Dumb '32 Question. . .

The driver's side door of my 5 window wasn't closing properly. Took a good firm "slam" the get it to close all the way. I started poking around and noticed the screws to the female dovetail were loose. Tried tightening them up, but no joy. I grabbed the screws with my fingers and they pulled right out. I looked in the holes and they are stripped smooth. Now here's the odd thing. The screws are machine screws, but they were screwed directly into the original wood frame. Are there supposed to be inserts or clips in there somewhere, or should the dovetails be held in with wood screws?

 

i've seen caged nuts and or plates that are drilled and tapped. remove upholstery if you can't find them just use nuts.

 

I know I did some wood repairs around the house by drilling out the wood and then inserting wooden dowels that were glued in and taped into place. Once the glue dried I was able to redrill the holes. Just a thought but use proper wood glue not general purpose stuff?
If machine screws are in yours, it sounds like the caged nuts are missing, the threads are stripped or the wrong screws were used? Proper tapered woodscrews may work?

 

Here are some pics. . .

 

Ford had a type of NUT SERT in those places. Available at most Ford reproduction places.

I even bought some at the Model A store close to my home ...

 

Thanks Deuce. I was poking around on some sites and could find the dovetails with the machine screws, but nothing about any "nut sert".

 

Am I looking for something like this: http://macsautoparts.com/early-v8-t...ge-zinc-ntnut20/camid/F30/cp/JS0R3CHL1129967/

 

I think what you might be looking for is this...

http://www.ezlok.com/InsertsWood/index.html

 

Maybe, but the car has the original wood (as far as I know) and the machine screws were screwed directly into it. Hell, even the ones I posted probably aren't the correct inserts.

 

Run a tap in the holes and see if you hit metal.

 

My 'original' 32 uses wood screws. Their is no adjustment to to dovetails at that point. I would make some wood dowels and glue them in and then use the screws. The screws look to be about an 1 1/4 long number 10 flat ovalhead. The machine screws are not right.

 

This won't work unless you could install from the back side. Plus it's 1/4-20.

 

These would work-very well.

 

Check the overall door alignment. If the gaps are off you need to do some shimming of the body or cowl and get it right. The loose catches are telling you that constant slamming is a problem.

 

There is 'no' adjustment on the door dovetails on a 32 tudor which I beleive is the same as a five window. They are held on with #12 wood screws into wood. Why bother with the inserts when you can jist fill the holes with a glued in dowl. The hinges are the key to aligning tudor doors and I am sure this is true for a 5 window also. Note the striker plates are adjustable but not the dovtails.

 

That's what I was thinking, that they are supposed to be wood screws. It's odd though that all the dovetails I've found online come with machine screws.

Thanks aaggie. I had a look and it appears the the top front of the door is rubbing on the frame. Now I need to figure out how to fix that. . .

 

I was planning on filling the holes and going with the proper sized wood screw.. An old trick I heard of was mixing wood glue with sawdust to make a thick paste to fill the holes. How would I go about "adjusting" the hinges?

 

I thought that wood piece in the pillar is real thick. I am thinking a much longer wood screw should work.

 

I would just fit some dowels and glue them in. Then drill a pilot hole and the screw as it is tapered will also tend to lock the dowl in as it is screwed in. As for the machine screws I am working on a 33 Tudor and it uses the same dovetails but they use the machine screws. There are lots of ways to adjust some are a block of wood strategically placed and then shut the door, 2.removing the door from the car and then the hinge pin and heating the door part and bending after it is removed and then reinstalling door and so on and many more ....

 

Just as easy as that? How about bending the offending hinge with a pair if vise grips?

 

They are about a 1/4 inch thick and I dont think vise grips would do it. If it fit okay previously. I woukd take some time and study the door and frame. Maybo the striker need adjustment. Be patient and exam it and come up with a plan, Lift push shut and see what happens.

 

I agree on that.


To try to find out what is wrong with the door fit; I would leave the dovetail off to test the fit. Then hold the door handle in the open position, then slowly close the door to see if the door fits the opening. If the door is drooped down, check for hinge pin wear by lifting the door. If the pins are good, then you will need to do some bending.

 

Thanks guys. The hinge pins are fine. The door does look to be "tilted' forward at the top as the the top front corner of the door rubs in the frame. With the door closed and looking at the back edge of the door and frame, there is a bit more space at the top than near the bottom. Looks like I'll need to bend that top hinge back just a tiny bit.