Pictures of Body Dimension X Measurement Points Options

[cary]

Both latches are perfect .......................
Just the excessive left front door gap.

[CptTripps]

I chased my gap back/forth for a week...then measured the DOOR. Passenger side was 5mm longer than the Driver's side. Doh!

[r_towle]

Both latches are perfect .......................
Just the excessive left front door gap.

If you ever get a chance to work on a 356, you may notice a bit of lead on both edges of the door, and both fenders. I am being kind when I say a bit.
From what I have seen in stripped tubs, the gaps are fairly large and un even.
They would use lead to fill in the gaps and some use a paint stick run up and down the door gap to ensure a 4mm gap all the way down.

So, they would fill it in and while it was still workable they would use the paint stick to measure the gap and fill in where needed.

The 356 uses a lot of lead on the door jamb to close that gap, and on the front of the doors leading edge, and the bottom of the door also.

If the gap is too large up front, try raising the door up a bit....odd but true...it closes that gap quite a bit when raised straight up. Weird geometry, but worth a try to raise the door.
Raising the door closes the front gap, but opens the rear gap....so you need to find the subtle medium for your door and car.
Use your hand and a long straight edge on TOP of the fender to raise it up to the right height....then you need to compromise with the gap, the the height....
Eventually you may need to fill in both the fender and some of the door to make it all flat as they meet in different areas.

Use the door gap in the front to see how high you can raise the door.
Use the door and fender recess for the handle in the rear to determine how high you can go....that should be perfect, it's really hard to fix that spot.

Amazing how much you can raise the front of the door while having little effect on the rear....so try it, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Oh, the door hinge area bends...
Using a jack to bend it up, or your body to bend it down....it will bend.

I have fuzted with a 356 door for a weekend till I got it right.
First one takes time to understand all the subtle adjustments that don't seem obvious.

The 356 uses shims behind the hinge plate also, to add to the complexity of getting the door hung right.
914 does not use shims, but oddly does not need them.....

[rick 918-S]

Stand back and take a side shot of your gap. I have a hunch.

Also take a measurement from the upper latch bolt on the latch pillar to the upper corner of the windshield both sides.

[rick 918-S]

Stand back and take a side shot of your gap. I have a hunch.

Also take a measurement from the upper latch bolt on the latch pillar to the upper corner of the windshield both sides.

Your only long by 1-2 mm to be in spec. The fender gap may be another issue.

[cary]

Door is already off .............. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)
We're getting ready to install a double door brace in the hinge locations.

Here's the only picture I have. The fender to door gap is so crappy I don't shoot any pictures of it. Kind of Embarrassing. I've always figured it was going to take some creative craftsmanship like r_towle's been discussing.



I'll get the other measurement this am before we install the door brace. I assume it doesn't matter which latch screw hole as long as its the same on both sides.
I seems odd only one dimension is off.
But with the hillbilly job that was done on the front clip install anything is possible.

[cary]

What if the front clip was a different year?

[rick 918-S]

What if the front clip was a different year?

The front clip wouldn't matter. How the front clip was installed will.

[cary]

Super In Law is fabricating the new door braces. So I left his brackets in place.

Here's what I measured.

Targa corner to closure pin bracket.

Left : 300 mm
Right : 297 mm



Then I measured windshield corner to rear qtr. door handle.

Left : 758 mm
Right : 763 , oops ..........



All the while the F still measures 638 mm on both sides.

This post has been edited by cary: Jan 28 2014, 09:27 PM

[rick 918-S]

I suspect the windshield frame is tweaked. That is what I was suspicious of. Let me think about what you can do to get that car right. You are compounding mm's that are adding up to a real issue. I will do some diagraming for myself and see if I can make a suggestion tomorrow.

[cary]

Thank You .................

That's what I was kind of thinking.

[rick 918-S]

Ok, I think I got this. Here are some questions:

The right side targa bar to windshield is good right?

How does the door fit on the right?

Door fit on the right is good right?

So this brings us to the left side.

What you want to do is create new measuring points as the windshield on the left seems to be bent causing an issue with the door fit.

So, design an cross measurement from the right side you can replicate on the left without using the windshield frame.

Targa bar top corner to the lowest hinge bolt.

The measure from the door ceil up to the radius at the base of the windshield and make a mark. This will be your point of measure.

Then use the ceil seam just before the radius at the base of the latch pillar.

This will give you a cross measurement of the right door opening.

Check the left side and tweak the opening to match.

Once you have the door openings the same brace both sides well, bend the windshield frame to correct it and achieve the "F" measurement Then see if your "X" measurement checks out.

If the "X" measurement is off check the "Y" measurement to see if the car is twisted.

[cary]

Gotcha ......
Won't be back out there until Thursday.

Yes, the door fit on the right is perfect.

[cary]

[nathansnathan]

Shame, shame ... the tape is not metric.

I've been compelled to get one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
- dims on the page are english as well but it might be better to see it in mm, like if they were rounding up, to know that.

The newer luftkins look a bit cheesier than above. The stanley ones are ok-looking. I found one that is german. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/german01.gif) I bought it, but it might take awhile to get here.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thetoolboxscotland.co.uk-11782-1391229693.1.jpg)

[rick 918-S]

Shame, shame ... the tape is not metric.

I've been compelled to get one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
- dims on the page are english as well but it might be better to see it in mm, like if they were rounding up, to know that.

The newer luftkins look a bit cheesier than above. The stanley ones are ok-looking. I found one that is german. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/german01.gif) I bought it, but it might take awhile to get here.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thetoolboxscotland.co.uk-11782-1391229693.1.jpg)

Where are you getting that one from? It's cool.

[nathansnathan]

Where are you getting that one from? It's cool.

http://www.german-hand-tools.com/

I bought a Hazet tire inflator thing with a gauge from them before and it does take awhile. - some of the stuff is drop shipped from the company.