Having done most of the passenger side I have now moved on to the drivers side which is really rusty. Decided to replace both the flitch and the A post. The new A post comes with the cover attached but when I clamp it to the flitch the angle is way out and the cover panel is about 25 mm away from the flitch. The wire brush in the photo is just to give an idea of the gap, the cover is not sitting on it.
I need to flatten out the angle of the A post flange, tried clamping on my flat blade mole grips to bend it straighter but it does not seem keen to move, just wants to flex the whole section.
Made a cardboard template of the angle from the old A post and it matches the passenger side so it is definitely the angle of the flange with the clamp in the photo. Any suggestions on the best way to flatten it out a bit.[frame][/frame]
If you do manage to alter the angle, the flange will not be sitting flat, only the edge of the metal will be touching. Probably not much point changing it, as they no doubt will all be the same. You could cut the flange off and add an extended piece. It's disgusting how bad panel are now.
I have just bought one of these from ESM and flanges on the A post and the cover are wrong, the a flange where it goes on the rear edge of the inner wing inside the door shut should be parallel to the hinge mounting face , for some reason it is bent at around 30 degrees the one on the cover is also not sharp enough, All I can think is that if you use the same manufacturers inner wing they have changed the design on the rear joint, I plan to hammer it back using a piece of RSJ I use as anavil to beat against.
Kevin
My panels are from Bull Motif and seems to be just like yours with the flange at about 30 degrees. Looking at the one I cut off and the other side post it looks as if the angle on mine should be a few degrees which means the new inner wing comes off the body in the door gap at 90 deg, the flange of the post gets welded to it and the hinge part is angled towards the back of the car maybe 5 degrees. Does that sound correct? should the hinge part be at 90 degrees to the door opening?
I have been straightening mine out by gripping the flange in a vice and pushing the post back bit by bit to try to get the correct alignment but I don't think the cover will end up flat on the inner wing without some modification to it as well
You are right it won't end up flat, once the angle has been corrected the main panel needs cutting and metal put in to lengthen it. That way it will reach the inner wing flat. Then maybe a letter to the manufactures pointing out that we now have tools available that measure things accurately.
