Aligning a Series III body

QI’ve stripped my 88-inch Series III down to make some comprehensive weld repairs on the chassis. That’s all done now and I have the engine and transmission in and the axles on.

I’m now fitting the bodywork and having trouble getting the doors to line up and shut correctly. It seems that when I adjust one aspect of the assembly, something else jumps out of line.

Is there a technique you can recommend for getting everything into reasonable alignment, as there is nothing in the workshop manuals? Mel Briggs, Southampton

AThis has never been documented officially but, yes, there is a basic procedure we follow to get this right, though we all have our own spin on this. To avoid confusion here, I’ll be referring to the front bulkhead, and also the rear bulkhead which forms the front end of the rear tub. Essentially, the plan is to loosely place the front bulkhead in position before aligning and bolting down the rear tub. Then the doors can be temporarily fitted to the bulkhead before adjusting the front bulkhead position so that the doors align with the rear tub, followed by a bit of jiggling on the hinges before tightening them.

Having set the basic alignment, it’s a case of adjusting the latch strikers, where necessary, to make sure the doors stay shut – and this needs to be correct, given the general chassis flex that occurs when driving, especially with a soft top model.

So, here we go...

1 Fit the front bulkhead’s chassis mounting bolt on each side first, inserted from the rear so the nut is at the front. Grease the bolts well, or they might never come out again. Slacken the three lower bolts that hold each of the front bulkhead support brackets (in front of the bulkhead) to the chassis. Lower the front bulkhead on, engaging the two chassis bolts (which may need tapping through the bulkhead brackets) and let the bulkhead rest against its two front vertical support brackets. Note that after fitting one of the chassis bolts, the other may not quite line up, especially if the bulkhead has distorted while it has been off, or if a new front chassis outrigger has been welded on a tad out of alignment. If so, use a toggle bar or a load strap to bring the holes into line (there is a degree of flex in the bulkhead) and tap the bolt through gently – don’t force it through because you might damage the thread.

2 Leave the bulkhead loose and fit the rear body tub, aligning and bolting it along the rear crossmember first. Tighten these rear bolts, then fit the front two pairs of bolts and any spacers that are needed, and tighten them down. Check the front edge of the rear tub (rear bulkhead) is level by sighting forward over the top of the rear edge of the tub to confirm the top edge of the rear bulkhead (behind the seats) is parallel with it. If it isn’t, loosely fit bolts to connect the front bulkhead with its forward support brackets, and temporarily tighten the two chassis bolts that hold the front bulkhead

lower mounting brackets. Now, sight through again to see if the rear bulkhead (front end of the rear tub) is parallel with the top edge of the front bulkhead. If it is, your doors will align. If it isn’t parallel, you will need to shim one side of the tub’s forward mounting points on the chassis (it suggests a slight twist in the chassis or tub, which can usually be dealt with by shims and/or bolt hole adjustment).

3 Fit the door hinges to the front bulkhead (with plastic gaskets), not too tight, then fit the two doors to the hinges. Adjust the front bulkhead position by moving the top rail backward or forward until the doors are roughly aligned with the shut faces in the rear body and with the waist contours (the galvanised body cappings are a good guide). Adjust the hinge positions on the bulkhead (up/down/forward/backward) and simultaneously adjust bulkhead angle if needed, until the door gap is correct on the front and rear vertical edges of the doors, and the door contours flow with the body contours.

4 To keep the bulkhead in the correct position during this operation you will probably need to fit a loading strap from the top corner to the front of the chassis to pull it into position and possibly to hold it there. You may need a strap from each top corner.

When the doors are correctly aligned with the latches, bulkhead and rear body, fit the bolts holding the front bulkhead to the forward support brackets and tighten them. Re-check the door alignment, then tighten the bolts holding the front support brackets to the chassis, and tighten the nuts onto the chassis bolts at the bulkhead lower mounting brackets. Again, check the alignment and that the doors will shut, latch and release. Latching and release can be tuned by adjusting the strikers on the door frame inward or outward until the rear edge of the door is flush with the rear tub side.

All of this is best done before fitting the door seals, but then needs re-checking after fitting the seals. Ed Evans

The first job is to loosely fit the front bulkhead in position before fitting the rear body tub

When fitting the rear body tub, insert the rear crossmember bolts first – this is the datum for alignment

When aligning the doors, ensure the galvanised cappings are level with those on the rear tub, and that the gap between the door and rear tub is equal all the way down – likewise for the front bulkhead gap, but don’t expect perfection

Having bolted the rear of the tub, fit shims to the forward chassis mounting points as necessary to prevent the tub being pulled out of shape when the bolts are tightened