I got out in the garage today and started the effort to correct the passenger side door opening. I started by drilling out tack welds, moving from the bottom and going up until I was 2 tacks above the hinge pillar patch. With the hinge pillar partially separated from the inner cowl, I was able to flex the hinge pillar, slightly. However, once I Iet go of it, it returned to its starting position. To deal with this, I decided to use clamps to hold it in place. After moving the hinge pillar and clamping it in place, I took another measurement to see how far I had actually moved it. Short answer, not much! So, I added a piece of tape with a line scribed on it, so that I could tell at a glance, how far it was moved. Turns out I needed some mechanical assistance to move it the amount that I needed. I did not have a porta power device, so I tried using my scissor jack and a piece of 2x6 lumber. It really didn't work out well, as both pillars are installed at angles and the lock pillar wanted to move as much as the hinge pillar. Plan B worked. Using the 2x6 lumber as a lever and the running board as a fulcrum, I could easily move the hinge pillar. It was a bit awkward doing the lever and clamps at the same time, but I managed. The hinge pillar is now clamped and has six sheet metal screws holding it 1/4" further forward from where I started. Based on the amount of scraping that the rear of the door was doing, I think that this should be enough additional clearance to get the job done. So far, I have not checked for bowing on the hinge pillar. I ran out of time today. I'll check that tomorrow. Assuming that it is ok, I hope to re-hang the door and check for clearances, all around. My question: will the six sheet metal screws be enough to hold the hinge pillar to the inner cowl (plus the topmost tack welds) and support the weight of the door? Please advise. Thanks!
