Sailor's Legs !

[Pete]

I've recently seen a car I'm quite interested in. Problem is it has the dreaded sailer's leg problem with both doors, the passenger's being the worst which sticks out at the bottom corner by a good 15mm ! I presume this is just down to the clot restoring it not hanging the doors properly before welding up the A panels. I also suspect attempting to twist the doors is not gonna sort the problem out or changing seals as the shoulder of the door is flush with the B post when the door is closed. Fair enough the top frame could be twisted but this won't make any odds to the bottom.
Q : Is it a case of removing and refitting both A panels to sort, even the whole front end ? !

[mk1]

Q : Is it a case of removing and refitting both A panels to sort, even the whole front end ?

It varies, usually down to the amount of stick out. I would strongly suspect that with a stick out of 15mm there would be little chance of sorting it without removing AT LEAST The A panels.

This is a SERIOUS problem that invariably takes a great deal of sorting.

[morris cooper]

It's difficult to say exactly what the problem is without seeing it, did you take photos Pete? A panels have an effect on the door fit, more often than not in the way the door fits in the aperture, but equally a poorly fitted door skin can too. Worth checking the sill line compared to the door at the hinge end and the the door to A panel fit in the vertical. Getting a good door fit takes a bit of time, in this case it may be twist in the door or seal related. First option check if the seal is touching the bottom of the door inside, I suspect not. remove the seal, with the door open and you facing the inside of the door, one hand holding the door by the door latch then a big pull on the bottom of the door towards you, then check the closed fit. Same method can be used on the top Frame if required. Once the door is level with the bodywork you can then tackle the seal. Sliding window doors were often flying a bit at the bottom rear edge when the cars were new. Of course any of this is not possible on someone elses car!
Bill.

[coop12g295]

Very long shot but 1 of mine had the hinges fitted in the wrong order

[InimiaD]

There may be too much of a gap to get the doors to fit square in your case Pete, but here's a pic of how the factory / dealers used to re-align the door gaps.
Taken from a Sept 1960 Austin produced factory brochure on stopping water leaks.

[pad4]

why not just cut a slot out of the side and bottom of the door, bend it in and weld it back up, dress it off, re paint it and hey presto job done - you wouldn't believe what i had to do to get heritage panels to fit on my mk3 !!!!!

[Pete]

There may be too much of a gap to get the doors to fit square in your case Pete, but here's a pic of how the factory / dealers used to re-align the door gaps.
Taken from a Sept 1960 Austin produced factory brochure on stopping water leaks.

This one's got a gap as big as F with the door closed ! Yes I think a little A may help a tad then a bit od D and E and if that doesn't work it'd be off with the F-ing front end. As I say it's put me off buying it considering the amount of ballache it can cause to cure properly as Mark said.

PS .It has got correct sills fitted which should mean the sill line is still OK and not too straight as you sometimes get with crap sills.

Cheers.

Pete

[nick@dunsdale]

why not just cut a slot out of the side and bottom of the door, bend it in and weld it back up, dress it off, re paint it and hey presto job done - you wouldn't believe what i had to do to get heritage panels to fit on my mk3 !!!!!

I take it you refer to making a pie cut on the rear of the door, on the main door frame.

I have seen this done before on a 1930's austin, crude but very effective, certainly saved turning the job into a mammoth task.

After it was done and the pie cut was welded up the door fitted 100% and you would never have known it had been done.

lol when you use words like "bend" sounds like rough practice use words like cut inner door frame relieve tension on door skin, re-align door shell with rear quarter panel.

I am loving the dealer technical bulletin on mini door re-alignment


.

[pad4]

he he - its like me saying at work to throw a bit of 4mm plastic in the oven and knock up a merc screen when were really selecting a piece of 4mm (+- 0.2) Lexan , Cnc machining a blank shape from it, drying out in a controlled environment for 24 hours before it undergoes a complex 12 hr thermoforming process resulting in 3d shape which need 5 axis cnc trimming and then we have a lightweight polycarbonate rear screen for a AMG SLS GT3 car


jazz it up !!!

but yes, pie cut is exactly what im talking about.

so pete, are we hacking the doors up then and snotting em back in place ????