Length Comparison -Drivers vs. Passenger Door?

[ed1948]

Not April Fools' related.
When I was aligning the panel gaps on my 86 SS there were some difficulties. I found the door lengths were mismatched. The passenger door is 1/8" shorter than the driver's door. Both appear original - the bolts and hinges were untouched.
Could you measure at the belt line(about a foot from bottom) from front to back and report your numbers. Just wondering if it's production variations?

 

[69hurstolds]

Everything manufactured has production variations. Some tighter than others. Unfortunately, in the 80s G-bodies, if it had a door and covered up most of the hole, it was good.

When the door skins were put on the shell, they could have been completed on different shifts, days, or even week to one another. I would not be surprised if there were adjustments to the crimper machine that could have bent the passenger side a tad differently than the driver side. Hell, for all we know they could have designed it wrong and ALL Monte SS doors are mismatched.

It would be interesting to see if any other cars built around your time frame had different sized doors. But with the QC back then, you're lucky it wasn't 1/2" or more!

 

[Winkernod]

Thank goodness G bodies weren't made by AMC.. The Pacer doors are 4 inches different.....

 

[ItsnotaGN]

G bodies are finely crafted like the Lexus in the commercial where they rolled a ball bearing across the panel gaps to show how consistent they were. Of course in our case the rolling object would be a bowling ball.

 

[ed1948]

G bodies are finely crafted like the Lexus in the commercial where they rolled a ball bearing across the panel gaps to show how consistent they were. Of course in our case the rolling object would be a bowling ball.

Yah, a bowling ball rolling down a gravel driveway.

 

[michmalibuman]

This is not the first time that I've heard this.

 

[Texas82GP]

It's a Chevrolet, not a hand built car. The hood on my brother's 78 Camaro is a 1/4" shorter on the Driver's side than the Passenger side. I was going nuts trying to get the gaps just so before I was smart enough to measure it. 1/8" doesn't seem like much in comparison. It isn't visible on your car Ed. It's one of the nicest survivors I've seen pictures of.