Door Adjustment

[dsnyder]

My driver's side door is sagging a little bit. What is the procedure to adjust it? Is it a sign of other problems?

Dave

[mbouse]

absolutely a sign of a common but fairly serious issue... cracking of the hinge mount.

you need to make friends with a quality professional welder:
http://flumichigan.italiancarclub.com/T ... repair.pdf

[manoa matt]

Do you have the door alignment lugs? There should be a black triangular plastic piece on the rear edge of the door. The screws have a little play and you can adjust the lug so when the door is closed it slides up into the correct position.

[racydave]

Some Fiats can develope a tear on the door at the upper hinge like Mikes car. My 79 was OK. That will cause the door to sag. Sometimes the repair is just as simple as loostening the upper hinge at the body and lifting the door. This takes two people, with the hinge loose, open the door slightly, pull up while opening enough to tighten the hinge. Now the triangle plate at the latch side may need to be adjusted up. The triangles wear out, but replacments are available. Mike gave me some old ones, but the condition ( age ) of the plastic made them break. Another factor is the angle of the windshield to the door. Watch the gap between the front of the door and the fender as contact will chip the paint.

[mbouse]

if it is used triangle parts (alignment tabs) that you seek, i can come up with a pair to spare.

[dsnyder]

The triangle is not there at all. The main problem appears to be that the door lock assembly is very loose. I tightened up the screws holding it in and it seems much better. I'll email you about a driver's side triangle Mike.

Of course there is wonder in my head on why the previous owner removed the triangle... was it to hide some other problem? I guess I will find out.

If the door did have the cracking issue, are the cracks visible around the hinge or are they under the door skin?

Thanks for all the help.

[manoa matt]

If your door rattles around even when closed and locked, replace the weatherstripping. The three screws that hold the latch assembily often come loose, they originally had conical shaped toothed lock washers, you can try some threadlocker or a dab of your wife's fingernail polish.

[punes]

I have come up with a cheap replacement for the black alignment blocks. Mine cracked but I pieced them together to make a template to manufacture new ones to size.
I used a nice shiney new hockey puck, outlined the shape and cut it out. This was actually my neighbours idea, but its on my car...sooo...there you go. Not OEM but darn tough.

79 Fiat Spider

[maytag]

I used a nice shiney new hockey puck, .....

79 Fiat Spider

Only in Canada!

[mbouse]

I used a nice shiney new hockey puck, .....

79 Fiat Spider

Only in Canada!

you beat me to it. i was gonna say the EXACT same thing.

[punes]

Well we have many pucks, although we did lose the Junior Championship to our American neighbours.
I am sure you'll be able to find some.
Good Luck with it.
I am going to try and post pics in the intro section above of my car which I never have done before. 79 Spider

[baltobernie]

Of course there is wonder in my head on why the previous owner removed the triangle... was it to hide some other problem?

Perhaps. Sometimes the door is so far out of alignment that the block causes the door to stick upon opening or closing. So a PO removes it. Usually, however, the plastic disintegrates over time, and since they're not available at NAPA, the PO ignores it. Mine were gone, with only the mounting screws surviving.

Door cracks are visible; seen as originating under the upper hinge and radiating outward.