HM2034 build ...another Texas Hurricane

[Bruce N]

Bruce, is it only the inner skin of the door that needed extended? The outer skin was ok and you didn't cut and move it?

Yes. Just the inner panel.

[Bruce N]

Got my latches in late today and couldn't wait to get started.  Kind of hampered by a torn tendon in finger so not moving very fast Got the latch panels bent and trimmed to fit the jams and  epoxied the inner panels and door skin back together. I'll get all the gaps fiber glassed tomorrow and start fitting the strikers.

[Bruce N]

Well it seems a bum index finger slows you down more than you'd think! Finally got the inner panels glassed back together and got the body work on the inner and top of doors roughed in. Just some finish work and blocking left but will do all that same time as the outer body work. Had to do quite a bit of glass work on the edges and in the jams Got the doors hung back so can do some brackets for the door strikers. Will build some brackets off the uprights and then do some fiberglass mods to the door openings so they look like they were supposed to be there. Think its going to be slow going for a while though Dr says 6-8 weeks to totally heal! killing me!

[NTX-CLANK]

You sure are getting it done anyway!  That is going to look like it should.

Hope you heal fast, but let it heal!!

Jim

[Bruce N]

Well it seems a bum index finger slows you down more than you'd think! Finally got the inner panels glassed back together and got the body work on the inner and top of doors roughed in. Just some finish work and blocking left but will do all that same time as the outer body work. Had to do quite a bit of glass work on the edges and in the jams Got the doors hung back so can do some brackets for the door strikers. Will build some brackets off the uprights and then do some fiberglass mods to the door openings so they look like they were supposed to be there. Think its going to be slow going for a while though Dr says 6-8 weeks to totally heal! killing me!

PS: Forgot to mention. Cant really tell by pictures but I filled in the area around the original latch pad to make all flush. built up with kitty hair and finished with filler. This will enable me to build a one piece door panel with just a notch for the striker and not a whole cutout for that pad area.

[Greg K]

I'm guessing you had to notch the fiberglass and steel backing of the latch pad area, the door is a little shallow there and thinking the striker bolt may end up between the wing and door opening lip?

[Bruce N]

I'm guessing you had to notch the fiberglass and steel backing of the latch pad area, the door is a little shallow there and thinking the striker bolt may end up between the wing and door opening lip?

I notched the lip area of the fiberglass on the inner door skin so the metal plate fits flush with the door jamb and cut out about 1" into the pad area to make room for the latch. No metal backing on mine? I put rev nuts into the pad area and used 1/4-20 to screw the new plate to the pad area. See pic.

The striker will land almost right in middle of that lip on the door opening so will extend that area out a little so it looks like it belongs there when all said and done.

[Greg K]

I notched the lip area of the fiberglass on the inner door skin so the metal plate fits flush with the door jamb and cut out about 1" into the pad area to make room for the latch. No metal backing on mine? I put rev nuts into the pad area and used 1/4-20 to screw the new plate to the pad area. See pic.

So what do the latch backplates screw into or are they only threaded inserts behind the glass or in the glass? I thought there was a plate below the glass.

[Bruce N]

I notched the lip area of the fiberglass on the inner door skin so the metal plate fits flush with the door jamb and cut out about 1" into the pad area to make room for the latch. No metal backing on mine? I put rev nuts into the pad area and used 1/4-20 to screw the new plate to the pad area. See pic.

So what do the latch backplates screw into or are they only threaded inserts behind the glass or in the glass? I thought there was a plate below the glass.

Just threaded inserts or rev-nuts epoxied into the glass. I had one nut in each door that came lose and was not usable. Think Jim ran into same thing. Below is pic of one of the pieces I cut out.

[Bruce N]

Got one side of the door strikers done before my finger told me to take a break:( Just need to do some glass work on the jam to make it look OEM. Cant even begin to explain how much smoother this thing works!

[Greg K]

Looks good and is definitely work most would not take on. What you are doing is also confirming some ideas I have for retro-fitting existing doors with no glass work, maybe a little sanding using a mini claw latch and using the original looking latch.

[Bob Worley]

Bruce, how do you release the latch? (open the door...)

[FFR428]

Bruce, this is some top notch work. Really enjoy seeing everything you have done so far.

[Bruce N]

Bruce, how do you release the latch? (open the door...)

Right now I just stick a small screwdriver in that small hole you see in the panel at the corner of the plate. I have these to install in the door panel when I put in interior.

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Clayton-Machine-LR-703-Bear-Claw-Door-Latch-Release-Grooved-Knob-Bezel,111953.html

[Bruce N]

Bruce, this is some top notch work. Really enjoy seeing everything you have done so far.

Thanks! I really enjoy just tinkering, thinking up things to improve functionality, and making a little more my own