M3 rear door

[spec4don]

Hey there, can anyone give me the the width measurement of the rear door? Mine is 26" but when I mounted up the rear wall it looks like my door is about 1/2 too wide. The 2 outside pieces look to be in the correct place. I'm a little confused. If I'm going to get the door resheared but would like to know what someone elses is in case I have done some thing wrong.

Don G.

[Outsider]

Mine fits at 26".

Steve

[spec4don]

Hi Steve, not sure what is going on. Every thing looks like it's where it should be. The floor came together well. Everything lining up except the door. Could you give me an overall measurement from the back the back wall? Outside to outside not including the side armor and the with of each of the 2 back pieces? The floor, track armor all seems to be inplace. I got the rear armor from Bob Gillard. The 2 3/16" pieces are from Gary as are the rear track armor pieces. Of course I got the floor from you. It all looks to be correct, I didn't have to redrill any holes. I'm kind of stumped.

Thanks Don G.

[Outsider]

I have 77 7/16" to outside of side armor plates (rear plates sit inside of side plates). I have original track armor. Side plates were made from remnants of original side plates. All 3 upper rear plates I made. Rear lowers are repros made from what was left of originals. I didn't measure the rear side plates individually. I have about 1/16" gap at one side of my door and about 1/8" at the other. I can measure the plates individually tomorrow.

Steve

[Outsider]

Just remembered I have the prints I used to make my upper rear pieces here in my office. These were taken off another HT by a friend of mine that was on vacation and did some sweet talking to a guy at a museum he went to. Left and right plate should be 25 3/8" wide each, and my door should be 26 1/8" according to the print. So I may have messed up my measurement of the door earlier today.

Is the width of the track armor the same in the front and the back?

Steve

[spec4don]

Hi Steve, I stopped and measured my track on the way home from work. I have a taper 77" on the front and 76 3/16 in the rear. It's racked out about 1/2" from square. It's 9' down each side so the side armor so I think I'll be okay I may still have to reshear the door. It's a Chinese puzzle!

Don G.

[Outsider]

If you have a taper you should be able to loosen all the bolts in the track armor and bed and push it back out to where it should be. I believe they used to build the bodies of HT's on a jig at the factory as it would be the only good way to get all the pieces in exactly the right place every time.

Just think of the rear area of a ht as a uni-body car. All the pieces kind of hold all the other pieces in place and straight, and so until they are all in place it won't be strong or straight.

Steve

[col.halftrack]

Well. I measured two original doors and the adjacent armor panels. The panels to each side are 25-3/8" and the door is 26". Hope this helps a little.

[mfrance]

measured my rear door for you 26",  opening 26 1/8",  make sure your lower side triangle is outside of side armor plates,  then side armor butts up out side of rear armor wall plates .  hope this helps.   michael

[spec4don]

Well loosened everything up. Add a little help from the porta power the rear door works great and it's all lined up. Back in business

Thanks to all Don G.

[Outsider]

Glad to here! It's amazing how much travel you can get out of a bunch of holes with most less than a 32nd of clearance.

Steve