door and hood gaps

[Ken Daugherty]

.....somewhere I have seen the proper dimension for the door and hood gaps.
Anybody remember what they should be in mm (or inches)

Ken Daugherty
kend356@insightbb.com

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[Bruce Baker]

.....somewhere I have seen the proper dimension for the door and hood gaps.
Anybody remember what they should be in mm (or inches)

Ken Daugherty
kend356@insightbb.com

There seems to be no real standard mentioned by Porsche other than the overall "4mm" in the body section. If anyone has a 'proper' dimension, I've never heard more than opinions. It truly is what 'looks right.'

Two points; the hard part is to anticipate the gap in bare metal with the addition of primers and paint to what ends up..at maybe 4mm of space between panels. 3mm looks too tight, 5mm can work, 6mm, depending on color, can look OK or too big. Dark colors make gaps less noticed and light colors make gaps jump out at you and are much more critical to get right ....whatever that is.

The other is that beyond inexact gap standards (which seemed to change small amounts with model changes, remember- "made by hand"), the 356 gaps were VERY even. Difficult to do in restoration, especially doors in open cars, unless gaps are done while the chassis is loaded as it will be when fully assembled and on it's suspension. Gaps were created by filling the trailing panel's forward edge or corner, so evenness was a result of that labor.

My observations only, not to be taken as 'fact.'

[Jim Wayman]

I seemed to recall 4mm. Checked on my car which has not had the doors off and they are 4.

Jim Wayman
55 Coupe

Subject: [356Talk] door and hood gaps
From: kend356@insightbb.com
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:27:21 -0700
To: 356talk@356registry.com

.....somewhere I have seen the proper dimension for the door and hood gaps.
Anybody remember what they should be in mm (or inches)

Ken Daugherty
kend356@insightbb.com

------------------------
Ken Daugherty

Post generated using Mail2Forum via email.

[Alex Finigan]

While looking at my original paint '58 Sunroof, Bruce Baker made an interesting
observation. Not only were the gaps very consistent, but the lead work on the edges
was 'razor sharp'. Most restorers slightly round the edges. Not really noticeable until
you put it next to an original car. The devil is in the details.

[Carl Zapffe]

I thought that it was 3.5 millimeters. Not much difference from 4 millimeters. (1 mm = .039 inches.)

[Jim Kellogg]

In the 356 Registry Vol 26, number 3, Dick Koenig interviews Karl Heinz Walter, factory technician who indicates each metal finisher had his own set of paddles which he made and the paddle for door and hood gaps were 3.5mm. He also describes the process which indicates there may have been a sharp rather than a rounded edge. Also in the interview Karl indicates as production grew and the stampings improved, less lead was needed and the gaps wer closer.
Jim Kellogg
356restore

[Greg Bryan]

door and hood gaps