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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Sep 2013 Posts: 21 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Sep 2013 Posts: 21 | The doors line up nice on my 53 gmc 1/2 ton but have a little play when closed and back of door sticks out, front is flush with fender,hinges seem ok. Any idea | | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 843 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 843 | new latches and strikers will fix that | | | | | Joined: Jan 2016 Posts: 631 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2016 Posts: 631 | Or .......that is about how good they fit when the truck was new. Making it fit better can be a challenge but doable with patience and the use of several tricks some involve brut force. There have been several how to articles on cutting the body or door or both to get a better fit.
Many an expert in body repair has spent 100's of hours ( $1000's) getting these doors to fiit and close like a modern car. The latch is just one small part, bear claw latch upgrade helps but the door frame and body opening MUST be correct ( perfect) to get a "NICE" fit all the way around.
Those stock latches have one other weak point........they don't stay latched. That's why the design changed to bear claw in later years.
Last edited by showkey; 11/29/2016 8:22 PM.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 | I suggest that you remove the striker and see if it closes all the way. | | | | | Joined: Jul 2000 Posts: 2,191 Insomniac | | Insomniac Joined: Jul 2000 Posts: 2,191 | One of the doors on our truck didn't close all the way. With the door open, I could turn the latch with my fingers and it clicked twice into the closed position. When closing the door, the latch would only click once. Lubricating the latch solved the problem.
Gord 🇨🇦
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1954 1/2 ton 235 4 speed
| | | | | Joined: May 2015 Posts: 11,052 Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums | | Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums Joined: May 2015 Posts: 11,052 | Many an expert in body repair has spent 100's of hours ( $1000's) getting these doors to fiit and close like a modern car. The latch is just one small part, bear claw latch upgrade helps but the door frame and body opening MUST be correct ( perfect) to get a "NICE" fit all the way around. Way back when the family 54 Chevy Station Wagon was newish, my mom got t-boned by a drunk (nobody was hurt). Anyway, when my dad picked up the car from the body shop, the right rear door didn't fit quite right and he pointed it out to the guy, who proceeded to stick a wrench in the hinge side and slammed the door shut. Fit perfectly after that. Cost wasn't $1000's, and took no time at all. Sometimes the brute force method is what it takes. 
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truckFollow this saga in Project JournalPhotos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together. | | |
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