Installing doors

[BadBird]

Are there any best practice methods for hanging doors without scratching the paint on the doors and door frames where the hinges go? I haven't started yet but I had a terrible time when verifying fit and fair of the doors when finalizing body work. There were a bunch of adjustments made, that I think would destroy the paint? Any protective processes? Hood and trunk won't be as difficult but if there are easy methods it would be nice to know.
Nothing is easy in life so maybe this is one of those non-easy tasks? Tips would be appreciated. Thanks........Larry

[pbrown]

Start off by building a door support for your floor jack. A 2x4 with a groove cut end to end with a dado blade will work. Fasten it to your floor jack. Use cotton towels to protect the paint.

Remove the latch assembly from the door.

Use a lot of bath towels and blue or green painters tape to protect the paint.

Eastwood has a tool that helps.
http://www.eastwood.com/door-alignment-tool-for-car-and-truck.html

[BadBird]

Fantastic. As Maxwell Smart would say "the old slot in the board on the jack trick". Watched too much TV when I was younger I guess. I will cut one tonight and start right away. It really does help to have access to all you folks knowledge. For those of us who haven't done this stuff before it is invaluable. Thanks very much.

[Jeff W]

Another option is Harbor Freight Tools sells a tool that holds as well as lift the door. I haven't used on but have seen feedback on other sites that it's well worth the $60.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=40386

Vehicle Door Remover/Installer

[BadBird]

Well, I have the doors, trunk, hood and fenders mostly installed but I am not happy with the fit and fair of any of them. I would think that they can be better but after two days............Not sure if I should go ahead and paint the exterior with them in the current postition and do more adjustments later, or should I get everything perfect now. I am trying to get the exterior paint done this week while the temperatures are still at an acceptable level. If someone who has experience at getting these gaps and alignments I would very much appreciate a visit (soon) to check on what you think. Larry

[pbrown]

You probably already know this. But just in case... hang and align panels starting at the rear and working forward. Get the doors aligned before moving on to the fenders. Get the gaps even across the bottom and rear. Only then should you touch fenders.

Are you painting a metallic color? If so, paint the door jambs off the car. Then hand the doors, fenders, hood and trunk. Paint the car with panels in place.

It took two of us several hours to get my doors aligned to where they were perfect.

[BadBird]

I didn't know about starting at the rear, but Roger gave me that tip Friday. I did paint the door frames and door egdes earlier. I have the rear of the doors pretty well aligned. Now I installed the fenders. The top edges are good, the bottom looks good but the middle isn't great. The trunk really doesn't look very good. The hood and fenders I believe are going to be the easiest. Just the trunk and fronts of doors at fender lines. Do you fair in the trunk with the rubber seal installed or off? Thanks Larry

[BadBird]

Thanks very much to Roger for stopping by and helping me with the alignment of the doors. With his knowledge and help they now look a whole bunch better.
Bolting down the fenders and aligning the hood next. Starting to look like a car again instead of a pile of parts. Still have some serious tweaking of the trunk ahead to get it faired in, but still making progress and the plan is to shoot the basecoat and the first three coats of clear this Saturday and Sunday.
More to come. Thanks again Roger. Larry

[Luva65wagon]

Not a problem Larry.

I'd like to say that Larry's car is pretty dang cool now and will be more so when he's done with it. You'll have no problem seeing it coming -- that's for sure!

We did spend an hour or so on it yesterday moving the doors around and getting the front fenders lined up to the doors. I left Larry getting the hood aligned to the fenders -- which he's probably done so by now. As for the trunk there is identical differences between the rear quarters and the trunk lid left/right edges -- just where they break over the rear edge of the trunk. Just not the same contours, though they are identical on each side of the trunk lid and each top edge of the quarters. I'm not sure why they do that, but I suggested installing the rubber seal first, since it's not installed on the trunk lid and see where it goes. We'll see. My guess is as long as the lines are equal, nobody but Larry and I will notice it (and I'll try not to remind you evertime I see it Larry). :D

[BadBird]

There is an old saying " If it's too loud, then you're too old " Well this baby is going to be loud with four subwoofers in the back and four speakers up front, loud with the electric dumps open and loud when it blinds you coming around the corner. Sooooo at 61 years old I am still thinking young. But if you haven't noticed I am legally deaf and wear hearing aids to help me hear anything. So liking it loud when I was young now makes it necessary for loud when I am old.
Had the hood all lined up and looking good, then installed the 4 rubber bumpers on each fender, changed everything as far as height, sooo back to adjusting.:doh:
Installed the trunk seal last night and they say let it set for a day before closing the trunk. I will see what it looks like tonight and then get out the BFH and get it to fit one way or another. :banana:

Roger, it was great having your help. You do have a wealth of knowledge. [BOW]