Just got my bug back from the shop

[Dave3d]

So, tomorrow I will weld the spacers onto the hinges (yeah, I need to re-paint a LOT of stuff, including the hinges and hinge trim/access areas.
I will also have to cut the caulking off the door sill, and re-paint it, since the body shop did not remove it before painting.
This was there so the door didnt make dents in the door pillar, or paint (or vice versa), since there was literally 0 space between the 2.

I tested the spacers, and the door now closes just fine.
Also, the gaps around the whole door were 'almost' even. There is a bit more space to the left, by the hinges, than on the right.
- 1/16 on left, + 1/16 on the right, means 1/8 inch more gap on the right side.
I can live with this though.
I dont want to go through having to try to make a 1/16 shim for the top and the bottom.

Hopefully things go as well tomorrow as they did today, and I can get the bug into the upholstery shop monday or tuesday (I got the headliner in today, and it is the right one, thank God.

More updates and pics tomorrow. (even though my back is KILLING me, I HAVE to get this done this weekend).

[RacingKen]

It sounds like your doing a pretty nice job, Dave!
Keep up the good work!
It's looking pretty good so far!

[Dave3d]

OK.
Update time.

Looks like Photobucket is down.


So, this will be a text update:
1. Got the spacers welded onto the hinges.

2. Got the spacers and edges of hinges painted (the yellow paint is NOTHING like the paint the guy used to paint the car. I asked for Hard Hat yellow, wich is a REALLY yellow yellow. What he painted was a more orangish yellow. Found that out when I painted part of the hinge (because it burnt, and peeled off when the heat from the welder got ahold of it) ( I will 'hopefully' get the same paint he used, or maybe go to the only other shop in town to have stuff touched up, or not do anything at all, lol).

3. Got the heater levers and brake handle SANDED and painted yellow (Hard Hat). I asked the body shop to do it, and of course he didnt do it. He painted them both black. And, didnt even sand the brake handle to boot. It was previously wrapped in electrical tape (not by me) and had all the tape swirley marks on it still. He just painted over that. Sigh.

4. I got the driver door inner door handle pull/release fixed. Used a pin extractor thingy to tap out the old pin (it was broken on one side, and the handle just flopped around, and got all bound up). The closest pin I could find was 1/16 larger, so I had to drill out the 5 holes, replace the pin, and figure out how the spring went back in. Worked out very well. I cut a groove in the ond of the pin, and tried to pry the ends apart with a screwdriver, to make it so the pin couldnt 'ride up' and out of the holes, but that didnt work too well. I guess the pin was still too thick to bed very easily. Still, the handle works, and it springs back like it should. Thats all that matters, right?

I will be taking in the car Tuesday, to get the headliner and carpet done.
Was hoping to have it done by the end of the week, and on the weekend getting the glass in.
But, my wife broke the rear end glass today (yerah, I was a bit mad).
So, this weekend will probably be sp[ent going to pick-a-part, and trying to find a cheap replacement piece of glass, and cleaning it up if I find one.

Will post pics of everything once Photobucket stops being an a-hole.

[Dave3d]

Hah.
Rebooting solved the photobucket error.

1 hinge ( I was going to weld the top part to the hinge, and bevelded the edge to do so, but after just a tack-weld had burnt the paint, I decided not to weld the upper part. Maybe I will fill it in with some caulking, or bondo, at a later date, but I doubt it):


Painted spacer:


My welder:

[Dave3d]

The spacing now, and the door actually closing:


The spacing on the left side of the door:


The spacing on the passenger door (looks like I may need a shim on the bottom hinge to 'prop up' the door, and make it so it isnt sagging) The spacing on my home-made spaced door is actually better than the other door:

[Dave3d]

Inner door handle drilled out already, and the new pin in, and marked for cutting:


Pin cut:


Pin braced for 'splitting' (cut a groove on the non-headed end, and tried to pry apart, so the pin wouldnt 'rise', and come out of the hole, used a couple shims to keep the pin from backing out):

[Dave3d]

And, last, and certainly least, the brake handle and heater handles sanded and painted yellow, like they should have been in the first place:


That all i have for now.
Tomorrow night, I need to remove the adhesive that was used to keep the old padding/carpet in place, and tie up all the loose wiring in the front since the car will not be towed with the front end on. Also, I need to either remove the drive side rear fender beading, or fix the last hole to be able to get a screw in there. It will probably be the former, as the latter will take too long to do, and I wont have much time after work to do it. If there is one thing I have learned from all this mechanical/auto body repair stuff up here in Utah, is that the only way to get the job done right, is to do ALL the prep work yourself, and THEN bring it into the shop.

[Dave3d]

Oops.
Forgot to add the pic of the door hinge into the door post.
Remember, this pic is WAY zoomed in.
The gap is really about 3/32's.
Yes, some more part to be re-painted (and, another good look at orange peel/runny paint job):

[Dave3d]

Car is now at the upholstery shop.
Probably no updates for a week or so until it gets back to me.

[Snafu]

Yes, no updates until the car comes back all in white, perforated, grain vinyl

(I know...bite my tongue or even worse!)

Looking good!

[Dave3d]

Heh.
Black headliner this time.

Well, I will be getting all the window stuff together while it is in the shop.
I need to clean and tint the windshield, and the driver/passenger door windows.
The rear side windows are already done, in almost black tint.
The rear window, of course, I have to go find one this weekend.

I also need to set the window track felts into the door wing windows (rubber glue anyone?).

Thanks for the compliments.

[admkrk]

you're getting there bud!

shouldn't need any glue for the track felt/gasket. been a while since i dealt with wing windows but they should have grooves just like any other window. if you need glue, something is not right.

[Dave3d]

Not true.
The actual door part of the felt is good with just clips.
But, the wing window outside part, that the actual door windows slides up and down on, has the felt glued in.
This might be due to the aftermarket felt being a bit smaller than the original, but I dont think so.
It was a heck of a time trying to get all the glue out of the original felt.
Took me maybe an hour for each wing window.

[admkrk]

but are you sure it was "supposed" to have been glued?

[Dave3d]

Well, got a new rear window over the weekend.
Only cost $30, so wasnt that bad.
But, it was the best one they had, and it still has scratches on it.

Oh, well.
I will just have to put on the darkest dark dark tint there is, and then maybe it wont be so noticable.