Driver's door not properly adjusted / doesn't close evenly

[Gregadeth]

My passenger door opens and closes perfectly, but my driver's side door doesn't close evenly unless I push it down with some force. If I close it gently like I do the passenger side, I get a gap between the door and fender, as well as between door and A-pillar. The bottom edge of the door just above the rocker panel is also uneven in this case.

My first instinct was I just need to loosen the front striker pin and move it slightly. But I tried a million different configurations, even removed washers, tried different washers, and it seems to only make it worse. I even removed both of the striker pins completely to see how the door would close and this is how it was:
IMAG0804.jpg IMAG0805.jpg

The rear side of the door (the side closest to the rear of the car) actually closes ok with a normal gap and the striker pin latches fine.
But the front side sticks upward for some reason. If I close the door gently, I get a gap like in the picture above. If I close it with force, the door closes fine with pretty even gaps all around including at the bottom edge above the rocker panel. It even latches just fine. I'm thinking in this situation the striker pin hits the door guide and maybe pushes(?) the door slightly back and allows the door to fall into place with no gap?
IMAG0808.jpg IMAG0802.jpg

When looking at the doors from up top, the driver's door looks like it's set too far forward in comparison to the passenger door. Judging by the gaps between the doors and the windshield trim, and the T-panel respectively.
IMAG0799.jpg IMAG0800.jpg

It's even chipping some of the paint off the black windshield trim, and ripping up part of the weatherstripping:
IMAG0801.jpg IMAG0806.jpg

My theory was either a) since the door is set more towards the front, the weatherstripping is causing resistance on the front side and preventing the front side of the door from fully closing or b) the door needs to be re-adjusted via the hinges or torsion bar (which is a can of worms I prefer not to open if possible).

Any ideas or help is appreciated, thanks

[81dmc]

First off, can you hear the front rubbing on the a-pillar weatherstripping? If so, you may need to modify the door alignment where the hinges bolt on the door. If that is not your problem, open your you door, grab it from the front and back, and try to twist it. If it twists easily, then your door needs to be reinforced by a professional welder.

As for the windshield trim, it is adjusted by moving the two front infill panels forward.

Always remember that the stainless panels are adjusted to the doors and NOT the other way around.

[David T]

Does it look like anyone every touched the nuts on the hinges? If so, the door may have been removed and/or replaced. Adjusting the doors is the kind of thing that if you have a lot of experience at it you can do it pretty quickly but if you never did it can take a LONG time and maybe never get it good. It does appear the door is forward and maybe a little high in the front but you align the door to the fiberglass body and then align the adjacent panels to the door. This is the kind of thing best done by a Delorean service center if possible.

[mluder]

I agree with David here... The door definitely appears to be too far forward and this type of work would be best done by DMC CA. Doors are finicky. I've gotten pretty good at striker pin adjustment but removing and re-installing a door is something I wouldn't touch if I could avoid it at all.

It was previously mentioned that the inner and outer door panels may have separated and are moving independent of each other. the factory assembly just used an adhesive under the fold over. However another possibility is that the door has not separated but is in fact bent. ask me how I know. When my door is closed the trailing edge lines up perfectly and the front is "over" closed. No amount of front fender adjustment can correct for it. If I adjust the strike to get a good front line then the frame along the A pillar is taller than the side window frame creating a huge gap. It's teh bane of my existence and I just have to live with it until maybe one day I can afford to replace the door.

Cheers
Steven

[Gregadeth]

First off, can you hear the front rubbing on the a-pillar weatherstripping? If so, you may need to modify the door alignment where the hinges bolt on the door. If that is not your problem, open your you door, grab it from the front and back, and try to twist it. If it twists easily, then your door needs to be reinforced by a professional welder.

I'll try all of this today.

As for the windshield trim, it is adjusted by moving the two front infill panels forward.

What exactly are the infill panels? Where and how can I get to them?

Does it look like anyone every touched the nuts on the hinges? If so, the door may have been removed and/or replaced. Adjusting the doors is the kind of thing that if you have a lot of experience at it you can do it pretty quickly but if you never did it can take a LONG time and maybe never get it good. It does appear the door is forward and maybe a little high in the front but you align the door to the fiberglass body and then align the adjacent panels to the door. This is the kind of thing best done by a Delorean service center if possible.

I didn't see anything that would indicate that the hinges or torsion bar has been messed with. According to PO records, all the door seals were replaced in 2003. I did make sure the seals were fully pressed in.

[81dmc]

I forgot to add that you should try door operation without the weatherstripping installed. When you do this, see the gaps between the door and fiberglass in various locations. The gaps should all be about equal.

[PJ Grady Inc.]

I know a fix but it's complicated. PM sent.
Rob

[Gregadeth]

I forgot to add that you should try door operation without the weatherstripping installed. When you do this, see the gaps between the door and fiberglass in various locations. The gaps should all be about equal.

Yeah I was thinking about removing the weatherstripping and seeing how it closes.

How about if I sprayed some silicone on the weatherstripping? Could that help as well?

[81dmc]

Yeah I was thinking about removing the weatherstripping and seeing how it closes.

How about if I sprayed some silicone on the weatherstripping? Could that help as well?

That would work on new weatherstripping to shape it, but your old weatherstripping is already damaged. Just remove the weatherstripping and the driver's headliner, and while sitting in the car with the door closed, use the tip of your finger to measure the gap on the front and back.

[David T]

If the hinges have not been disturbed then do not touch them. This kind of misalignment can occur by driving into a garage with the door open and hitting the wall. It may be possible to "untweak" the door and then weld it. This is not something most owners can do.