DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me how many and what thickness door striker shims were fitted at factory to a 1970 car?

Ta

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I think that they were fitted as & when they were needed - ie no 'standard' set-up.

I seem to remember that 2 different thicknesses were available ~ 1mm & ~ 2mm

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I have one in my garage. I will measure it for you.

When Barry restored my shell he ensures it comes back panelled with one shim fitted.

Here you go.





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Perfect thank you.

As Andy has said they were fitted if required. My 1970 911 does not have any whereas the 1972 I own has them on both sides of the car: 1mm and 2mm respectively.

Hi Ash,

usually I adjust / manipulate the B-post back and forth to give one standard shim on each side. This might be reduced post-paint depending on the quantity of product the painter has applied to the A-post, door hinges and B-post front face.

As has been mentioned, you can find almost anything here: from zero shims and everything still rubbing, to a massive stack of shims poking out about half an inch .

The best way of adjusting the latch is to remove it and make sure the door is happy to rest at the correct height relative to the rear wing on its own. Then re-introduce the latch and by looking in through the back of the door, use shim(s) as required to make sure the latch mech is pretty central to the catch. Nip the catch screws so they just bite and have the catch well in. With the window open, carefully push the door closed (it needs to go a fraction too far in). Tap the door back out from inside with your hand and once in perfect position carefully open the door and nip the screws up fully. You might find the seals make it almost impossible to allow the door to sit flush without slamming the door excessively. If that is the case, you're best off simply leaving the door proud by a mm or so, just until the seals settle. Only takes a moment to adjust them again in a few weeks.

Looking good BTW

I used to design car locks and latches in the late 80's!
Many hours spent going through this lot and critical to function and safety.

On my 911 it had plastic shim to the B post (paint) and then a 1mm shim sandwiched to the striker.
After my fabulous rebuild ( ) it had just the alum shim one on both sides.

911hillclimber wrote:I used to design car locks and latches in the late 80's!

I love that! Who for? That's real unsung hero stuff . Car exterior designers get all the kudos but we forget everything else needs designing too.

It was Rockwell International (who bought Wilmot Breeden). I was Design Manager for 5 years, 1985/89.

The UK plant was in south Birmingham and my 'base'. Lots of engineers etc.
WB made all the locks and latches for all the UK and more and kept all the tools too. The older lock tooling was bought by Peter Weston who formed Western body Hardware.(now make all the new MGB and Mini latches etc)
We had plants in France (2) and Germany (Golde sunroofs) and Italy (2), I travelled an awful lot and had a company Pilots bag, samples one side, clean nickers the other, bought in Hong Kong just before the Chinees got it. Best bit of that (final) trip was going past Mount Fuji on the Bullet Train drinking a whisky.

I seemed to specialise in central door locking for the USA and did 3 huge projects for the Big Three in Detroit. I went to Detroit each fortnight sometimes for 2 weeks and once for 24 hours, coming home on the plane I arrived in.
Chrysler had an amusing test on the door latches called 'Angry-with-the-Wife-Slam', 100 mega door slams and our test engineer could even break the side glass..rugby scrum half.

Main competitor in the USA was Magnum and United Technology and we beat them both! Nearly killed me mind, Doctor said I should stop and find another job.
I did, in the caravan industry...and never regretted it. (2 x the salary, 37 hour week), and I started hill climbing my 911 too. Life changer.

They were racy times, no time for life, just work, from 5am to 6pm in the UK if I was lucky, I was not alone. I was part of a great team, average age 36.

Sorry, bit of nostalgia there through rosy glasses.