Normal Progress is Restored.

Sometimes a good nights sleep is all you need to sort the problems that you had.

Although the replacement doors wouldn't fit as they were, I decided to strip the door skins, and see if they could be made to fit the hole. Without the skin they are a lot more flexible, and with some persuasion, (big hammer) success on the passenger rear door.

Although this frame is in good condition there is a small rust hole visible, so I repaired this by letting in a patch cut from the old door

So on to fitting the Stanpart door skin, and here it is done.The skin is only welded to the door where it meets the window channels, the rest of it is simply secured by folding the metal lip on the skin round the door frame flange. I use a special (but cheap) tool for this job, a bit like a mole grip, but with a 30mm plastic jaw on the skin side, and a 10mm jaw on the flange side, which simply folds and compresses the skin round the flange.

Now the nervous bit, will the door still fit ?

Almost perfect, opens and shuts nicely and good gaps, so emboldened by this success, I had a go at the primrose door to fit the drivers door. A big heavy rubber mallet is a wonderful tool! I got this to fit too

And now new skin fitted (its got a little surface rust, but NOS Stanpart door skins are hard to find, particularly driver's side, I think I found this in Dover)

Another good result, even the front edge / wing fit is good

Thats it for today, time for a barbeque and some wine.

509 hours - 6 hours worked today.