68' Westy Front Door Alignment

I have a 68' Westy and the front doors don't lign up evenly around the
frame.....looks crappy. They do close and latch, but kind of bump into
the latches instead of tansitioning smoothly into the latches. The
hinges and latches appear tight and the doors do not move if you lift
up on them when opened. Any ideas what is causing this and how to
correct it?

Fish,

The factory would hydraulically press the door frame to get an even gap for
the door and bend the hinges to suit. A little hard for the average DIY.
I have found by adding "shims" behind the hinges and/or grinding
the surface of hinges (in moderation), is enough to get an even gap.
Of course this will not work if the frame or door has suffered
enough accident damage not to allow an "even" gap to start with!

Grahame
from Aus
"Fish" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> I have a 68' Westy and the front doors don't lign up evenly around the
> frame.....looks crappy. They do close and latch, but kind of bump into
> the latches instead of tansitioning smoothly into the latches. The
> hinges and latches appear tight and the doors do not move if you lift
> up on them when opened. Any ideas what is causing this and how to
> correct it?
>

Thanks.
I wasn't aware the factory did that.
Very interesting.
I will give the shim solution a try.

How are things in AUS?
Always wanted to visit, but don't like to fly.....makes it kind of hard
to get there

"Fish" > wrote in message oups.com...
> Thanks.
> I wasn't aware the factory did that.
> Very interesting.
> I will give the shim solution a try.
>
> How are things in AUS?

Things are great "Downunder"
VW scene is active - we have a new VW magazine

> Always wanted to visit, but don't like to fly.....makes it kind of hard
> to get there
>
Most welcome to vist anytime - if you own a VW then you can drive it here :-)

Grahame
from Aus

Good to hear things are well.
I would love to drive my 68' Westy there, but I doubt I could find a
snorkle long enough

The VW scene here is active but only with a select few. Mostly those on
the coast.
I live in the midwest near Milwaukee, WI (heard of the Green Bay
Packers?). We are near the shores of the largest in-land lakes in the
world. The winters are very cold and snowy, so the only time you can
really use the vintage VW's is during the warmer months. Most people
don't want the expense of storing them during the winter. But there are
those of us who love'em and won't part with them, regardless of how
much our wives complain.

Where about's are you in Aus?

You can email me here or at
Look forward to hearing from you again

Sorry Grahame,
My email address is
Please drop me a line.

"Fish" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> The VW scene here is active but only with a select few. Mostly those on
> the coast.
> I live in the midwest near Milwaukee, WI (heard of the Green Bay
> Packers?). We are near the shores of the largest in-land lakes in the
> world. The winters are very cold and snowy, so the only time you can
> really use the vintage VW's is during the warmer months. Most people
> don't want the expense of storing them during the winter. But there are
> those of us who love'em and won't part with them, regardless of how
> much our wives complain.
>
>

...................That sums it up for me here in upstate NY as well Fish.
The number of aircooled VWs that are still on the road here is very low. My
wife says that mine are going to the crusher if I stroke out before she
does.

Funny, my wife says I have to sleep with one eye open.