1956 Door fitment & adjustment

[scott56]

My drivers door seems to sit low. The body line lines up perfectly. Anyone have any suggestions? First photo is of passenger side second is drivers

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[55birdman]

I started to suggest adjustments and door post rust issues but if the body lines are good I suppose that something else is going on.
Previous bodywork or repairs or the door being replaced at some point?
I know I have spent countless hours trying to get mine right. Let’s hope someone with more knowledge will chime in.

 

[scott56]

I started to suggest adjustments and door post rust issues but if the body lines are good I suppose that something else is going on.
Previous bodywork or repairs or the door being replaced at some point?
I know I have spent countless hours trying to get mine right. Let’s hope someone with more knowledge will chime in.

Hinges have been rebuilt lower skin was done but this top corner is being my thorn. I'm wonder could it be a different year door? There was damage to the area between the deck lid and top but it wasn't near the corner.

 

[55birdman]

Hinges have been rebuilt lower skin was done but this top corner is being my thorn. I'm wonder could it be a different year door? There was damage to the area between the deck lid and top but it wasn't near the corner.

Im sure one of my doors had been replaced or was mismatched from the factory. My car came from the second owner who was aware of the car's earlier history and seemed sure that it had never been wrecked yet i found evidence of damage in several places.
I "think" that all doors 55-57 are interchangeable but i know the tolerences on these old birds were pretty loose compared to modern cars.
Not sure your options - add metal to the top of the door??
You might contact Hill's or one of the restoratioin shops for advice.

 

[jack-in-sac]

Im sure one of my doors had been replaced or was mismatched from the factory. My car came from the second owner who was aware of the car's earlier history and seemed sure that it had never been wrecked yet i found evidence of damage in several places.
I "think" that all doors 55-57 are interchangeable but i know the tolerences on these old birds were pretty loose compared to modern cars.
Not sure your options - add metal to the top of the door??
You might contact Hill's or one of the restoratioin shops for advice.

Although the doors of all three years use the same seals the '57 door will look out of place on your '55 or '56. Please view comparitive pictures of the different model years.

 

[4VE]

Here are a couple of photos of your potential solution. The Hinges can be adjusted but that is not the whole mechanical picture. It is hard to see the wear on the striker because the teeth are at the bottom. I was having a hard time getting the door to latch (only 35,000 orig miles) and it was a trick to engage it by lifting slightly on the door. After installing the interior panel the weight increased. There is already a new motor for the window which makes the door much heavier. Always keep the hinges lubed but most importantly, the striker wears out. Hills and Larry's have 2 piece kits to replace the teeth only but that requires a new latch mechanism too. (you really want to tear into the door?). Thunderbird HQ in Concord CA has the original design cast in China for a few bux. I also found replacement stainless socket head screws to replace the chumed out phillips heads on Amazon. They were the only offering in stainless, with this thread x length x diam that I could find. I have extra and can mail 3 of them to you if you want. The lock washers can be flat and will deform when screwed down. They don't seem to be removable from the original screws. Notice the wear on the teeth. The striker is a much softer alloy and it is probably done that way to save the latch teeth by sacrificing the striker which is easier to replace. You should be able to zoom in to see the invoice and screw package package identification info. (The plate is a replica of the original that Brett signed).