NOW FIXED: Got a bent door. Help?

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FJ Corey

FJ Corey

Joined
Sep 25, 2019
Threads
14
Messages
74
Location
Northern CA
Website
www.mckinneygrp.com
2 years ago I bought a hardtop from a great local FJ40 enthusiast. He very generously gave me 75+ doors with the top for free. He let me know the driver door was bent. I’m finally getting to mocking up the doors prior to paint and I’m trying to figure out how to correct the driver side bent door. It looks to be bent from the base of the bottom of the window to the top of the door. See pics below

The left door (passenger side) looks dead straight. Driver doors is way off. I used a piece of straight wood to show the difference in both doors. See below.

I’m handy and I feel stupidly confident on bending it back with a DIY method with some wood bracing and pressure but I’m scared to ruin a perfectly restored door by creasing the internal portion of the door and having issues with the windows tracts and seals. Tempted to brace it and crank in it but I’d be pissed to ruin this otherwise perfect door.

Any tips from the pros and amateurs?

This isn’t a show car but I’d like it to fit as best as possible especially since the doors are damn near perfect minus this issue.

Left door is straight
IMG_0418.webp


Left side interior
IMG_0429.webp


Here is the right side driver door as a comparison
IMG_0427.webp

IMG_0422.webp

IMG_0420.webp
 
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I'm confused. Isn't the drivers side considered the left side of the vehicle?
1st you need to realize the drivers door is not perfect, it's bent. I'm no body guy, but I'd start by gutting the door or at least remove the glass so you can repair it without damaging other parts. I'd concentrate where the bend or buckled metal is and try to straighten the sheetmetal. If you just put pressure on it to straighten it, it may bend someplace else. Maybe apply some pressure to straighten the door but not enuff to actually bend the door. Then try to straighten the buckled metal to help relieve the pressure. You may have to take the door skin off. Or find a donor door and use some sheetmetal parts of this door to repair questionable areas of the donor or vice versa.
IMG_0427.webp
 
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Drivers side is left when you are sitting in the driving position LHD.

My 72 FST came with a 76 hard top installed by the PO. I think my doors are bent in towards the cab from the base of the window up. Not a lot but enough to make it seal.

You should ask at a local good reputation body shop for how much and how long to fix it doing exactly what?
 
That place where @charliemeyer007 is pointing to is going to give you some trouble. A buckling is effectively causing stretching as well as the folding. If the buckle is highly localized and is in a structural area like this....I'd actually cut it at the buckle with a grinder and make it "weak" at that area. Then press it back into shape with your brace and re-weld. Attempting pure force without weakening it would probably just cause new weird buckles. ... Oh...and all they things Charlie says...remove all hardware, bracing...etc. Weaken it and remove enough stuff that it doesn't require lots of force.

Note.....I am a pure amateur...do not seriously listen to me.
 
wimberosa said:
That place where pb4ugo is pointing to is going to give you some trouble. A buckling is effectively causing stretching as well as the folding. If the buckle is highly localized and is in a structural area like this....I'd actually cut it at the buckle with a grinder and make it "weak" at that area. Then press it back into shape with your brace and re-weld. Attempting pure force without weakening it would probably just cause new weird buckles. ... Oh...and all they things pb4ugo...remove all hardware, bracing...etc. Weaken it and remove enough stuff that it doesn't require lots of force.

Note.....I am a pure amateur...do not seriously listen to me.
Click to expand...

Fixed it for ya!
 
After doing this I decided the best approach was to get a new door, or cut the bent area out in a manner that makes easy patch to weld back in, straighten the cut out part back to shape with hammer work, try bending/prying, strapping the upper fame and window channel back , doubt you will get perfect but close, weld patch back in. I have had luck with a porta power, the scissor tip and block of wood to slowly push the kinked area. You have to use good blocking to spread the load opposite the kink or you will just wreck the outside skin when pushing with porta power. If you can get the kink mostly out, start working those other areas as it gets close to straight it will take working all bent areas a little to get finaled, kinda like torquing a head.
 
It was late and I had had a few beers. Got my left/right mixed up LOL

Just a few clarifications, the doors are already completely stripped of all parts, seals, glass etc. I've never had these doors mounted so I haven't tested how they close, latch etc. These doors have a great paint job on them now, but will be repainted soon, so I'm not worried about messing up the current paint.

I just got all the door internal parts and hinges. I think I'll try to get just the hinges mounted to see how it all lines up. I know it's going to be pretty poor fitment.

I like the grind, tweak and reweld method. Might as well get a body shot quote too. I really want a full set of doors, but I wouldn't mind a nice set of half doors as a last resort.
 
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Try and reverse the damage done - if the buckle was caused backing into a garage with the door open don't try pressing the buckle out, pull it out in the opposite direction to the way it happened. You will have to use pull clamps or weld tabs onto the door.
 
anothernz45 said:
Try and reverse the damage done - if the buckle was caused backing into a garage with the door open don't try pressing the buckle out, pull it out in the opposite direction to the way it happened. You will have to use pull clamps or weld tabs onto the door.
Click to expand...
I was given the bare doors. Not sure how it happened, unfortunately.

I'm going to try to bend it back with a metalworking friend. Will need to over-bend it slightly to keep it from going back. I'll post the progress
 
I say get another door but they are not easy to find. Or really expensive. I once backed up with the door being open and bent it. Once I figured out it happened, I stopped it and moved forward, got off and went around to the otherside and closed the door. And sure enough it had a huge airgap. I bent it myself the opposite direction. It looked good when I got done, cannot tell. But I ain't no body man. So I say install the door and see how it fits and take from there.
 
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Well I think I’ve fixed it. Check out this setup and the results. Blew me away in how well it works.

I’ll put the internals in the door and update on how it all goes back together. Definitely worth it.

Built a door frame jig out of 4x4s and braced the corners
IMG_0464.webp


The door in the jig. It fit snugly around the outer lip of the door with about 1/4” of room on top to allow it to bend flat.
IMG_0465.webp


I used 3/4” all thread and 4x4s to make a clamp on each side that I can control. I also added a 3/4 piece of hardwood mounded the top frame of the door. This will allow the 4x4 clamp to be able to slightly over bend the door so it keeps it shape. I didn’t want to try to just press it flat.
IMG_0469.webp


Here it it is fully clamped on both sides. I took my time slowly cranking down on each nut and could hear the door slowly creaking as the bent area started to flatten out.
IMG_0474.webp


Here is the door after with a level against it.
IMG_0479.webp


I didnt create any major creases, dents, or stretches in the metal using this method. That was my biggest concern.

I wanted to post this so if anyone else out there has a door that has a similar bend to mine that they can correctly it fairly simply. I’m very happy with the results and can’t wait to get these things mounted now!
 
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