and undamaged but from a donor car. There is some minor damage on the driver side pillar (where the hinges bolt)...but I don't think its enough to effect alignment that much. The cars original doors lined up okay.

I thought the body might be twisted or drooping cause its a 'vert but that doesn't seem to be the case.

I've heard that 'tweaking' is often needed to get things lined up, especially if there was some impact damage. I figure if I could get the factory specs and tolerances that'd be a good starting point.

[trmjr1]

Do you have the subframe and the rear suspension installed? You will have problems lining everything up if its not sitting correctly with weight on the suspension.

Tom

[Tony69]

Everything is installed, including engine and tranny.
The rear is on jack stands but on the differential itself.

[trmjr1]

What about hinges? Are they original or repos?

[Cammer-6]

have you tried to jack car up and support under the firewall body mount so wheels are still on ground but some weight is off them?
Are fenders on?
all this is key to body support

[Tony69]

The hinges are original.

The problem (on one door atleast) seems to be on the door itself... the mounting pad just doesn't move enough, even though there is space for it to move.

Hard to explain, but if I thread in a bolt into the mounting pad of the door and move it around...the mounting pad contacts its cage long before the bolt can contact the end of the bolt hole. Therefore not giving enough adjustment on the door. It's not rust or dirt making it stiff, its hard metal to metal contact.

Thanks for the help

[Tony69]

Cammer, I haven't tried that, fenders aren't on yet. I'm just mocking everything up before first coat of primer. If I need to cut, weld or grind to get it right, that's no problem at this stage.

[Cammer-6]

fenders are the support for the front end and help support the firewall too.
put the jackstand on the frame at the firewall and see if it improves

[sts]

The metal to metal contact you describe dosen’t mean that it’s hitting the wall of the cage. Often the internal crap becomes petrified, and it will clink as if solid metal.

I would douse it with pbblaster, install a sacrificial #5 or #8 grade bolt in the hole, and hammer it in the direction you want it to travel. Also, it could be binding in the cage, not hitting the ‘wall,’ and a little bfh treatment may solve it.

[sts]

Let me clarify because I can see someone bottoming a bolt in the hole and gettinmg after the head. The bolt needs to be about 3" or 4" long. Thread it enough to capture all the female threads. Grab the bolt shank in one hand to guide it, and bead on the side of the bolt.

I'm not positive, but it seems to me that the insert should articulate, pretty much, to the edge of the hole if not all the way to the edge.

[Tony69]

STS, thanks....I know what you mean, been thinking about doing exactly that...just needed some confirmation from someone thats had this problem.

If that doesn't work, I'll have to open up the cage and see whats going on.

[Tony69]

So I threaded two old bolts into the plate, tapped lightly with a small hammer and now the plate moves freely in all directions. The door lines up alot better now, just needs some fine tuning.

I'd still like those specs though....

[Held for Ransom]

1969 Body by Fisher manual.

[Tony69]

Originally Posted by Held for Ransom

1969 Body by Fisher manual.

Awesome!! Thank you!!!

Do you have anything for the door to rocker panel?
I know the top of the door has got to line up with the top of the quarter, but it would be easier with a rocker gap to work with.