A Panel Clash with Passenger Door

[Simon_P]

Hi All,

I've noticed on several M100's that the passenger door clashes with the A panel.

Both the door and the A Panel seem reasonably well adjusted, and it is only on the passenger side.

Does anyone know the reason for this?

[dapinky]

Whenever I've seen this, it is a choice of 2 things....

Either the bolts which secure the bottom of the A panel to the sill have rusted and become lose, so the panel sits further outward than it should (it doesn't need to be much out before the door will hit it).

Alternatively, the bottom door hinge is sagging (usually because of corrosion in the hinge allowing the door to drop slightly) - repairable, but not a quick and easy job.

[par]

To add to the causes above it may be worth checking the top fixing nut of the A-panel that you can access beside the hinge with the door open.
I have found on mine if this is over tightened it pushes the panel out slightly which then catches on the edge of the door. Finger tight seems to be just right with a little drop of threadlock to stop the nut coming loose.

It was the rust from the original bracket that was keeping the A-panels in place before I removed them. The drain tubes from the windscreen area feeds straight on top of the bracket loaction:-


I crudely fabricated new brackets from a length of L section aluminium but found that this did not have the same grip factor as decades of rust and allowed movement when the top fixing was overtightened.

[lotusflasherman]

Hi All,

I've noticed on several M100's that the passenger door clashes with the A panel.

Both the door and the A Panel seem reasonably well adjusted, and it is only on the passenger side.

Does anyone know the reason for this?

This was a topic of discussion at the Norfolk pub meet on Monday night as an owner is suffering this. We concluded it could not be wear related or it would be driver's side not passenger and possibly the original fitment might have been different. I looked at mine next day and the driver's side gets very close but the passenger side closer still. Not actually clashing but it traps 4 sheets of A4 paper that measure at 0.2mm so a bit close for comfort, "but if it ain't broke don't fix it"... yet.

[Simon_P]

Mine has been fine until recently, but now on stands with the engine out and suspension off it just touches.

Looking at the panel fit it is well adjusted, but the join with the rest of the wing is worse on the passenger side. If I increase the clearance the fit will be worse.

My car has almost no rust and 3 careful owners. The panel fit at the bottom is optimum and it isn't loose, in fact it appears that it as never been removed.

For information there are 4 screw fittings as original on the A Panel rather than the 3 stated in the manual. is that an S2 thing or an earlier improvement?

[par]

For information there are 4 screw fittings as original on the A Panel rather than the 3 stated in the manual. is that an S2 thing or an earlier improvement?

Mine is an SE and has 4 screw fittings.