Door opening

[EricSean]

So I am getting ready to replace my body mounts this winter and where the windshield frame and vent window frame meet the gap gets wider towards the top. Tells me the firewall is leaning forward a little bit which also makes the gap to the back of my drivers door wider than it should be. My question is does anyone know if there is a way I could find out what the door opening should be front to back? Should it be the same measurement at the top as it is at the bottom? I have measured the drivers side and did find that the opening is almost 3/4 of an inch wider at the top compared to the bottom. Any help would be appreciated.

[sockalaminski]

I couldn't find reliable data on this subject so I measured the top width and the lower width of the door and set the gaps based on that. If your body is flexing that much, you have bigger issues than just the mounts. It sounds as if the rockers have given out. On my '71, all the spotwelds were separated all the way down the edge of the firewall to the floor board as well. Before the repairs, the body would flex 1 - 1 1/4" at the door opening. After the repairs, I'm lucky to get an 1/8 of flex using body mount shimming and tightening the mounts.

[EricSean]

It's not flexing. The firewall is leaning forward and what I am trying to find out is the measurement from the front of the door opening to the back while the door is open. Not the door gap itself b

[sockalaminski]

This is a measurement of mine from the "bump" to the jam.

The reason I said gaps was the door is used in the closed position to get the body squared back up so that the door fits once the work is finished. These bodies weren't put together with much precision from the factory. None of the body parts on my K5 were symmetrical from right to left sides. Everything had to be lined up and welded to fit the doors. If your firewall is leaning forward, something has let go somewhere whether it is the spot welds along the firewall seam down to the floor or the rockers, not just the body mounts. These bodies don't move enough to have the kind of gaps you described.

[EricSean]

I will be digging into it more this winter. The body is in great shape (Arizona truck). If I lift the doors there is no movement and stays solid. I just figured with the top off and dry rotted rubber from the Arizona heat that the front end had dropped a little.

[sockalaminski]

Lets hope so. Mine is also an Arizona truck and still is. The problem I had on mine is dust got trapped in the many many nooks and crannies and then got wet and sat there. I had to replace a lot of metal.

[notsolo]

Body mounts, and shims, Best of luck.

[smbrouss70]

I saved this from this forum years ago, I don't remember who posted it, or how accurate it is, but it should get you in the ballpark.