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Hi everybody - it is a long time since I visited due to stagnation on the restoration front due to me choosing the WRONG "Restorer" who has done practically nothing for what seems like a decade !!

I now have the car back with me and of course have problems - the doors are all on the car but do not fit correctly into the apertures,all four stick out at the bottom and I don't know how to make adjustments, also the weight worries me - how many people does to take to lift a door off ? safely ?

Any help appreciated from someone who has had the same problem and got them put right - somewhere in the manuals perhaps there are instructions for the job ? so maybe the Webmaster can help ?

All the Best Michael

To remove/install a door, I would want a helper. The doors are not so heavy, but you should have one person holding the door up, and the other person removing the bolts that attach the door to the hinges.
If you can't find a helper, you can put a floor jack under the door and work with that, but that is kind of a balancing act. If you have a friend to help, that will be enough hands.

Thanks Tobs

I assure you I would NOT attempt to do this on my own !!

Having now read Wade's Workshop I think I have to get some body to door pads (over here in UK we call 'em "Shims")

At this stage don't really know what thickness but for ease of installation I guess I need various "U" shaped ones so I can slip them between the body and the door ?

Going to the internet they are available in either plastic or mild steel or even stainless steel - any ideas which I should use anybody ?

Michael

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Any local parts store or a place that does alignments should be able to sell you body or alignment shims. Or you can just use some fender washers.

Also, do you have all the door rubber on yet? Door rubber will for sure change how the door sits in the frame. My doors had the same issues and were never removed from the car. Once the door rubber was reinstalled the doors aligned much better.

Thanks BigKev

Will try to get to grips with "Fender Washers" on the internet - meanwhile I assume any shims go behind the hinge that fits to the doorposts - - - or could there be any mileage in fitting them to the door side fixing ?

Yes a long running problem with the previous "restorer" person saw him putting the rubbers in (Steele's)and taking 'em out several times - like me I don't think he knew how to set about adjusting the doors - when he got the rubbers in place the doors wouldn't shut !! - yes in the photos the rubbers are OFF.

I have the car's Approved Packard Service : "Service Manual Section IV Body" and I'm currently trying my best to digest the section headed "Doors" - maybe I'll have some luck there - report in later today hopefully.

Thanks again Michael

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