Topic: 1967 mustang door body line variation

[motor head 428]

I have 3 OEM FORD doors for my 67 mustang passenger side. Door #1 has a deeply rusted outer skin but the profile matches the fender and the driver door and fender. I made a cardboard templet. Door #2 profile is good at the top of the door and bottom of the door but at the body line above the middle of the door is in (toward the driver side) about a heavy 1/8" at the peak of the body line. So I bought another door, #3 The profile is even worse than door #2 the peak is about 3/16 in from the door #1 and the contour above and below the peak is different for 3 to 4 inches. My question is are there early and late doors ? Do the doors get progressively worse the more the stamp ? Are there different die for different plants ? Someone please explain this to me ! I will try to attach pictures. Thank You Picture are below !!!!

[motor head 428]

Picture

[motor head 428]

Door #2 and door #3 same templet

[midlife]

The two other doors may be tweaked outward at the bottom.

[J_Speegle]

The doors were stamped at the stamping plant.

The stamping plant can be identified by looking at the date stamp of the inner and outer skins/panels

Each stamping plant may have more than one die for panel though the variation should be minimal each will wear differently and with use

Might want to start with see if all three of your examples are original assembly line or period doors

[motor head 428]

Date code for Rusty door #1 on car 7 23 W2
Date code for Red Oxide primer door#2   3 0 2W
Date code for Blue door #3   7 25 2W

If I interpret that correctly #1 1967 door
                                       #2 1972 door or 1982 ?
                                       #3 1967 door

Am I correct that #1 and #3 are production doors ?

[J_Speegle]

Date code for Rusty door #1 on car 7 23 W2
Date code for Red Oxide primer door#2   3 0 2W
Date code for Blue door #3   7 25 2W

If I interpret that correctly #1 1967 door
                                       #2 1972 door or 1982 ?
                                       #3 1967 door

Not exactly since the year is not included in the date stamping so each of these could have been stamped in 67 or any year after that as long as that plant was stamping Mustang doors There is a big write up of this in a date coding article in the site Library

#1 - July 23rd
#2 - Feb 30th
#3 - July 25th


All fit into a pattern that was used during 1967 production though it continued to be used for a number of years. Was looking to see if we found something that would suggest a pattern different from what could be found on original doors

[motor head 428]

Jeff, Thank You. I just went to the Library and found that info. I should have done that before asking posting. I will have to send my templet to a seller or take the templet with me when purchasing another door.

Anyone have a 67 mustang door for sale in very good condition

[rodster]

Very odd.  How would those spare doors ever have matched up to a quarter panel?  I never heard of people having trouble with original doors, reproductions yes, but not originals.

Interesting.

Like midlife said, could those two doors be tweaked out at the bottom?  Perhaps removed from a wrecked car?

I have some 65 doors and think I'll make a template just out of curiosity.

[Coralsnake]

Are you sure they are all 67 doors? 1968 doors are interchangeable, but not the same

[motor head 428]

I don't know anything about the car the doors came off of. But there is know signs of damage in the hinge area of the bottoms of the doors. I have a 68 driver side door that matches the pattern of door #1 perfectly and with the fenders just in forward of the door. I haven't tried to fit door #3 to the quarter yet but even if it fits perfect there it is never going to fit the fender with out 3/16 of bondo at the body line and 3 to 4 inched above and below the body line.

If the door was bent out at the bottom, I would think that it would have to be bent at least 1 inch at the bottom to cause the shape seen on door #3.
Door #2 was on the car and fit the rocker just fine and the quarter was very close. Fit the top of the fender very close and bottom of the fender very close, but about 1/8 to 3/16 in at the peak of the body line. Which is just what the templet shows. Thank You for your comments

[ruppstang]

As suggested above I would check the date codes on all of the doors.

[Bob Gaines]

As suggested above I would check the date codes on all of the doors.

Since the date codes don't include year it will not be a definitive tell like the difference between 67 and 68 door skins are attached and the inner structures differences . I think Pete D or Jeff may have some pictures to illustrate the difference between the two more readily available then I.

[motor head 428]

Up Date, I purchased a used door from California, it fits beautiful body lines and contour match the front fender and quarter panel. The car was built in San Jose, so guess it wanted a San Jose door. Rick