328 door ajar

It's chassis flex, which amplifies and ill-fitting door. The fix is simple, but not easy - lots of tiny adjustments to the striker plate.

 

I found that if you lock it it won't do that.

 

Check for wear in the striker. A new one fixed that issue on mine. The rubber had deteriorated

 

I replaced my striker about ten years ago. On days below 50 degrees, the passenger door would not shut all the way and be ajar. Body must have shrunk or expanded by temp. New striker fixed it.

 

My 328 GTB door flew open with my young son sitting in the seat going around a curve. Lucky for seat belts!
A new striker fixed it.

 

https://www.superformance.co.uk/328/fittings.html

 

Assuming the LH and RH are as viewed from the driver's seat looking forward, and cfazio348's car is a LHD (meaning their passengers side is the RHD side door), then they have been lucky!:

Superformance lock striker prices:

RH = £71.43
LH = £414.28

That's quite a price difference!

 

One of the other reasons for a door being out of alignment is using the door for support when getting in or, even more importantly, out of the car. It is important to tell passengers not to do this and not to do it yourself. Putting downward weight on the door can easily result in just enough misalignment to keep it from closing properly or staying closed.

 

I've checked Eurospares and Maranello classic parts here in the UK:

Eurospares only have used ones in stock, Priced at:

LH = £177.06
RH = £168.00

New ones are priced at:
;
LH = £321.92 (SUBJECT TO ORDER)
RH = ENQUIRE

https://www.eurospares.co.uk/Ferrari/328/328_(1985)/PartDiagrams/111/Glasses No.38

(Both of those mean they don't have them in stock, and don't know when they will have them in stock

Maranello Classic Parts (ferraripart.co.uk) are showing both in stock:

LH = £522.00
RH= £85.72

https://www.ferrariparts.co.uk/Diagram/Ferrari/328-GTB-GTS-(1985)/111-Glasses No.38

Why there is such a difference between the price of the LH and RH sides is a complete mystery - It can't be more expensive to make the left hand one, than the left hand one.

The only thing I can think off, is (possibly), it's the right hand side is the one that fails regularly, so Ferrari make far more right hand strikers, than left hand strikers, so they're much cheaper.

 

+1 ; The 3*8 GTB/GTS door hinges are not designed to take someone's body weight pushing on them (the same goes for the 348 and 355)

Getting out of a 3*8 GTB/GTS, you have got to use the Tom Selleck/Magnum pi method: Open the door, place the hand next to the door on the carpet covered sill, place your weight on that hand/arm, and use that hand/arm to push yourself up and out of the car.

 

Ding, ding, ding we have a winner !. 9 out of 10 times or more it is a sagging door. People lift themselves out of the car by the door and the structure the hinges are attached to are not strong enough for that. When I was younger I just grabbed the door and lifted it until it was an inch or to too high and when it sprung back see if it was enough. Repeat as required. At this point I use a floor jack with a small piece of 2x4 between the jack pad and the bottom flat surface of door.

 

It’s quite easy to see if the door is sagging by just opening the door enough so that it’s unlatched and then look at the belt line of the door compared to the rear quarter of the car. If it’s low, it needs raised back up into shape. Don’t know if this information is helpful to your situation, but I just retrieved my 85 308 from being serviced. Had been in Idaho for the last four months and I noticed when I got it back to my garage the passenger door didn’t want to latch properly and I thought that was strange. I pulled the interior door panel and sprayed a light mist of deep creep penetrant on the latch mechanism and let it sit overnight. Went into the garage in the morning and the door latched normally as before.

 

SAAB used to do this for tail lights, RH $ 35, LH $120. No rhyme or reason.

 

Also check that the hinge pins are tight in the hinge. I had one popping out and the door would not latch.