89 Mustang Gt Door Gap

[stang8384]

Hello,

I've had my car for a year now and always had a slight leak from the drivers door when getting my car washed. I assumed it was just the weatherstripping needed to be replaced.

Upon further inspection, there is a gap on my driver door between the top of the door to the A pillar. When the door is closed, the top of the door only covers about half of the weatherstripping which is preventing the door from getting a full seal. The door molding lines up with the fender molding. No accidents reported by previous owner.

I did the sag test and everything appears tight and solid. I don't seem to get any play as the door moves with the entire car if I lift it up and down. The passenger side doesn't have this issue. What options do I have to fix this?

If I adjust the hinges, it will throw off the molding alignment. I will post pictures shortly.

Thanks

Scott

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Adjust the window.

I assume the door looks completely aligned to the quarter and fender.

We have older cars and sometimes things sag. You might need to get new window guide bushings while you have the door apart. It's a good chance for you to go in and lube things while you're there.

 

[stang8384]

I'm confused on how adjusting the window will fix the gap. Pics attached are of the driver and passenger door gaps

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Your talking door gap, sorry. I have two t-tops. My doors don't have window frames.

That is a small adjustment to be made. Would you mind showing a picture of the whole door please?

 

[General karthief]

When you take pics of the door get close and take several, he needs to see the gaps at the bottom corner at the rear showing the door line along the rear quarter and along the bottom of the door

 

[stang8384]

Well I adjusted the door striker and moved it up. Door to quarter panel lines match up better and closed the gap to the top of the pillar. Now hopefully it will fix the leak! Thanks everyone

 

[General karthief]

Ok but did that fix the door?
You could have bad hinge pins/busings but you checked that, I reread your post.
Make sure the striker is hitting the latch squarely and not the top of the opening for the striker, you should be able to close the door without the door moving up.

 

[stang8384]

From what I can tell the striker lines up with the latch and no leaks after washing the car!

I've also had issues with the trunk hatch not lining up with the striker and being a pain to close. So I tried to adjust the hatch striker but I wasn't as lucky as I was with the door adjustment. It doesn't want to cooperate.

There are rub marks in the paint on the lower left hand side of the hatch so something isn't lining up properly.

 

[General karthief]

The hatch has a plastic bushing that rides on the striker that the latch itself grabs to, most hatch lids are hard to close mostly because that plastic thingy is gone, fox mustangs didn't seem to be job one for ford

 

[stang8384]

Well fortunately.. or unfortunately the bushing is there. Looks a little worn but it's still intact

 

[General karthief]

Thats not bad, check your gaps, look at the latch to see if it's rubbing against the base of the striker, if the gaps look good and the sriker don't rub you just have to adjust the latch on the hatch just a tic.
Try cleaning the latch with wd40 and lube it a little with some white grease.

 

[stang8384]

Well between replacing the Striker bushing, soaking the latch with wd40 and adjusting the striker, it appears that may have fixed my problem. Another issue fixed! Thanks for all of your help!

 

[General karthief]

Another satified customer,
Now about that blower install