Door Closing Gap

[marc hildebrant]

Group,

On my 1931 Tudor Deluxe, both doors have a simlar "look" to them. I'm not sure if it's O.K.

When both doors are closed, the door from the door handle up to the top fits snug to the frame. From the door handle down to the bottom, both have a gap that increases from none at the handle to about 3/4 inch at the bottom.

Is this normal ?

Marc

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Group,

On my 1931 Tudor Deluxe, both doors have a simlar "look" to them. I'm not sure if it's O.K.

When both doors are closed, the door from the door handle up to the top fits snug to the frame. From the door handle down to the bottom, both have a gap that increases from none at the handle to about 3/4 inch at the bottom.

Is this normal ?

Marc

Is this Normal?? YES
The way they were originally? Most likely NOT.

.

 

[marc hildebrant]

Brent,

Curious....why is this normal ? And, can it be fixed ?

Marc

 

[Craig Lewis]

Brent has the experiance to give you a more detailed answer, but, in a nutshell, as things age the inner structure deteriorates.
I suspect with your Model A the wood has changed shaped over many years...some warpage, loose joints, hardening and softening with heat & moisture exposure together with everything settling into a "more comfortable position". This more comfortable position is quite likely no longer the shape of the body and I suspect the posts and body tin are buckling outwards in the centre near the door striker.
Since the door is only afixed at the centre striker, that portion of the door stays with the body yet the unsecured door bottom retains it's normal shape as the body bulges outwards in the centre.
A similiar effect is seen in humans beings as the inner bone structure changes......apparently this is accelerated by beer
For a shorter term example, check the "waistline" on a fresh pumkin....then again after it rests on your porch for a month or two.
If your wood has been recently replaced already, then you have some adjustment and shimming to do.
The aid of someone experianced in this area would be invaluable at this point.

 

[29RPU]

Normal because it is probably how most model a's are after 80 years if the wood hasn't been replaced and the body hasn't been tuned up. Not like it was originally, meaning not as it left the factory.

Essentially this means the cowl section has tilted back slightly, or the back half of the body has tilted forward or both slightly. I'm not familiar with the body to frame mounting hardware, but you might find that there are some worn out body mount blocks under there.

Also, I wonder if the door hinges are all healthy. Do the doors drop along the top near the back (opening) (closer to the roof near the hinge side than the handle side? My Phaeton has a sagging door and it is a lower hinge mounting hardware that needs tightened.

 

[BruceUpstate NY]

I'd say that if the door mouldings at the latch area are the same height as the quarter moldings that the body sides in the striker area are out too far and need to be drawn inward. Could be a challenge there.