Door Adjustment

You might want to Google "car (or automobile) door adjustment" and read some of the references that inevitably will pop up.  Someone with more experience than me will probably chime in here. 

Sounds to me like your door has the typical AMX/Javelin twist to it. It's usually caused by closing the door with the window open. When ever anyone closes the door with the window open they grab the top of the door and slam which eventually causes the door to twist. The leading edge of the door will line up nicely but the trailing edge will be tight at the top and slightly open at the bottom. There is a special tool that you can buy that will twist the door back into shape but you can use a 2 X 4 or a piece of pipe and a chain to get the effect. I made a tool that has a 3' chain and a plate on the end with a 4' pipe with another plate attached to the end of the pipe. The way it works is to insert the plate (attached to the chain) inside the lower back corner of the door (with the door panel off) and attach it to the bar or 2 X 4 and put the bar or 2X4 up against the inside of the door towards the top. Now gently lift the bar or 2X4. This will twist the door back. Take your time and check the progress as to not twist it back too far. It is pretty easy and woorks very well.

Thanks for all of your input everyone.
71SC360 your method sounds like the ticket!
I am going to give that a try.

Hinge pins and bushings should be checked and/or replaced before any adjustments.
Funny, I've not seen a used car with that issue that didn't come that way, and I've seen TWO brand-spanking-new fresh from the factory cars with that issue. One so bad you could hear the road noise between the bottom of the door and the car. Sounded like the door was open.
My 68 got the driver door closed that way all the time and never suffered such a fate. And it left the family with over 125,000 miles on it.
Must be the right combination of events and circumstances........
Of course, if you need to "slam" the door, there's a problem there. My 70 doors close and latch with just a nudge, and sound "solid".
So I guess before you try his trick, I'd suggest making sure all is mechanically sound and adjusted otherwise!
I'd love to see a photo of someone making such an adjustment. Even if just a mock-up for demonstration. That's one to write down.
They can be twisted and bent, too! I've seen some weird body panel distortions, some make you ask "how the !#$$ did they do THAT?!"
I saw one door that was bowed out at the bottom, like it had been closed with a 4x4 in the door. That was also a factory deal! It was even at the front and back, but you could stick your hand up under the door in the middle. It was shipped that way, and was an AMC......


Edited by billd - Aug/19/2007 at 11:18pm

Yes, mine had only 25,000 miles and we replaced the pins and bushings, there was visible wear!
The strikers are perfect. The painter said he had the doors adjusted as good as they'd go, but the driver door nearly touched at the bottom, so I spent another 15 minutes and now it lines up as perfectly as any AMC I've ever seen. And both close like a new car. But I adjusted everything, every angle and took a lot of time to make sure the doors fit well.

Now if I could only get the windows to work that well!