Then fit the door lock using four 8mm nuts as spacers in place of the covered door card.
Make sure the door sits correctly when pressed shut against the door trim. Feel the edges are flush to the body and the door level is correct at the top rear where it meets the bodywork.
After removing the chrome cover, the four screw holes need to be opened up and on one of them the edge of the casting needs to be relieved to allow the countersunk screw (which AK supply and are screwed in place into the door when the body is delivered) to properly sit in place. Tape the lock handle in case it gets marked.
Tape the door shut so it is tight against the rubber trim.Assemble the catch into the curved backing plate and locate the catch solidly into the door lock.
A short length of tube or collar is required to fill the gap between the catch and the backing plate.
Allow a small gap between the curved backing plate and the door frame so we can get some P38 in there. Now screw the domed nut on finger tight. You should now see the final position of catch and plate.
Next. some woodworking. The catch plate needs some support or it will shift when your Significant Other gets out of the car after arguing about directions and she/he slams the door shut. To prevent that, either just agree with everything he/she says or cut/carve two pieces of wood which will jam into place between the curved backing plate and the bodywork. Don't carve it exactly as you want some space for P38 filling. So slather lots of it onto the curved plate, and all around the wooden blocks. When it is all in place and before it sets tighten up the domed nut behind the curved plate. Leave at least overnight as the P38 filling will be quite deep and needs a while to properly set. When done rub down the rough bits for finishing. The carpet will later fit over all this so make sure you have a bit of clearance or the carpet will be sticking out above the level of the door trim.
The other wooden blocks are to provide support to the panels AK flogged you with the body. You need to assess how thick they need to be in order to have the panels sit below the door trim, not up with it or along side. These will have a carpet covering and you don't want the edge of the carpet proud of the door trim. I have found that the door hinges interfere with this panel when it is placed against the scuttle uprights. It may be that some offsets are needed to bring the panel out a little away from the hinges. Also consider that the windscreen brackets will be down here. I cut some holes in the panel where the bolts holding the windscreen brackets are. The panel can screw into the wooden blocks and either tie wrap or self tap screws into the scuttle uprights.
The drivers side is the same story apart from carving the wooden blocks out to account for the battery cable and wiring loom.
Door Cards
More woodworking. The manual says 3mm ply but 3.6mm is more easily available and will do the job.
Don't just cut it equally 5mm in all around the edge of the door, it isn't an equal fit all round.
Shut the door and run a felt tip pen round the edge of the trim. That will be the line you need to cut the plywood to. It needs to be just off the edge of the trim but with no significant gap. When it is covered you want the door card to just press into the rubber trim so it seals.
Also leave a small gap at the top where it butts up against the moulding of the door.
Test fit the card to make sure it follows the line of the rubber trim and then sand a chamfer along the edge to give room for the covering when the door shuts.Drill holes for the lock mechanism and ten holes about 15mm in from the edge for the panel clips.
The manual recommends green clips from Woolies (no, not Woolworths - sadly) part number is CLIP 260.
When drilling these holes, only mark the centre point on the door, don't drill through the door. The holes in the door need to be offset about 10mm so remove the card, measure 9-10mm in from the hole centre and drill again. Mark each card so the trimmer knows which side is which.
After removing the card, refit the door lock with the 8mm nuts as spacres. Leave the chrome cover off until the car is back from the spray shop.
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