MTFCA Forum

I can't get the passenger side door to close with new welting and door panel. It appears the door is too close to the subrail by the lower hinge and bottom of the door panel is causing it not to latch. The hinges look perfectly straight and not bent and the door is rock solid to the cowl. Taking out the striker helps.

Look underneath and see if a previous owner puts shims between the frames and body on that side.

The body blocks are there and tight. Not sure if there are shims there but there probably are. I think the blocks are original and have never been taken apart.

More pictures would help of the open door, the sill area it butts up to, the edges of the door and he column it latches to. JimPatrick

Here are some more pics. The door closed fine before the new upholstery and welting.

The welting may be larger that the original. The fact that the problem started after the new installation is telling.

All moving parts of door assembly need lubrication.

The Carter’s cut and cover upholstery kit I used to upholster my ‘26 coupe had no welting. Has anyone else had welting come with your Model T upholstery? I thought welting was first used on Model A’s. If the door closed before upholstering, there lies your problem. Your upholstery and welting may be getting in the way of the door properly seating. Jim Patrick

Well the interesting thing is I took the welting off and it made no difference. And by welting I mean the stuff on the inside of the door that seals to the cowl. The windlace on the other side makes no difference. My vote is on the door panel but it doesn't make sense that I am having trouble with it now when the old upholstery was about just as thick?

Take the old upholstery and hold it over the new installed upholstery to see if they match, or if the old upholstery is smaller to allow a space around the door face for where it butts up to the door jambs and sill. Jim Patrick

My 1926 coupe has a different sill plate than yours. It goes all the way across the sill from front to back and is held in place by several tabs that fit into slots at the base of the sill. If your has the slots, you may have the wrong plate on your sill, but it may not make a difference. I don’t think you can get original sills like mine for it was a very thin sheet metal part that was one of the first things to wear out, and are probably very hard to get. If yours does not have the slots, then perhaps Ford changed the sill plates in 1927. Lang’s says your sill plate is for a Model A, but, again, it may have been carried over from the 1927 Model T to the 1928 Model A. Jim Patrick

There were at least 3 different sill plates used during 26-27 coupe production.