Advice needed from an expert

Bugsntinas said:

Can’t go any further until I get advice. This. A pillar is turning into a right pain in the bum to sort out. I thought I had the extra gap sorted out when I added another piece to the repair panel but when I attached the alignment tool it was off but 1cm so today I jacked the body up from the centre tunnel to get the tool to line up the hinges. As you can see there is now a gap of about 1cm that needs to be filled but now at the bulkhead there is also a 1cm gap. I do know whether I’m being thick or not but something don’t look right to me

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Bada Ben said:

Are you sure that door hinge alignment tool is the correct distance between the hinges ? Check it against the actual door.
Also, it looks like the tool is fitted upside down, the angles of the parts which replicate the hinges look wrong.
I would fasten the front bulkhead to the heater channel, either by welding or temporarily with 'L' brackets and TEK screws.
Do not lift the body by the door gap brace, I think this may be warping the bodyshell, instead, use a pole to lift at the top of the door opening/roofline.

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Bugsntinas said:

The tool is homemade and matches perfectly with the door hinges and bolts. Isn’t upside down as the holes are different top and bottom. I have lifted the body by places some wood under the dashboard and a trolley jack on the tunnel so it is being lifted straight up. At the moment the channel is bolted to pan

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Bada Ben said:

Your lifting technique is forcing the bulkhead up and away from the heater channel at the very front end, because the Heater channel is bolted to the floor.
Fasten the bulkhead to the Heater channel, because you know this dimension is correct.
Then put the jack on the heater channel, with a pole to the roofline to gently increase the height of the door opening at the A pillar until the hinge mountings are aligned with the tool.

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Bugsntinas said:

Ah I got ya. I saw someone on YouTube lifting that way and assumed it would be ok.
It may be that the whole side of the car has sagged as the rear quarters have been “repaired” as well and not attached when I got her.
I’ll try your suggestion tomorrow

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Bada Ben said:

If the door fitted OK before you started, it may have sagged when you removed the bottom of the A pillar, so that is the area you need to concentrate on and keep everything else in the same place as it was.
Trolley jack under the centre of the dash is lifting the whole bodyshell, you only need to slightly adjust the door opening, so apply the force directly to that area, it won't need much force, a small scissor jack and a length of wood should be enough to bring the hinge plates into alignment with your tool.

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