I have looked at many of the threads on the site related to this. I am doing a '30 Model A Sedan. Floor braces are cut out and the body is sitting over the new (square) Z'd frame channeled about 3". Just the perimeter factory metal is left. The door beltlines aligned perfect before I took it off the factory frame. Trying to line up the doors/beltline again. It's off about 1/4" door saggin down. the gaps at the hinge side of the doors is pretty consistant. Hinges seem tight with no play. I was going to start my floor framing but was concerned if I did that and tied it into the body etc. I may never get the doors to line up thru shimming as the body would be very rigid. The fire wall is in with built in mounts and bolted to the frame. It is sitting on temp mounts on top of the rear Z'd frame area in the back. Any advice on aligning the doors prior to mounting the body to frame? Should I frame up the floor and body to frame mount and try to adjust then? Any help would be appreciated.
Could you post some pictures of what your problem is? It sounds like you should raise the rear of the cowl or maybe the whole cowl, to get your lines and gap back. I would get the structural integrity back into the body, before mounting it to the frame.
Shim at the 'A' pillar and bolt down at the cowl and 'B' pillar. I had the same issue with my sedan, chopped 4" and channeled 3".... Get the doors aligned before you start building your floor pans, it will save you grief down the road....
i think if you can take weight off base of body doors will align. suspend body,get its own weight off the base, an alternative is to use pipe clamps to pull base of door frame tighter. once they are realigned. temporarily fix them in place so they will stay aligned while you mount to frame.don't rely on just the pipe clamps to keep them aligned. take your time and make sure alignment and opening and closing is ok before frame mount if off do it until it is way you want. you can do it. good luck
I bolted down the cowl and clamped down below the b pillar to the frame as if a body mount was there. the doors are aligned now. open and close real nice. If I build the floor frame tying it into the body and mount the body I see how I can play with it a bit if necessary using shims in the pillar and cowl mounts. Thanks for all the tips!!!
I bolted down the cowl and clamped down below the b pillar to the frame as if a body mount was there. the doors are aligned now. open and close real nice. If I build the floor frame tying it into the body and mount the body I see how I can play with it a bit if necessary using shims in the pillar and cowl mounts. Thanks for all the tips!!!
You can really move the door adjusting the hinges. I have had to love tap the inner door skin to get things to line up in the past.
Yeah I just went through this with my coupe. Looks like you're on the right track. shim everything and get the doors to line up and open/close. Then do your floor and bracing and stuff. Should work fine. Did for me..
http://www.abarnyard.com/workshop/door-1.htm and http://www.abarnyard.com/workshop/door-2.htm should give you some help later jim
I dont know if anyone mentioned it. Run a rod through your door hinges top hinge to the bottom one... Lowes or Homedepot sells them in 1/4" and other sizes.Take your door pin with you.. Its the first thing in door alignment. If your hinges are crooked you will never get your doors straight. The previous replies are all excellent....
Cool thank again to all. Working on the floor framing now. Hopefully all lines up reasonably well....pic to follow..
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