Mk3 Spitfire Door Alignment

[Jonah]

Hello 

One of the jobs on my snagging list following the restoration of my Mk3 Spitfire was door alignment. The os door is now pretty good but the ns door is a problem

the door kicks out at bottom progressively getting worse towards the B post, Ive removed the bottom hinge and the striker plate but it still kicks out

the sill was replaced on the ns but the installation followed the original line (which could have been incorrect originally). The door aligns well at the top of the B post

Any suggestions welcome please

best Julian 

 

 

[NonMember]

When you say the new sill "followed the original line", is that at the flange or the very-hard-to-measure outer surface? I ask because most new sills currently available are not the right width and will cause the door gap you're reporting if fitted as they come.

I don't have that excuse for my Mk3, as the flange doesn't line up right either. That's because I replaced the inner sill, too, and didn't notice that the shape at the ends (where it sits on A-post and B-post) isn't quite right.

[Colin Lindsay]

I suspect it's the same as in this thread - bottom of the first page:

 

[Jonah]

It will have been the outer edge that I took as a line for installation, I continued it from the B post to the A post assuming it to be right, the danger of making assumptions I guess 

[Colin Lindsay]

Outer edge should have been fine; the problem with a lot of sills these days is that they're too short to reach the floor pan and stay in a straight line, so when bent in to meet the edge of the floor the panel line has dipped inwards and so the door sits proud at the back.

[Jonah]

Thanks Colin

i read the other thread and it seems that I’ll need to cut the sill, pull it out and fill the gap......sounds straightforward!!

[PeterH]

Guess what. Mine is the same. I originally wondered if the door was bent after reskinning but having read the above I'm sure that its the sill / b post alignment.

 

[Badwolf]

It would appear to be a wide spread problem. I though that mine was due to not bracing the door gap when fitting the sills but many members have sid that they have exactly the same problem. Interestingly it is only my offside. The nearside is a reasonable fit.

Is it the off side that is the problem for a lot of members? If so that indicates a major production problem in the tooling for that sill from whoever supplies.... well... all the dealers??

[Jonah]

My worst problem is the near side, although the off side isn’t perfect. The sills came from Rimmers 

[PeterH]

Off side is the worst. Near side is not brilliant but no where near as bad. I'm very tempted to try cutting the sill, but looking at it I'd have to free up the bottom of the B post and that looks to need cutting the floor and what would happen round the rear wing. On second thoughts I'll leave alone.

[Jonah]

I’ve noticed that the internal layout of the doors on my spitfire are different, are there dimensional differences between spitfire and GT6 models?

[DanMi]

I have also found that if you use the modern tube type door seal, these are too tight and force the rear of the door out even when it aligns when no seal present

[NonMember]

1 hour ago, Julian Jones said:

I’ve noticed that the internal layout of the doors on my spitfire are different, are there dimensional differences between spitfire and GT6 models?

No, the door shells are common. They did evolve over the years - some changes from Mk1 to Mk2, then the GT6 features added, then a more significant change with the MkIV facelift. Most of these changes were (quite intentionally) backwards compatible. This meant a current production door shell could be sold as a service replacement for a previous model car, within limits.

The internal door furniture - window channels particularly - were, of course, different between Spitfire and GT6

What exactly are the differences you've seen?

[Jonah]

The layout of holes and apertures is different although both accommodate the Mk3 handle mechanisms

i was wondering whether the width of doors altered by different model, but your answer I think is no. the run out on the os door along the sill to  the B post progressively builds to 10mm, before I chop the sill to modify I thought I’d check the doors

 

 

 

[Colin Lindsay]

I always thought the door frames were the same (size and shape) and only the skins were altered for the different handles, but it's safe to assume they also altered some of the apertures to access the different items.

Dan's correct about the door seals; I was wrestling with mine the other day - Furflex furred seals but quite heavy bubble tubing - as they're holding the driver's door out by a mm or two. I may go for something thinner if I can identify it.

[DanMi]

The door frame differs for the different internal door handles so spit mk1 and early 2 then late 2and 3 and gt6 1/2 then spit mk4/1500 and gt6 mk3, It is though just handle mounts (except very early spit which has a different catch and also B Post) and are the same shape and can be swopped

[DanMi]

the original door seal profile was similar to this

https://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/product/1285/door-seal

I got mine from Bill at rarebits for classics some years ago and made a huge difference to door fit. I have not checked the size of the woolies one just a quick look for a similar profile

[Jonah]

This profile is quite different from the ones I got from Paddocks!

[Colin Lindsay]

Do they have a furry version, Dan? Makes my car look very luxurious on the inside so I want to keep that look.

 

[DanMi]

I haven't seen a furflex version but agree it would be the best, not really a problem on the slightly more simple spit mk2 I have

[DanMi]

29 minutes ago, Julian Jones said:

This profile is quite different from the ones I got from Paddocks!

yes they all sell the tube type which is just too tight. I think as it is the only furflex profile available

[Jonah]

3 minutes ago, DanMi said:

yes they all sell the tube type which is just too tight. I think as it is the only furflex profile available

Thanks Dan, I’ll try a different profile from Wookiee’s as mine is very tight 

[Colin Lindsay]

13 hours ago, Julian Jones said:

Thanks Dan, I’ll try a different profile from Wookiee’s as mine is very tight 

Maybe Yoda can get you discount...

[Jonah]

5 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said:

Maybe Yoda can get you discount...

That’ll stick with me now just like the UB40 I use to lubricate nuts and bolts!

i blame it on a big thumb, a rubbish iPhone keypad and a need for speed!!!

[Badwolf]

I thought that the spelling was deliberate!!