Rather than start another thread I figured it would be useful to keep door skin related questions together. Your discussion prompted me to take some measures on my existing doors. The car is a 1973 911S, the driver’s door has been stripped & welded. It’s the one posted above.
I ran a straight edge horizontally along both at two elevations & estimated the gaps at either end with a vernier. This should show any horizontal rise (convexity) in the center of each door.
Here’s my findings:
Both are slightly convex horizontally, more in the middle than at the bottom edge. The driver’s door which I seam welded along its full length is a bit less convex. The blue passenger door has been repainted but shows no sign of repairs. These are my measurements:
Bare Driver’s Door (Welded):
Middle 14” from bottom 5-6mm Convex
Bottom 1” from bottom 3-4mm “
Painted Passenger Door (Original):
Middle 14” from bottom 6-7mm Convex
Bottom 1” from bottom 5-6mm “
The paint & primer built up on this door measured 6.8-8.8 mil. Here’s a couple of images of my test set-up.
Welding can release tension built in during forming & change the shape of the part. My driver’s door looks uniform but doesn’t quite match the shape of the passenger door. I may have changed it's shape by MIG welding.
Would a difference of 1-2mm in convexity make a noticeable difference? What are the odds of a re-skinned door being a closer fit? I’d appreciate your feedback.