The procedure is to loosen al the screws on the A pillar of the car. Remove the screws on the lower hinge and put a shim under that hinge and then tighten the screws (by hand) to test the door fit. Repeat as needed.

When done tighten the screws using the same tool you used to loosen them so they don’t work their way out.
 
The procedure is to loosen al the screws on the A pillar of the car. Remove the screws on the lower hinge and put a shim under that hinge and then tighten the screws (by hand) to test the door fit. Repeat as needed.

When done tighten the screws using the same tool you used to loosen them so they don’t work their way out.
Thanks - well explained, I can almost visualize it now. would this stop the slight up-and-down play, aka the lifting of the door?
 
Thanks - well explained, I can almost visualize it now. would this stop the slight up-and-down play, aka the lifting of the door?
So the slight lifting up and down of the door is a result of worn hinges. I don’t know if these are serviceable. It may be easier to buy ‘new’ ones, have them painted to match and replace them. This is likely body shop work as you need to remove the door entirely to do it.

I would start with the shim route first personally and keep the hinges well lubricated going forward to minimize further wear.

I am sure someone here has rebuilt theirs.
 
OK - so I did this yesterday - worked like a charm - should have done it years ago when I swapped the doors during the Dallara build.

I made a couple of shims from aluminum plate - used a piece of paper to make a rubbing of the hinge plate, center punched the holes, drilled & cut it down to approximately the same OD. In my case, approx 1/8" thickness did the trick - I have a spare if anyone needs a template.

I didn't loosen the top hinge - I wanted to avoid the overall door alignment changing, and I didn't have to futz with the lower section in terms of lateral adjustment, perhaps I was lucky there.

Note - I do not have any 'play' in my hinges - the door cannot be 'wiggled' in/out or up/down when leveraged from the outer end. Play in the hinges/pins will make it difficult to properly shim the door if needed.

PXL_20210611_184758568.jpg


In place. Readjusted the catch plate outward to get the correct closure depth, now that the door doesn't have to be slammed shut

PXL_20210611_190936901.jpg


Door no longer lifts when engaging the latch. The door is still in at the bottom & out at the top, but that is an issue I didn't catch when I bought the used doors - the DS had accident damage & was 'tweaked' vertically.

PXL_20210611_195439839.jpg


PXL_20210611_195446713.jpg
 
OK - so I did this yesterday - worked like a charm - should have done it years ago when I swapped the doors during the Dallara build.

I made a couple of shims from aluminum plate - used a piece of paper to make a rubbing of the hinge plate, center punched the holes, drilled & cut it down to approximately the same OD. In my case, approx 1/8" thickness did the trick - I have a spare if anyone needs a template.

I didn't loosen the top hinge - I wanted to avoid the overall door alignment changing, and I didn't have to futz with the lower section in terms of lateral adjustment, perhaps I was lucky there.

Note - I do not have any 'play' in my hinges - the door cannot be 'wiggled' in/out or up/down when leveraged from the outer end. Play in the hinges/pins will make it difficult to properly shim the door if needed.

View attachment 48235

In place. Readjusted the catch plate outward to get the correct closure depth, now that the door doesn't have to be slammed shut

View attachment 48236

Door no longer lifts when engaging the latch. The door is still in at the bottom & out at the top, but that is an issue I didn't catch when I bought the used doors - the DS had accident damage & was 'tweaked' vertically.

View attachment 48237

View attachment 48238
That's how I corrected a door on one of my VW's. The vehicle had been damaged in the past (T-boned at the door) and a new replacement door was installed as part of the body work. But they did not get everything perfectly straightened; the door frame is slightly tweaked but the new door is straight, so it did not fit quite right. Played with trying to correct the door frame but wasn't able to do anything without putting it on a frame machine - and it wasn't bad enough to warrant that expense. Adjusting the catch helped a little, but the door itself was a smidge off. There's no adjustment on those doors like with the X. So a shim (like you did) under the upper (in my case) hinge worked to get things aligned.

The twisted door (top and bottom being in and out a little) can be tweaked by a little hand work, similar to how that video did.
 
Bringing this thread back to live due to new information. My car's drivers side door also has a sag and Jeff's assumption that people put their wieght on the door when getting out fits with what I found. I think the assumption that it bends the door down may be wrong though, I believe it is causing cracks in the door metal around the hinges and that is causing the sag.

My door doesn't droop much but enough that when I have to close it with a bit of a slam where the locking mechanism raises it slightly. Left alone this will obviously get worse so I started reading. On a 124 spyder web site a few people where reporting the same problem and one guy found cracks in the door metal by the hinges. He took it apart welded up the cracks and reinstalled, the problem was gone. Other report similar results. I then took a look at my door and sure enough I found cracks in the door's metal by the hinges. I suspect if the load is taken off the hinges and these cracks are welded the sagging issue maybe resolved.

With winter coming and the amount of other work on the car I have to do I will not be able to perform this fix till spring but wanted to share and see if others are seeing these same type of cracks in their doors. I'll get some pictures of mine when I get home to post.
 
I lived with this very issue on my ‘85 for 20 years before dealing with it. I had to lift up slightly on the outside handle or the armrest to get it to close properly. It turned out to be a simple fix with a shim under the bottom hinge. I made it from some brass shim stock I had purchased years ago from McMaster Carr. I cut it slightly smaller than the shape of the hinge and drilled holes for the screws. Removed the screws, slid in the shim and now the door fits perfectly and closed easily.
This is how you fix a sagging door.
 
Bringing this thread back to live due to new information. My car's drivers side door also has a sag and Jeff's assumption that people put their wieght on the door when getting out fits with what I found. I think the assumption that it bends the door down may be wrong though, I believe it is causing cracks in the door metal around the hinges and that is causing the sag.

With winter coming and the amount of other work on the car I have to do I will not be able to perform this fix till spring but wanted to share and see if others are seeing these same type of cracks in their doors. I'll get some pictures of mine when I get home to post.

No evidence of cracking on my original (87) or older replacement doors - only pic I could find from when I redid the hinges

Dallara-Strip00083.jpg
 
Bringing this thread back to live due to new information. My car's drivers side door also has a sag and Jeff's assumption that people put their wieght on the door when getting out fits with what I found. I think the assumption that it bends the door down may be wrong though, I believe it is causing cracks in the door metal around the hinges and that is causing the sag.

My door doesn't droop much but enough that when I have to close it with a bit of a slam where the locking mechanism raises it slightly. Left alone this will obviously get worse so I started reading. On a 124 spyder web site a few people where reporting the same problem and one guy found cracks in the door metal by the hinges. He took it apart welded up the cracks and reinstalled, the problem was gone. Other report similar results. I then took a look at my door and sure enough I found cracks in the door's metal by the hinges. I suspect if the load is taken off the hinges and these cracks are welded the sagging issue maybe resolved.

With winter coming and the amount of other work on the car I have to do I will not be able to perform this fix till spring but wanted to share and see if others are seeing these same type of cracks in their doors. I'll get some pictures of mine when I get home to post.
Any chance you can post pics of the cracks? Or at least show where they were located? I'd like to compare it with all of my cars to see if I find anything. Thanks.
 
Took a good look at the cracks I saw and now I think it's not at a location where, I believe, will effect the door sag. But the fact that I am seeing these cracks does raise the possibility there could be some in side the door I have just no seen yet. More investigation is needed on my end. Have you seen these before.
1635719044737.png
 
Took a good look at the cracks I saw and now I think it's not at a location where, I believe, will effect the door sag. But the fact that I am seeing these cracks does raise the possibility there could be some in side the door I have just no seen yet. More investigation is needed on my end. Have you seen these before.
View attachment 54439
I haven't noticed cracks like that before, but I also haven't really been looking for them.
Based on the location, shape, and appearance of them, my guess is they are from opening the door heavily against the "check strap" stop (i.e. opening too wide and pushing against the limit strap). I would expect cracks from too much weight pushing down on the door to form at the hinges, not at the limit strap mount.
 
Have you seen these before.
My drivers side door on the '74 is cracked even more than the one you've shown. Usually due to the inner support structure rotting out and unable to handle the stress of the door check. I will eventually get a replacement door for mine. Access to that inner structure is almost impossible without tearing off the door skin.
 
My drivers side door on the '74 is cracked even more than the one you've shown. Usually due to the inner support structure rotting out and unable to handle the stress of the door check. I will eventually get a replacement door for mine. Access to that inner structure is almost impossible without tearing off the door skin.
Could be but the car is really clean from any type of rust through so it should be good but you never know until I remove the door panels. They will most likely wait till next year. I think Jeff has the idea with just too much repeat over opening of the door.

LookForJoe, may just have the right approach after all for the sagging door I am now coming to think.
 
Yes, shimming is a great way to deal with a sag. With respect to the cracks, the inner threaded support for the door check is a shallow "U" channel that is spot welded to the larger inner structure. Rust, and/or over stressing the check can break the spot welds loose. Once that happens the outer door metal will crack without it's support. To get access to weld it back in place will probably entail cutting the door metal around the check strap area, fabricating a new threaded inner support and welding in a patch for the outer skin. Looks to be a pain, but not impossible to repair if the rest of the door is clean.
 
Yes, shimming is a great way to deal with a sag. With respect to the cracks, the inner threaded support for the door check is a shallow "U" channel that is spot welded to the larger inner structure. Rust, and/or over stressing the check can break the spot welds loose. Once that happens the outer door metal will crack without it's support. To get access to weld it back in place will probably entail cutting the door metal around the check strap area, fabricating a new threaded inner support and welding in a patch for the outer skin. Looks to be a pain, but not impossible to repair if the rest of the door is clean.
Thanks for the insight. Begs the question is it possible to repair such damage with a automotive epoxy?
 
so, I just got an '83 and the drivers door needs to be sorted out. It won't close completely, even if I do it firmly... I found that this latch plate is loose. The lower part of it moves, and the screw won't tighten - it just spins freely. What's going on behind there, and what can I do about it? Thanks!
2021-11-18_21-17-04.jpg
 
so, I just got an '83 and the drivers door needs to be sorted out. It won't close completely, even if I do it firmly... I found that this latch plate is loose. The lower part of it moves, and the screw won't tighten - it just spins freely. What's going on behind there, and what can I do about it? Thanks!View attachment 55070

If the lower set screws spins, the threads must be stripped in the plate that is inside the pillar. The 13mm bolt secures the plate. I've never removed one, however I would expect you will need to remove the catch assembly below & R&R the plate from that access area. Somone will correct me if I'm wrong. I would suggest checking MWB for a replacement nut plate and set screws. You will have to drill out the screw head to get the latch off.
 
so, I just got an '83 and the drivers door needs to be sorted out. It won't close completely, even if I do it firmly... I found that this latch plate is loose. The lower part of it moves, and the screw won't tighten - it just spins freely. What's going on behind there, and what can I do about it? Thanks!View attachment 55070
Don't remember for sure, but you might be able to see the backside of that area if you take out the side air scoop. Only 3 or 4 small phillips head screws holding in the scoop.
 
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