Help - bended door body V8S
Discussion
Hi out there
I do have a problem. The outer door body on both sides is a little bended. Meaning the rubber is not close to the window glass and not sealing at all. To be honest, the bend is so heavy that you could stick a finger between the window and the rubber. What do you think: do I just need a new rubber-set (if so, where can I order/buy those and what would be the perfect profile); or (hopefully not) do I need to refix the outer door body? Do you have any experience on that? Thanks a lot for all your feedbacks!
Cheers from Switzerland
Andy
I do have a problem. The outer door body on both sides is a little bended. Meaning the rubber is not close to the window glass and not sealing at all. To be honest, the bend is so heavy that you could stick a finger between the window and the rubber. What do you think: do I just need a new rubber-set (if so, where can I order/buy those and what would be the perfect profile); or (hopefully not) do I need to refix the outer door body? Do you have any experience on that? Thanks a lot for all your feedbacks!
Cheers from Switzerland
Andy
if it's any consolation - mine is not much better than yours
i picked the trim off and stuck it a bit closer to the glass - i have a nasty feeling that the skin has distorted and
the only real solution is to take the door off and chop it about / stick it back together in the right place
there doesn't seem to be a suitable way of attaching a bracket to pull it into shape from the inside as the window mech is in the way - i'd like to hear a solution if anyone has one that doesn't involve resin and paint
reb
i picked the trim off and stuck it a bit closer to the glass - i have a nasty feeling that the skin has distorted and
the only real solution is to take the door off and chop it about / stick it back together in the right place
there doesn't seem to be a suitable way of attaching a bracket to pull it into shape from the inside as the window mech is in the way - i'd like to hear a solution if anyone has one that doesn't involve resin and paint
reb
Are you saying the door bulges out when looking down the length of the car? That sounds rather strange. Other than major surgery, the only thing I can suggest is bonding some form of beam along the top/inside of the outer skin to keep it straight. Not sure how well the fibreglass would respond to this though, you might find you end up with stress cracks.
If it is in the center of the door I would suggest that most of the earlier models do this.... it just shows up on the early models due to using rubber as yhe door trim seal..... IIRC on last cars and V8s the dors have a brush inside them as well......
I could be wrong but I seem to remember this from SCH2 when I was having a nose round for a solution to the problem
I could be wrong but I seem to remember this from SCH2 when I was having a nose round for a solution to the problem
My S2 is the same, has a gap of a few mm between the rubber and the window in the centre of the door due to the outer skin of of door being bowed out. You can easily flex the skin back to being straight, problem is keeping it there. I was going to strip the door and try to fibreglass a some sort of beam inside to keep it in place, but it does not sound like this is possible if the window mechanism is in the way.
Obviously the gap lets lots of water into the door when it rains, not a good thing.
Obviously the gap lets lots of water into the door when it rains, not a good thing.
As I can see, there are some of you with the same problem. After all I still have no clue what I should do. With this gap between rubber and window I will fear every raindrop. As the material is quite flexible, I thought about putting a stronger sealing rubber between the door body and the glass. Maybe that would push it back in shape... I know, this is not a propper solution, but could keep a surprising rain shower away from the door mechanism. What do you think about? Where could I order a respective rubber? Any feedback is highly appreciated! Thanks and Cheers Andy
Thought about changing the rubber lip between glass and top of door panel for something bigger,but think it might catch on the glass when window wound down and either fold or spring off.
Mine seals are only 1/2" at most and glued to top of door which is the only place the panels seem to distort.
Does not seem much strength in top of door as panel is so thin and think trying to put a beam in it to stretch it straight again would result in either more stress cracks, as Mike said, or damage at ends of panels,or something so thin it did not do the job!
Probably only possible to return the bow to shape is by some bar arrangement fibreglassed to inside door panel,left to set,then bolted at the other end through the moulding on the inner door skin. Haven't looked but think probably nothing in the right place to fit anything to because the window glass takes up all the top of the door.
full circle back to either 'forget it' or replace rubber and see what happens.
Mine seals are only 1/2" at most and glued to top of door which is the only place the panels seem to distort.
Does not seem much strength in top of door as panel is so thin and think trying to put a beam in it to stretch it straight again would result in either more stress cracks, as Mike said, or damage at ends of panels,or something so thin it did not do the job!
Probably only possible to return the bow to shape is by some bar arrangement fibreglassed to inside door panel,left to set,then bolted at the other end through the moulding on the inner door skin. Haven't looked but think probably nothing in the right place to fit anything to because the window glass takes up all the top of the door.
full circle back to either 'forget it' or replace rubber and see what happens.
I have the same problem on my S4. In fact I started a similar topic here on 7 Feb.
I am wondering if it would be possible to beef up the fibreglass skin, including some metal reinforcement to staighten the edge to some extent, and at the same time also increase the depth of the top lip where needed. It is probably a ludicrously complicated/expensive solution. Is there a fibreglass expert out there who could give some advice?
Richard Thorpe at RT Racing said he thought the panel had been taken off the mould too soon when it was made. Whatever, it seems very thin and just waiting to distort.
Mark Pickering
I am wondering if it would be possible to beef up the fibreglass skin, including some metal reinforcement to staighten the edge to some extent, and at the same time also increase the depth of the top lip where needed. It is probably a ludicrously complicated/expensive solution. Is there a fibreglass expert out there who could give some advice?
Richard Thorpe at RT Racing said he thought the panel had been taken off the mould too soon when it was made. Whatever, it seems very thin and just waiting to distort.
Mark Pickering
The best solution might be some balsa ribs bonded lengthways on the inside. Balsa is used extensively in GRP boatbuilding on decking as a sandwich material and is obviously lightweight, strong and sufficiently flexible. If you were to bond in an aluminium or steel plate this would not flex and you'd end up with stress crazing on the gelcoat/paint or worst still if some oik lent against the door!
Thanks a lot for all your inputs. It makes me feel a little better to know that some of you do have the same problem as I have. Nevertheless I go for the solution of a new rubber lip. I mean, if this solution is not working, there is not a lot of money wasted... anyway the doors of my V8S need a new rubber lip. Here in Switzerland I can buy them but only at 500 meter! As I have only 1 car where I would like to replace them, this is way to much (and costs as well too much)! Do you have any address, where I could buy such rubber lips?? 
Thanks a lot an cheers Andy
Thanks a lot an cheers Andy
Ask them to send you an offcut of a couple of meters to check whether it is suitable ... 
but maybe they already know the game! anyway, I try!!Gassing Station | S Series | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff