1916 runabout door doesn’t fit
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w_cbeyer@hotmail.com
Topic author - Posts: 11
- Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2025 5:04 pm
- First Name: Wayne
- Last Name: Beyer
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1916 runabout
- Location: Menominee, MI
1916 runabout door doesn’t fit
I have a newly acquired 16 runabout, the door seems too big for the opening. If I push at the base of the windshield on the right side I can get it closed. Does anyone have any tips on what I can do to correct this? I’m new to model Ts.
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Moxie26
- Posts: 1936
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:20 pm
- First Name: Robert
- Last Name: Jablonski
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Runabout
- Location: New Jersey
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
- Board Member Since: 1999
Re: 1916 runabout door doesn’t fit
The underlaid wood framing in the cowl needs attention and straightening
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Jerry VanOoteghem
- Posts: 4169
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:06 pm
- First Name: Jerry
- Last Name: Van
- Location: S.E. Michigan
Re: 1916 runabout door doesn’t fit
Place shims, (washers), between the body mounting points and the frame in order to raise or lower areas of the body as needed to widen the door opening. You can see that by simply pushing on the window frame, as you have done, that the body is flexible enough to handle it.w_cbeyer@hotmail.com wrote: ↑Tue Sep 02, 2025 1:26 pmI have a newly acquired 16 runabout, the door seems too big for the opening. If I push at the base of the windshield on the right side I can get it closed. Does anyone have any tips on what I can do to correct this? I’m new to model Ts.
Actually, it's most likely that your frame is a bit sagged out. Some strategic shimming however can correct it if it's not too severe.
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John kuehn
- Posts: 4482
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:00 pm
- First Name: John
- Last Name: Kuehn
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 19 Roadster, 21 Touring, 24 Coupe
- Location: Texas
Re: 1916 runabout door doesn’t fit
Remember that Model T bodies up to early 25 are wood structured bodies covered over sheet metal. They do flex over time. Shims are needed for yours. Remove the floor boards and you can see the brackets on the body wood where they are attached with a bolt to the frame.
You might need to add a shim ( washers) between the frame and body wood to move the body upward a bit.
You can crawl under the car and look upward to see if the wood underneath looks original or if the car was rewooded sometime later.
You might need to add a shim ( washers) between the frame and body wood to move the body upward a bit.
You can crawl under the car and look upward to see if the wood underneath looks original or if the car was rewooded sometime later.