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MG TD TF 1500 - Door Gap

I have a consistent 3/8 inch gap on my driver side door. How much better should I expect it to be?

Bill

Bill Reid TD4618

Bill I believe that the gap should be no more than the thickness of the two rubber buffers that the door butts up to. I recall PJ shaving his new AM rubbers down as they were much too thick and so increased the gap. So I shaved down the ones I made also so that paint to paint contact is prevented. My passenger door is pictured. I also have pics of two other Ivory cars with a similar minimal gap. It takes time but it can be done. Cheers
Peter TD 5801

P Hehir

Bill. I spent a lot of time to get it down to 1/4 front and back and 5/16 on the sill to compensate for the sill plate. Was it worth all the trouble. Probably not. Since I retimbered the doors and fabricated new inner door sheet metal. One thing you have to consider is will the door top match the scuttle dash board facing. I shortened the rear quarter panels distance 3/16” when I built the tub. Would I do it again. A resounding NO! Would be my answer. When you tighten the door clearances you also run into interferences at the front and rear bottom corners of the doors as well.
W A Chasser

This is from my photo archive. The great door fit on this Ivory car belongs to Dave Sander. This shot is what encouraged me to persevere. Cheers
Peter TD 5801

P Hehir

Some of the modern rubber buffers are too thick preventing the door from closing fully.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

I will keep at it.....
Bill Reid TD4618

Still at it! The back of the door towards the bottom touches first and seems to be the main problem in keeping the front of the door from closing. The bottom hinge pin is plumb with the top one along the front to rear plane, but the bottom pin is not plumb on the inside to outside plane. It is about 1/4 inch or perhaps a bit more toward the inside (body of car). Seems they should be plumb in all directions. Is this my problem? If so, should I move the door side of the hinge outward by the 1/4 inch to make it plumb ? Any thoughts?

Bill

Love this LBC and WILL get it on the road eventually!
Bill Reid TD4618

Is the hinge binding on itself?, ie the inner faces touching before the door shuts. I have had to fit tapered shims to align doors before now. Remember you are working with wood that has metal hammered around it.
If you watch the Hutson video you will see a body fitter physically twist a door to fit.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Hinge doesn’t seem to be binding, but the bottom of the door touches the body and stops the door from completely closing.
Bill Reid TD4618

Bill: Does it hit at the hinge end or the front end? If the front end you need to pry open the door area with shims and maybe even bend the hinges if they are not the ones that came with the car.

Quick summary here:

https://www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgtd/mgtd_tips.htm#Finishing
Christopher Couper

Just a random comment...Peter, the fit on those two photos is a thing of beauty.
Jim
JV Smith

Thanks for the compliment Jim. It was Dave's pic that made me think it was possible. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Check the curvature of the bottom hinge against the top one , that is the distance from the inner edge of the hinge to the centre of the pin. If bent in it will pull the lower edge in. They bend easily, ask anybody who has had a door fly open, the check rod pulls the hinge inwards as the door flies back, These hinges are bendable back to the correct curve.
Ray
Ray Lee

More good info....

Bill
Bill Reid TD4618

Passenger side door gap is at a consistent 1/8 inch and up against the rubber. I am going to let that one rest for a while and go back to the problem child driver side door. If I can get that one the same as the passenger side door, I may move on to other challenges.

Thanks everyone for sharing your expertise.

Bill

Bill Reid TD4618

This thread was discussed between 23/07/2020 and 28/07/2020

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