[DeTomaso] ........fixing door rattles

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

One thing worth mentioning is a lesson I learned from Kirk Evans.

The fiberglass door panels are secured to the metal door frames with a 
bunch of tiny sheetmetal screws that run all the way around the edge of the 
panel.   They are different lengths (at least on the cars I have worked on, they 
are different lengths, but some might have been changed?), but the 
significant factor is that the metal structure of the door is significantly smaller 
than the inside diameter (if you will) of the fiberglass panel.

What does this mean?   It means that when you install the panel, if you 
tighten the top screws first and then work your way around to the bottom, the 
panel will be hanging slightly low.   If you tighten the bottom screws tight, 
it will bend and distort the panel both at the top and the bottom.

The way to install the panel is to lay it in place and insert the bottom 
screws first, then tighten them all the way.   This lifts the panel as high as 
it can go.   Work your way around to the top, and when you get there, the 
inside of the panel might be a quarter of an inch above the metal structure 
below it.   That's why you need longer screws there.   Insert the screws but 
only tighten them so that they are just snug, not tight enough to start to 
distort the top edge of the panel.

This will also help prevent the awful situation where the screws are 
inserted at the incorrect angle, and instead of running almost parallel to the 
glass, they go into the door at a 45 degree angle, and the end of the screw 
scratches the inside of the glass!

DOH!

Mike
-------------- next part --------------
   One thing worth mentioning is a lesson I learned from Kirk Evans.
   The fiberglass door panels are secured to the metal door frames with a
   bunch of tiny sheetmetal screws that run all the way around the edge of
   the panel.  They are different lengths (at least on the cars I have
   worked on, they are different lengths, but some might have been
   changed?), but the significant factor is that the metal structure of
   the door is significantly smaller than the inside diameter (if you
   will) of the fiberglass panel.
   What does this mean?  It means that when you install the panel, if you
   tighten the top screws first and then work your way around to the
   bottom, the panel will be hanging slightly low.  If you tighten the
   bottom screws tight, it will bend and distort the panel both at the top
   and the bottom.
   The way to install the panel is to lay it in place and insert the
   bottom screws first, then tighten them all the way.  This lifts the
   panel as high as it can go.  Work your way around to the top, and when
   you get there, the inside of the panel might be a quarter of an inch
   above the metal structure below it.  That's why you need longer screws
   there.  Insert the screws but only tighten them so that they are just
   snug, not tight enough to start to distort the top edge of the panel.
   This will also help prevent the awful situation where the screws are
   inserted at the incorrect angle, and instead of running almost parallel
   to the glass, they go into the door at a 45 degree angle, and the end
   of the screw scratches the inside of the glass!
   DOH!
   Mike