69>71 dime door differences

[TheBirdistheWord]

I think I'm failing at keywords for my searches once again.  

 

I am cannibalizing a wrecked mid year 71 2 door dime to build up a 69 2 door and from all of the info I have seen so far the doors look to be and should be interchangable.  When i put the passenger side 71 door onto the 69 it seems to be about a half inch wider at the door skin. In addition the top front portion of the door that lines up with the fender was gouging the body pretty good when I opened the door to full lock. 

 

Admittedly I did not fool around much with the hinges, I removed both doors and respective hinges together, swapped them, then stopped when I ran into this.  As I look closer there does seem to be some miner differences in the contours of the sills where the striker is mounted.  The 69 door went onto the 71 and lined right up with very little issues so I'm confused now. 

 

Will the doors and fenders from a 71 mount and line up on a 69? What am I doing wrong?

[iceman510]

Perhaps the body you are putting the door on has been damaged?  Compare the hinge mounts.  You will likely need to adjust them to make it work.

 

I have never heard of the doors being different sizes by year for comparable two door vehicles.

[datzenmike]

Doors and both hinges part numbers are the same for '69-'71

[TheBirdistheWord]

25 minutes ago, iceman510 said:

Perhaps the body you are putting the door on has been damaged?  Compare the hinge mounts.  You will likely need to adjust them to make it work.

 

I have never heard of the doors being different sizes by year for comparable two door vehicles.

I thought this too because of the contact the door is making with the body. However once I started comparing measurements of the hinge holes on each chassis and the doors it doesn't seem to be the case.  Not saying damage isn't possible but Part of the reason I bought the 69 was because it was relatively unscathed compared to the 71.  Also, I assume if chassis damage was the case then the 69 door that lines up with itself likely wouldn't have lined up with the 71

 

 

15 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

Doors and both hinges part numbers are the same for '69-'71

Thank you sir. Guess I just need to keep fiddling with it. 

Edited August 18, 2023 by TheBirdistheWord

[yenpit]

1968-1973 2dr doors are interchangeable, so likely need to loosen the hinges on body AND on door & line up/adjust.  There is no difference in the door skins or contours.

 

FYI the 4dr front doors do differ compared to the Wagon front doors.  The door shells are the same, but the Wagon glass frame sits approximately 1/4in TALLER at the upper rear corner, compared to the 4 dr...........the glass frame is taller at the rear vertical, cuz the Wagon roof line does NOT slope down slightly, like the Sedan roof line.  The doors will bolt up & fit, but that upper rear corner will not line up! 

[toylet]

The door skins are actually different if you look at the lock hole they are different depending on which year

[yenpit]

On 8/18/2023 at 8:57 PM, toylet said:

The door skins are actually different if you look at the lock hole they are different depending on which year

 

Was not aware!  I just checked my spare doors & I do see a lock cylinder "notch" difference!  I bet it is between early single sided key lock cylinder vs later double sided key lock cylinder.  I do not have my doors dated, so I do not know which notch combo is early vs late.   But I do have a known 1969 Wagon door with notches...........big top, big bottom, small one side, no notch other side.  I have other doors with notches..........big top, big bottom, small one side, big other side.

 

The good thing is you can easily cut/file another big notch OR the (likely) early lock cylinder will still fit the later hole with 4 notches............the early lock cylinder would still fit without mods, just would not use the 4th big notch!  Hope that makes sense!

[toylet]

The more notches, the newer the door.