Tabco rocker panel gap help

[Jughead]

@Strat067:  I trial fit my Tabco Rocker panel this weekend and I seem to have the same issue. Crap.

What did you end up doing on your car?  Did you modify the Tabco panel, or use bondo, or both?  If you modified the Tabco panel, where did you cut where did you add metal?  I need a plan and I'm fresh out of ideas!  Somehow the "A" edge (see drawing below) needs to extend outward another ~ 5/16".  (Thanks in advance.)

For the record:  I bought my panel directly from Tabco in the fall of 2018.  They assured me on the phone that they’d “...been selling them for many years and never had any issues…”  Yeah, Right.

Edited February 25, 2019 by Jughead
added pictures

[Patcon]

In the last picture, the front lower edge of the door doesn't line up with the fender and the door looks to line up better with the rocker halfway back. How bad is the door off from the rocker half way back?

[Jughead]

@Strat067: Did you end up modifying your tabco rocker panel?  Any lessons learned or advice on how to deal with the gap between the lower edge of the door and the rocker?  Anyone?

Tabco and Motorsport both say they sell hundreds of them a year and they never get complaints on the replacement rocker panels,  I'm trying to reconcile that with the comments in this forum that say that the panels don't fit. 

At this point I honestly don't know what/who to believe. Any help/insight appreciated!

(Patcon:  The gap between the door bottom and the rocker is consistent from the front of the door to the back.   And you're right - the fender-door  gap needs to be adjusted too.)

[grannyknot]

Jughead,

I took a couple of pics of my car, just getting to ready to paint. Your lower hinge on the D/S door looks like it is standing off from the A pillar, could there be a shim in there or is it just a trick of the shadows?  Try and get that lower hinge to sit flat against the A pillar.

You can see my door dosen't line up perfectly with the rocker but it does line up perfectly with the front fender and all of it looks good when assembled.

 

[Jughead]

@grannyknot: Thanks for the reply!

The gap under your door looks identical to mine.   IS that normal?  Is the rocker panel in your pic original or a tabco part?  

The reason I believe I have an issue is that the door gap on the passenger side is about 1/2 of that on the driver side.  (I haven't worked on the passenger side yet.)

P.S.  The lower hinge in my picture has a sharpie mark around the base which looks like  shadow.  It does sit flat against the A Pillar.

[grannyknot]

I'm pretty sure the rocker is original, if it was replaced I can't tell.

So here is your last option before cutting in to your rocker,  one side of the hinge allows adjustment, the side attached to the door does not.  As long as you car isn't Concourse you can try this method, remove the hinges and grind out some metal around the holes for the door side,  that is drill out those holes slightly  larger so as to allow you adjust on both sides of the hinge.  Now I can hear some people grinding their teeth because you're not suppose but hey it works if you're in a pinch.

Edited April 24, 2019 by grannyknot

[Jughead]

 I just looked at your cars.  If that gap is good enough for you, it's good enough for me.  Are your gap pics from a new project?

[grannyknot]

7 hours ago, Jughead said:

If that gap is good enough for you, it's good enough for me.

Danger, Danger Will Robinson!  I take no responsibility for my poor judgement.

The pics I posted above are from a new project, a 77/280z  but I would be willing to bet if you drilled out just the lower hinge holes you would have enough room to tuck the bottom of the door in that little bit you need.  Just so you know, body shops do this sort of thing all the time.

[siteunseen]

Will's danger. 

[Jughead]

Hmm...interesting.  Thanks.  I'll keep this option in mind during final assembly.  

[Jughead]

I wonder how much metal I'd have to grind off to see a difference.

[grannyknot]

1 hour ago, Jughead said:

I wonder how much metal I'd have to grind off to see a difference.

Your gap looks like about a 1/4" so adding 1/4" horizontal slot to the bolt holes would buy you enough room but then you also have to start thinking about the thickness of the door seal and if there is still enough room for it.