true confessions (1 Viewer)

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I thought I'd give everyone the chance to have a good laugh at my expense and then maybe get a little advice along the way.

When I bought my 60 last October it was the largest vehicle I had owned since I sold my very first car ever (a '69 vw transporter van) and the new dimensions caught me off gaurd a couple of times. Once I wedged my canoe to the top to the garage door carrying it on the yakima bars as I used to on my volvo station wagon(yeh, its a little taller than a volvo....) another time I snagged my mountain bikes on the on the same opening. The worst, and subject of this post was when I backed the truck up the driveway into the garage and didn't have the driver door closed entirely. The resulting snag bent the drivers side door back on its hinges so that it no longer closes tightly and the door itself creaks against the front fender whenever I open it. The odd thing is, it looks as if the P.O. did the same thing on the left passenger door. It has the same exact crease near the hinges, in the same pattern and proportions. He gave me a story about a tree branch hitting it. He was probably too embarrased to admit he nearly ripped his door off on something as I did.

The question is: what is the best way to get the door to be flush again so that they open and close properly and the rubber seals are tight against water and air draft?

Enjoy a good laugh before you respond. The day this happened was shortly after I had gotten it back from having a mechanic "repair" the heater core with the result of antifreeze dripping from under the dash board in copious amounts onto the floor mats as well as unattached wires hanging from beneath, bits of broken plastic connector on the floor, cracked steering housing etc. At the moment I nearly tore the door off antifreeze was dripping everywhere, something like green steam was rising from the motor compartment and I could only stand aghast. My son reports he found me banging my head against the carport door with the vehicle next to me door a'dangling, green steam and all.

In retrospect, having seriously bonded with my cruiser in the meantime, I consider all of this and other subsequent challenges to be part of the test of commitment needed to see something like this through.

bh
 
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that's a good story and I apologize for laughing at your expense....

not that you want to hear it, but from the sounds of it, it looks like it's going to get a bit more expensive. my 2¢ is that you are going to have to replace the doors and hinges but if the doors are not bent, perhaps just the hinges. too hard to make a good call without pics....

good luck,
-dogboy- '87 FJ60
 
I had a reputable shop do the 5.7 Vortec/4L60E conversion in my '84, but they didn't wire the park/neutral lockout switch on the B&M shifter. They "forgot" to connect the indicator light, too, so I had the whole thing apart to do that & was checking the backup lights when I accidentally started it in Nuetral with me outside the truck, with both driver side doors & the rear hatch & gate open.

I froze with the truck backing up in my finished basement garage & it bent the rear driver door forward & twisted the post (& dented the tailgate). Cost the shop (insurance) over $2,500 to have it fixed right. I'd used an air hammer to get bent it back far enough to get the door closed, which didn't help.

You might "borrow" a straight door to see if that's all you need. Something like 6-8 bolts to remove. Be careful you don't drop the backing plates (may take an assistant & some fancy maneuvering). If that works you can probably find a pair on a rig being parted out for not too much.
 
I did the same thing with my old Ford truck some years ago except it was backing out of my parent driveway and it was the pass door. It folded the door back even with the front fender.

I replaced the door but it still didn't shut right and I had a body shop pull the A pillar back into shape. Hopefully you won't need to do this!
 
I can picture the movie Tommy Boy!!!! Whatcha dooooo!
 
no worries i once was not paying any attention and put my brake pads on backwards...


smart o so smart
 

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