Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

My driver's side door open just a bit too far. It has bent the chrome trim on the outside. It looks like maybe the door flung open hard one time and "stretched" something allowing it to now open too far. Before I replace the trim I'd like to fix the door. Is there an adjustment or a replacement I can make? Thanks, Mark

P.S. What a help you guys are on this forum!

Mark,

There is a stop in the middle of the door where it attaches to the jamb and hinges. If that is missing you are always going to be banging the doors front edge against the back of the fender. Also, on the stop inside of the jamb there should be a little hard rubber bumper that keeps the stop from hitting metal on the inside of the jamb. If that is gone the door could hit the rear edge of the front fender too. Did you locate a windshield yet? I a still looking for you.

Steve

Do you still have the door brake on the door? it's common for the tab on the door to fatigue and come off so the brake (stop) is no longer attached to the door. If you remove the brake you'll see a hard rubber donut on the end that fits inside the door pillar (A pillar part by the foot well). You could add more material to that to shorten the allowed travel.

I went home and looked and the brake is still on the door and "seems" to be functioning. I took the bolt off the door end of the brake but could not get the brake to come out of the fender end. Is that where the hard rubber bumper is supposed to be? Is there another bumper somewhere else? I can't find one or a hole that one would go in. Where would I buy theses pieces? Mark

You need to remove the trim panel from the foot well area ahead of the door pillar. Once you get that off you'll see a couple of holes behind it that you can sort of reach through to get the door brake out. Once you've got it out you should see the bumper. I've only seen them on ebay every once in a while although if you've got the metal part, you can add a new rubber part to it - you'd have to find something suitable at a hardware store such as a rubber stopper with a hole in the center. those are common at good hardware stores but will only be in the specialty fasteners section of a lowe's if they have them at all. If it's not obvious to you once you get the brake out, let me know and I'll email you a picture of what a good one looks like (I still haven't put the one I have in the right door yet - lucky you)
Hope that helps,

I think that I have one or two of the door stops lying about in the garage....

I got the stop out of the fender from inside the car just like you said it would. The rubber stop is all there but broken. It appears to be about 1/4 inch thick. Is that the right thickness? I'm headed to the hardware store today to try to find a rubber stopper that will work. Thanks, Mark

I would say more like 3/8" but without measuring one I cannot be 100% positive on this.

Steve

I measured - 3/8th is right

Would someone like to document this and put it on the 311s main site?

I bet others would find it useful, I know I would! TR

I will post the info on the site under the body section once Brian gives me the okay to use his input. Brian? Is it okay?

Steve

Me? - Yeah, anything I post I consider public so you don't really need to ask. Thanks though.

Alright, I will get the info posted in the next couple of days. Thanks.

Steve

As requested I started a page that will contain useful information on the various body parts, i.e. doors, hoods, trunk lids, fenders ect, ect.. The discussion on the door stop is a start but there is much more we can add. If anyone has any other useful tidbits-please let us know and I will update the page. You can view it by going here http://www.311s.org/tech/body/genbodytips.html Thanks for the discussion and making this a useful venue. We all benefit from this.

Steve

Does anyone have a picture that can be posted for those of us with neglected cars that are missing pieces?

That would add a lot to the article...TR