> Like many older cars, the doors on my '73 BGT
> have begun to sag. So now, in order to close
> the doors, I really need to slam them hard.
This is actually fairly unusual on a BGT- B hinges don't usually wear a lot,
but the roadsters sometimes have problems due to body flex. (Due to Rusted
rocker panels) The GT body is quite rigid, tho, and doesn't flex much even
with somewhat wasted rockers.
> It seems that I have 2 options available.
> 1) Shim up the lower hinge with washers/spacers
No.
> 2) Replace the hinges.
You can get good used ones.
3) Adjust the doors.
First, make sure your body isn't bent, or your strikers aren't mis-adjusted.
(Do the gaps around the doors even, or tighter on some edges?)
If you do decide you need to adjust the doors, it's actually sort of easy on
an MGB. Remove the door panels, and you'll see that each hinge is held on
with 3 Big philips head screws. You just loosen them enough to have tension,
but allow movement, shut the door, position everything just right, and
retighten the screws. Repeat until everything fits, and closes.
There is one problem tho- you'll need a *LARGE* Philips, with a lot of
leverage available (A well fitting, Socket driven Philips can do the trick),
cuz those screws are often in there tight. When the paint doesn't matter,
(Parts cars, or about to be painted), I usually use the torch, and heat the
screw heads red hot, and then they just unscrew nicely.
________
/ _ \ Roger Garnett (Roger_Garnett@cornell.edu)
/ /|| \ \ Agricultural Economics |
| |\/ || _ | 3 Warren Hall | "The South Lansing Centre
| | || | | Cornell University | For Wayward Sports Cars"
\ ||__/ / Ithaca, N.Y. 14853-7801 | (607) 533-7735
\________/ (607) 255-2522 | Safety Fast!
|