ol Curt Suffers Setback...I think

[ol Curt]

I didn't put my passenger side door on during the process. I am a one man shop. My best able bodied assistant (my son) moved to Indy. My two neighbors can do a lot of grunting, but not much lifting.

I have a fairly large gap between the bottom of the door and the front of the rocker. While the front\top of the door is very tight and looks like it should be dropped, I feel I am out of adjustment on the slots that are part of the hinge that fastens to the pillar. Hope somebody can offer advice on an adjustment, but I suspect I am not through with rocker work!

[62 short step]

Yeah, it looks like more rocker work to me.

[terd ferguson]

The door top's gap looks ok. Also, the height seems to match up nicely on the door's body curves. It looks to me like the rocker is just too low. But, I'm no expert.

[markeb01]

I'm a one man operation as well. What I did to adjust my doors was open the door, place a 2x4 the length of the door, under the inner door bottom, not the outer lip - and support the 2x4 with a floor jack centered under the door.

It might be worth trying that, then loosening the hinge adjusting bolts to see if there is any more adjustment available, without losing control of the door. Be sure to either scribe the existing location, or outline the current fit with masking tape at the hinge so you can see how much it changes.

Because these cabs are made up of so many pieces, it's not uncommon to have uneven gaps in different places, or replacement doors that don't fit the same. Rather than focusing only on the surrounding gaps, I also tried to get the best alignment on the body lines, as in the crease at the bottom of the window, and the indentation just above the top of the front fender.

[ol Curt]

It moved a little but not enough to make much difference. I thought I might go and adjust the other side a bit so it would close good. One of the new stainless bolts didn't feel quite right. I went to loosen it and it was snug. One more turn and it snapped it off in the A Pillar.

It won't be much longer and this thing will be sold off like many of the others on here. The only difference is this one is in pieces.

I may have to walk away for a few weeks!

[Alan's Classic]

Hang in there Bob!! If body work was easy everyone would be doing it. Take a comparitive measurement from the left side of the truck to the right. Sorry if I don't remember, but is your left side done and lined up? With the fender off of the left side take a measurement from a hinge bolt on the pillar down to the top of the rocker and do the same thing on the other side.

From the pics it looks like the rocker is low like you said. They say a picture is worth a 1000 words until it comes to bodywork.

Go take a little break and go back to it when you have cooled off.

[ol Curt]

Thanks Alan,

I think snapping the bolt off in the driver side a pillar was the final straw for awhile. That will be a bi*^* to get out.
I had hoped to have the interior bak together and working on body panels by fall, but the cool weather seems to be creeping in. I'm running out of years and patience.

[jason65]

You'll get it Bob.

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

Hang in there Bob!! If body work was easy everyone would be doing it. Go take a little break and go back to it when you have cooled off.

^x2 I know the feeling, Bob. If I didn't have a back-up vehicle I'd have gone postal a long time ago, and I've been trying to get mine back on the road since Memorial Day - 08'.

[fleetsidelarry]

Originally Posted by ol Curt

It moved a little but not enough to make much difference. I thought I might go and adjust the other side a bit so it would close good. One of the new stainless bolts didn't feel quite right. I went to loosen it and it was snug. One more turn and it snapped it off in the A Pillar.

It won't be much longer and this thing will be sold off like many of the others on here. The only difference is this one is in pieces.

I may have to walk away for a few weeks!

Hang in there, talk to the trees, we've ALL been there. I work with stainless hardware a lot, being in the marine repair business, stainless is notorious for galling (esp. if an air tool is used). I've found that a COLBALT bit works great on stainless, high speed steel and nitride-coated are basically worthless. Center punch it, try a cobalt bit and an EZ-out. Also, FWIW, I'm trying to make it a habit to run a tap through critical threaded parts, even when using new fasteners, just to clean em up.

[ol Curt]

Originally Posted by fleetsidelarry

Hang in there, talk to the trees, we've ALL been there. I work with stainless hardware a lot, being in the marine repair business, stainless is notorious for galling (esp. if an air tool is used). I've found that a COLBALT bit works great on stainless, high speed steel and nitride-coated are basically worthless. Also, FWIW, I've gotten into the habit of running a tap through critical threaded parts, even when using new fasteners, just to clean em up.

I think that may be the part that ticked me off the most. I did run a tap through all of them.

[protrash64]

I use stainless hardware at work all day. The stuff binds like it has superglue on it! I would suggest using anti-sieze when installing stuff.

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by ol Curt

Thanks Alan,

I think snapping the bolt off in the driver side a pillar was the final straw for awhile. That will be a bi*^* to get out.
I had hoped to have the interior bak together and working on body panels by fall, but the cool weather seems to be creeping in. I'm running out of years and patience.

........... You'll get it. And when your all done you can sit back and read this thread and remember all of the funs times you had.

Originally Posted by protrash64

I use stainless hardware at work all day. The stuff binds like it has superglue on it! I would suggest using anti-sieze when installing stuff.

If and when I use stainless it will be on the final assymble with antisieze. I know it doesn't help the matter at hand, but still good info for someone.

[ol Curt]

Originally Posted by protrash64

I use stainless hardware at work all day. The stuff binds like it has superglue on it! I would suggest using anti-sieze when installing stuff.

Yeah, I have the anti sieze to use, I knew I would be taking the door back off to complete the outer work on it, so I thought I would put it on with the last fitting. I didn't realize they would bind the first time in.

[62 short step]

Just step away, i wanted to sell mine a thousand times!!

[jonzcustomshop]

ok, first get a washer that will fit around a door bolt. weld the washer to what is left of the snapped bolt. then weld a nut to the washer, you should be able to get the bolt out then...
I suggest hanging the fender , and cowl extension panel on that side, that will show you if your door lines are right on, and then you will be able to see how low the rocker is compared to the fender bottom.
the doors on my 61 were a real b*tch to line up I spent a few hours on each side, then after I took them off and marked them I had to spend a few hours again to get them in the right spot.
I am going to look at some of my old threads, some where along the way I asked for some door frame measurements, when I find them I will post them here for you.

[markeb01]

I agree, take a breather. I was faced with similar misery a couple weeks ago when I just finished painting my truck, and then spilled an entire quart of paint on the left rear fender and bed. Actually it was more like I threw a quart of paint on it. 1,153 runs and drips. I figured I could throw the spray gun through the windshield, or what I did - go in the house and come back to it 3 days later.

For drilling the bolt, if you dont' already have a set - a transfer punch set from Harbor Freight is only 10 bucks, and will help keep the drill in the center. It's really helpful in not damaging the threads in the post.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=3577

[jonzcustomshop]

from these marks you should have 51 inches in both spots.
I noticed that the measurement was about 1/8th of an inch off on the passenger side of my 61 (50 7/8), after much inspecting and remeasuring , the measurement was off by the same amount in both spots on that side, I acertained that the rocker was welded on a little crooked from the factory

[ol Curt]

Originally Posted by jonzcustomshop

from these marks you should have 51 inches in both spots.
I noticed that the measurement was about 1/8th of an inch off on the passenger side of my 61 (50 7/8), after much inspecting and remeasuring , the measurement was off by the same amount in both spots on that side, I acertained that the rocker was welded on a little crooked from the factory

What are the top marks associated with? Is there a seam there?

[jonzcustomshop]

Originally Posted by ol Curt

What are the top marks associated with? Is there a seam there?

that is the bottom edge of the rain gutter, down to the door edge part of the rocker.

[ol Curt]

Originally Posted by jonzcustomshop

from these marks you should have 51 inches in both spots.
I noticed that the measurement was about 1/8th of an inch off on the passenger side of my 61 (50 7/8), after much inspecting and remeasuring , the measurement was off by the same amount in both spots on that side, I acertained that the rocker was welded on a little crooked from the factory

Ok, I took the door off tonight...I'm starting to feel like a power lifter again!

I want to make sure I have this absolutely right. From the BOTTOM edge of the drip rail to the edge of the rocker where the door meets it is 51" front and back. Correct? It appears I am at 50-5/8" on the back and 51-1/2" on the front.
Roughly a 1/2" shift front and back. That would seem to make a big difference.

[msgross]

remember that sometimes these rockers aren't perfect either. I know that some guys on the 67-72 side have had to pie cut (then insert a wedge of sheetmetal) the rocker so get it to lign up with the bottom of the door.

[ol Curt]

ok, first get a washer that will fit around a door bolt. weld the washer to what is left of the snapped bolt. then weld a nut to the washer, you should be able to get the bolt out then...

I hope there is enough of the bolt exposed to do this. I fear it broke off flush.

For drilling the bolt, if you dont' already have a set - a transfer punch set from Harbor Freight is only 10 bucks, and will help keep the drill in the center. It's really helpful in not damaging the threads in the post.

I wonder how many drill bits I would go thru trying to drill that stainless?Last time I tried drilling a piece of stainless I smoked two bits.

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by ol Curt

ok, first get a washer that will fit around a door bolt. weld the washer to what is left of the snapped bolt. then weld a nut to the washer, you should be able to get the bolt out then...

As far as welding to stainless with a mig, I don't think it will work. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Captainfab]

Yes you can MIG weld stainless with mild steel wire. It doesn't produce as good a quality weld as stainless wire, but of course in this situation that isn't a big issue. It sounds to me in this case that the stainless bolt has galled in the mild steel nut. It is worth a try to weld a nut onto the remaining bolt to try and remove it though.....you never know.

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

As far as welding to stainless with a mig, I don't think it will work. Please correct me if I'm wrong.