[Staowners] Alpine doors and wings

[Mal Clark]

Hi Ernie and Doreen,thanks for email your job of refitting the wings and doors I have done many times, your suggestion of spacers is a bit confusing,I have never come across spacers,are you sure you are not confusing the large washers that go inside to hold the wing on,these washers 5 of them each side under the 1/4BSF nuts that hold the wing at the rear,you need a tube spanner to tighten or remove these, there is in the parts list, a piping listed for this rear area between the wing and the bulkhead its more of a seal,one car I had somone had use a selastic,made if very hard to remove the wing,I use a sealing strip of non hardening mastic,anyway I put the wing on first and start the 5 nuts I tighten these nuts most of the way,but as to still allow the wing to slide back and forth,fit the one  nut and bolt to the front lower of the wing to chassis,also leaving this slightly loose, now offer up the door into its inner hinge supports, once located and slide in the door will self support,if you are not too keen on this get someone to hold the door,now you will have to fit the top and bottom hinge pins,this is done by positioning yourself upside down almost,in the footwells,( clean the pins and use some RP7 CRC,when fitting, make them easier to remove) these pins have to be all the way in,(No need for nuts on the bottom at this stage),if they are not all the way in,there will still be rock in the hinges,once the pins are in and the door swings ok,check it doesnt hit the wing when closing if it looks like it might pull the wing forward away from door,have a look at the line up of the door to the rear wing,if this is correct,there is not adjustment to do to the door, (Unless the hinges have been disturbed on the bulkhead or the door itself,this is possible to do)  but easily corrected, Now the wing can be eased backwards so as the wing line to door corresponds with the rear gap,,once this is done and remains,you can finish tightening the 5 nuts inside and the front nut and bolt on the chassis, thats the wing finished with, If for some reason the wing and door are on a  diffent plane ajustment can be done with the door hinges,I am not too sure about these spacers  for the wing Ernie,I think you will find they will be ok without spacers,but it is possible to loosen the top and bottom hinges inside the car and get some outwards or inner movement,not a lot (I actually have slotted the bolt holes before now,to get more movement) at this stage you can easily remove the door hinge pins and remove the door,without having to disturb the wing, give it ago,sure you will find it quite straight forward Good Luck,Mal Clark.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ernie and Doreen Taube 
  To: Mal Clark 
  Sent: Monday, November 19, 2007 4:02 AM
  Subject: Alpine doors and wings


  Greetings Mal:

  From your many correspondences with our STA group I gather that you have lots and lots of experience with the 90 series and Alpine cars? 

  In particular; could you give me a bit of advice regarding my Alpine Mk I?  am nearing the point where I would like to put my doors and wings back onto the body and when I removed the wings many spacer washers fell out.  As a result I have no idea for the outward spacing of the wing on the scuttle.  

  Do you have a sequence that you find that will simplify the matching of  the door and wing?   I had thought it through and could only come up with the door first and then the wing , but this would involve removing the door after and viewing the space left for the washers and then shimming and installing the door a second time. This could then lead to a possible removal of the door again for final adjustment. If you have a better sequence and fitting procedure I would greatly appreciate any directions that you could give.

  Thanks for all the previous advice you have so generously sent to our members.  Many times over the last 3 years it has been a help for me while attempting to revive my Alpine.

  Best wishes on the assembly of your Alpine and I am glad to hear the fire caused no losses to you shop and cars.

  Many thanks Ernie Taube  Calgay Alberta Canada
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