Body / Glass: Avanti door alignment

[Springstreet]

Can anyone tell me how to align an Avanti door? My new weatherstripping won't allow the doors to close properly and my attempts at strike and hinge adjustment are just making things worse. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[bezhawk]

Make sure you got the SOFT weatherstrip. There was a time where replacement weather stripping was so hard that no amount of adjusting would work. That being said, the main adjustments are at the hinges where they bolt inside the pocket. The bolts visible at the jamb do hardly anything. The reason being is the pivot point of the hinge is much closer to the inside pocket bolts. Avanti II guys have it easier, as the hinge holes were slotted. Earlier cars were not. Sometimes you have to make shims.

[Mike Sal]

I will not be happy when the day comes I have to replace the rubber on mine....currently both doors close with one finger & sound like a vault door (a fiberglass one).
Mike Sal
70 Avanti II built in '69

[sweetolbob]

Just me but the first thing to check is will the doors align with the weatherstrip installed? Remove the striker in the jam, close the door and loosen the bolts holding the hinges to the door. Can you set the gaps correctly? If so, shim the doors with cardboard or shims of your choice and remove the hinge bolts from the doors. Use lengths of straight 1X longer than the door opening and tape it to the fenders and body behind the doors about 1/4 down from the top and a 1/4 up from the bottom. Adjust the door in/out to align it with the 1X and tape in place. If the door won't align then it's warped.

Now set the hinges parallel to the mounting surface and measure the gap. Add shims to set the gap and tighten the bolts. Door should be where you want it. Remove all the shims etc. and reinstall the striker on the jam. Adjust to fit.

I've used this method on doors from 39 Fords to 54K's to both of my Avanti's with excellent success.

Bob

[Xcalibur]

I too have had hardened Avanti weatherstrip that proved to be unusable. I had some come that way "new" and ended up putting my old back on at the time because nothing else was available. I hope things are better now! All the best.

[TWChamp]

There's an outfit in the Twin Cities called "Metro Rubber" that makes and sells many different rubber parts for cars.
Might try them for new soft rubber door gaskets.