Help with door and window adjustments.

[GangsterMD]

Hello, I had stripped my car down to have it painted - including the doors and windows. While apart I replaced the door pins and bushings. Then to top it all off I installed new GM weatherstripping around the doors and windows. I didn't remove the fenders. So first I put the doors on and was able to adjust them so they closed nice, and the gaps all seemed quite good around the body to the door. There was a bit of a difference of the gap to the fender - but I hear that can be adjusted. However as soon as I put the door seal on, the door is very tight. It closes but it's pretty stiff. Then when I put the window seals in - and adjusted the windows - the passenger seems to fit ok. But again is pretty tight to close and kind of pops when you pull the door handle. The drivers side though seems not so cooperative. I wonder if the door seel on the bottom is pushing the bottom of the door out - which is pushing the top of the door in. I can't adjust the door as it will put the fender to the door out of adjustment. Any ideas? I figured no sense trying to adjust the window before the door is correct.
Thanks a lot,
Darren

 

[gn4u2c]

Ah yes the old door and window seal adjustment. It's the best thing going outside of t-top seals on a rusted roof car. :biggrin:

Where are you located ?

make sure the seals are in correctly no stretched areas and no bunched up areas before you put adhesive on them and mark the car and seal in several locations so you can re-align quickly. you may have the stricker adjusted to far inward. Plus new seals that have been in the package 25 years are going to take a few weeks to "break in" If you feel that everything is installed correctly get a bottle of GM seal conditioner and wet the strips heavy with it outside on a sunny day. let it soak in a few min and close the car up for the day. It will soften the seals and help them conform.

If your not sure wet the seals and close the door open back up and go around and see if you have a transfer line all the way around if so your good if not you need to readjust. hope you did not clue anything yet

 

[GangsterMD]

Seals

Hey, thanks for the reply. I live 2 hours west of Winnipeg. I haven't glued the bottom in - wasn't sure if I had to. But the top is glued in. Both sides went in eazy peazy. The passenger side window was sticking when the door was closed - and I had some GM Silicone Imulsion. So I put some of that on it and it seems really good now. But the drivers door has me puzzled. The striker is as far out as it can go. The nuts behind appear to have a bit of travel left, so I thought about die grinding the opening a bit so it can move out farther? But I wanted to consult the board before doing that... I could adjust the door to the rear slightly which would take some pressure off the seal at the front - but the door to body gap at the rear would seem a little tight?

 

[gn4u2c]

You need to adjust the door to fit the quarter and rocker don't even pay attension to the fenders, when that's 100% then you adjust the front clip to line up with doors. otherwise you will go crazy. remenber these cars had poor lines from GM

 

[TheGovernment]

Hey, thanks for the reply. I live 2 hours west of Winnipeg. I haven't glued the bottom in - wasn't sure if I had to. But the top is glued in. Both sides went in eazy peazy. The passenger side window was sticking when the door was closed - and I had some GM Silicone Imulsion. So I put some of that on it and it seems really good now. But the drivers door has me puzzled. The striker is as far out as it can go. The nuts behind appear to have a bit of travel left, so I thought about die grinding the opening a bit so it can move out farther? But I wanted to consult the board before doing that... I could adjust the door to the rear slightly which would take some pressure off the seal at the front - but the door to body gap at the rear would seem a little tight?

I've done the same thing. You're best bet is to adjust your windows so that they "just close" enough to put a bit of pressure on your rubbers. leave it like that for a week or 2 and then after that they will break in some and adjust again. I had to do that 3 times before I could even shut my door with the windows up LOL. They are getting better now but they are also not nos ones.

 

[GangsterMD]

Ok thanks guys - That all sounds good.