Installing door bumpers and adjusting door wedges.

[Sharps40]

Just received the new door bumpers for the 1937 Dodge Sedan from Roberts Motor Parts.  

 

Bumpers are a tight fit and will need a touch of Vaseline to slip into place.  

[Sharps40]

If you have to slam the door hard (cant get it shut from the inside while sitting) your wedges will need adjusted.   Another symptom would be that when closed the door handles inside are very hard to operate and the door will often stick a bit once you get the handle levered down.  Another possible symptom with lift handle locking is with the door shut and locked, you can simply turn the outside handle down, and the inside handle follows it down thereby unlocking the door......pretty much defeating the purpose of raising the inner handle to the lock position in the first place.  

 

So, if the wedges need adjusting because they are too tight with the new door bumpers installed: mark the center of your wedge with a sharpie.  Make sure the mark is about 1/8" wide and shows on both the wedge and the Pillar. 

 

Loosen the 2 screws about 1.5 to 2 turns, this will fully release the strike wedge and allow you to wiggle it forward.   In this case, an eight inch made all the difference.  I wiggled each wedge out wards until the outer edge of the mark on the pillar aligned with the inner edge of the mark on the striker wedge.   See the photo below of a striker that has been moved outwards 1/8" to accommodate the new rubber bumpers. 

 

Synch the screws down tight.   With the old slotted screws use a tight fitting screwdriver with a pair of vice grips clamped to the handle.   Lean into the screwdriver handle with your hip/gut, turn the screw up snug and a bit more.   It should be tighter than you can get it without the vice grip on the screwdriver handle but not so tight that you tear off those tender fine threads on either the screw or the captive nut inside the pillar.

 

Check the doors.   They should shut firmly when seated on the inside but shouldn't need a glass rattling slam.  Get out, shut the doors, lock them by raising the inner handle and attempt to open the door from the outside.   The inner handle should not follow down when you depress the outer handle.   If all is well, done!   Doors will probably squeak less too now that they are riding supported in the frame (top and bottom) rather than just on the striker wedge.

 

 

[sidevalvepete]

A good commentary on how to position and secure the doors. There is something about the sound and solidity of the doors on these late thirties to late forties vehicles when they operate properly. I had some difficulty in locating the right rubbers to replace my old hardened ones and was interested to see yours. I was sent ones like yours but they were too proud with the round edge too pronounced. Located another set with lower profile from Australian supplier that matched my old ones. Perhaps my 38 is slightly different from your 37. Like your cars story. Given you a lot of satisfaction I am sure. Working on old motor vehicles is great therapy.