Mustang door alignment. 1968 Mustang. Jade part 38 

I worked at a local Ford dealer in the early 70's. My job was new car prep and one of the often needed adjustments was the doors. The trick we used was a 3/4 inch dia brass bar and a 3 pound hammer. We would loosen the hinge bolts and use the hammer and bar to knock the hinges and striker to make the doors fit better. This actually works very well with a little practice. The latch striker really has to be in position first, then match the door to the striker. So we would adjust the striker up or down in or out so it matched the fender. Then adjust the door to match the striker so you get a nice click/clunk when the door shuts. No up or down movement and not in or out too far. just clunk and closed. With the bolts snugged just right the movement is very easy to control. Hope this helps. By the was some cars came from the factory and the doors would not even latch closed. S if you really want to be original don't be too fussy.

Great video and some equally great comments from viewers that have tackled door alignment in the past. Thanks to all for the timely information.

Your videos are excellent. You explain everything in sufficient detail even for a layman like me. The quality of your work is superb. Thank you. joe

Thank you so much for making this video. - Door aligments could be a "nightmare" but with this video it will work out. - Thank you so very much for sharing.

I know where to come when it comes to these classic Mustangs...Jo Daddy's Garage. I'm working on a 66 and your knowledge have helped greatly.

Your videos are great. Working on a 66 Mustang and your step by step explanation have been great.

Tape a 1/4" thick piece of PVC or plastic anything that is 1/4" on the top of rocker panel. The door sits on that for a much quicker starting point.

Very helpful video. I drilled two 1/8" alignment holes through the hinges, while they were still on the car and with the front fender still on. Then, I unbolted the hinges from the car and removed the driver's door with the hinges still bolted on to the door. Drilled two alignment holes in the door part of the hinges. I then rebuilt the hinges, painted them and installed them on the car first, then I bolted the door to the hinges. This lengthy and complicated process worked great in theory. But someone must have attempted to adjust the door before me or it was just done to the "close enough" specs at the factory. Not drilling any alignment holes through hinges again.

Very helpful video. I've been struggling with getting my doors aligned, but I've had the glass in the door, making it super heavy - especially by myself. Time to get that glass out and try again.

Nice video Barry. Thanks for spreading your knowledge!

Thank you for all your hard work that was very imformative.

Great tip learning everyday...thanks.

good video, two suggestions, would have helped showing a scenario where the door corner sticks out or in and can be adjusted, also i recommend using just a simple clicket with a socket because you can loose the bolt just a bit in a controlled manner, with power tools you can't control that

I know it's not likely something you'd come across on the cars you build (mostly Mustangs) but I'd love to see how to adjust gaps on vehicles with weld on hinges. I watch a lot of channels where people build cars, and no one ever seems to cover it. I have an '89 S10 pickup I'm doing, and I wasn't the first one to get to it. lol.

Ty. Great info

I don't understand why you had to take the hinges off since the next thing you did was to put them back on. Was it to show us how to do everything from scratch? In that case, I'm really in awe! Imagine to do something for the full benefit of everyone BUT yourself!

Hi Jo, very nice job ! I was wondering where did you find these rims ?After a long search, I didn't find them. Thanks for you help :)

Great video, very detailed! I am working on aligning my door and running into an issue. Gaps are perfect, height is good, but the rear lower corner is sticking out about 1/4" and i just can't seem to figure out how to adjust to get this where it needs to be, any suggestions?

Would it work to tape paint sticks to the rocker panel and the b pillar, so you have guides to set the door up against before tightening the bolts or will that not work?

I have to do this on a 95 Thunderbird, with the fender on. Not looking forward to it...

Skip to the 8:45 mark

My first idea is to create some kind of rubber guide that would help me preset the front bottom and rear door gaps. Is this a valid idea?

My big question is, do you make some sort of mark to know where it sits? Or do you simply leave the doors on when you do the final spray for paint? Or do you pull the doors off for paint and then just have to fit them again?

Are those Cragar rims? I had the same ones (at least they look the same from what I can remember) on my 1966 Ford Mercury Comet Capri in the mid 80's.

How do you replace the trim on the front window?

I was able to adjust the drivers door on my 67 Cougar to fit very well, but the passenger door is giving me fits. Any thoughts on how to pull the rear corner of the door in more than the adjustments seem to allow? No evidence of damage to the door or car on the passenger side...

The only problem I'm having with my doors is the bottom back corner is sticking out past the rocker panel. The front of the door is fine with the rocker panel. I loosened the bolts that go into the door and got it to come in some but it's still sticking out pretty good. Any ideas for me?

Will you take this back off to paint the A pillar?

hi barry door are hard to get rite .well dun