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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Door adjustment

Do you think I could adjust this out before I start taking my door cards off etc ? . I can't think what would sort it as the rest of the door isn't so bad


Mike Fairclough

how did it get to be like that ?
i can only imagine that the bottom hinge is way off hence the bottom alignment. Its a while since i did mine, but is the side to side adjustment in the door behind that card, but the vertical adjustment on the hinge ?
Is it a re skinned door ? or original ??
The only other suggestion i have would be to re-position the flat section which goes onto the door, but that might mean some surgery. I was wondering if this has been pushed in affecting the alignment.
Others with more knowledge will be along shortly.
P Bentley

How is the fit at the A post? Is it also out at the bottom?

Has it had replacement rubber seals fitted. The correct midget ones are around 2/3rfs the section of most other cars that use that type and often the wrong oversized ones get used which force the door out. But that is quite a lot!

In - out adjustment is by moving the hinge attachment to the A post, not from inside the door, which does for and aft adjusts.
GuyW

The front of the door is not too bad , it has had a racing life so could have been knocked about but not obviously. There are rubber door seals but they are not giving any resistance and the door shuts the same if removed . I suspect it has been reskinned st some point


Mike Fairclough

I have seen quite a few doors like that. I don't know what causes it, possibly reskinning.

I think the factory used to adjust the fit by jamming pieces of wood in to 'adjust' the hinges.
Dave O'Neill 2

If 3 corners are ok (two front and top rear) then the door itself is twisted, and its not something that can be adjusted by the hinges. As Dave says, they did a lot of "adjustment" in the factory by slamming the doors against variously positioned blocks of wood. Skillfuly, of course! You could try placing a block of wood against the door pillar at the top rear to hold it open and pushing hard inwards on the lower corner to twist it back into shape.

When skinning, the edge of the skin is folded and crimped over the frame so doesn't grip it that tightly. I added some tack welds to the bottom corners of mine once they were adjusted to fit. But I don't know if they had weld there from the factory , although there was some braise at the top rear corner.
GuyW

If it was once a race car id bet reskinning is the most obvious guess

I had my passanger door reskinned when i got rhe car but it didnt look remotely as bad as yours does ...i just had to press agianst it with alot of weight to finish formimg it to look good, but its not perfect

Anotjer thought... look next to the triangle glqss is there any stress tears in the doors corner by said glass that can have an issue of door alignment as the sagging makes the door cards foul in the jamb and forces the door out a bit in places

If is reskinned it might be worth while to buy a good shape complete 2nd hand door with everything on it, tape and paper it off and just repaint it to match your car, hang it and be done with it...thats how id do it if ever inyour shoes, been there done that, and dont realish earning a 2nd t shirt

Use your existimg as parts or sell it forward wiith the knowledge you have of it

Prop

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1 Paper

Similar to what Guy said, I have done a lot of adjustment to the doors a wrecked Volvo wagon I used to have just by hand/foot. Grab a hold of it with your hands, then with tennis or soft shoes on, push with your feet and give it a twist.

I have also squared them in the door frame by vigorously lifting them while open. I think that worked by bending the point where the hinge bolted to the door.

I am reasonably sure that a Sprite door will respond even easier than a Volvo.

Charley
C R Huff

But Prop makes a good point about the door card. The door should be closing so that the rubber seal contacts a lip of the steel door, not against the trim card. If it's shutting onto the trim card then it needs repositioning - there should be a clear lip of painted metal showing.

Shutting against the door card has the same effect as use of an oversized door seal - or you may have both problems. With the closed door held in position by the hinges and with the latch being nearer to the top of the door, it's the bottom corner which gets forced out.
GuyW


Mike:

I have the same issue and regret NOT making the adjustment before I painted the car. Take your time and make it right.

I did replace the lower hinge section with a Moss repair piece including the hinge section but rushed the process. Now it still catches my eye - the good news is that it is on the passenger side.

I would suggest you investigate moving one or more hinge positions if possible. It's going to be a 3D adjustment solution but should be a rewarding project.

Go to it and post a final result picture.

Mike P
Buffalo, NY
USA
>>>
Mike Pelone

This thread was discussed between 01/08/2017 and 02/08/2017

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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