dugsgms74

Just got my 68-68 TIM&JG and it talks about the 68s having no pull loops on the storage compartment doors. If I'm reading it right they had some kind of spring to push the door open when unlatched? If so,are the springs still available? If someone could send some knowledge on the subject my way Id appreciate it.

doorgunner

Sorry....my early '68 does not have springs...it had black plastic-looking pull straps that were dry and falling apart.

bradc6

My 68 has them but no idea if they are original or were added during the restoration.

Easy Mike

The Judging Guide says the storage door hinges incorporated springs which were supposed to pop the doors open a little when the thumb button was pressed. Apparently the springs did not work well and pull loops were added during the 69 model year.

To my knowledge, the springs are not being reproduced.

bob68

The 68 storage doors were unique to the year they did use the spring loaded hinges, the 2 outside doors were unpainted Masonite unlike the reproduction doors which are painted black and have a hole drilled in them for the pull straps, the center door is plastic (interior color) I do have a spring loaded hinge for the center door if anyone needs one
Bob

avalonjohn

Correct for early cars. later 68's had black painted Masonite (all 3 doors).

7T1vette

If the car won't be judged, just add the loops so you can get the doors open.

But I do have to say that these aftermarket loops are really poor quality and flimsy. The original loops are made of much heavier vinyl fabric.

70Yellowbird

A few months ago I was looking for a '70 battery compartment door hinge. George (1960fi) sent me a photo of what he had. His photo showed a spring built into the hinge, but wasn't sure what year vette he got it from.

It was not what I needed, but may still be available if you are interested in purchasing.

Hope this helps.

Joe

loup68

My March 27, 1968 coupe had the outer bare doors and the plastic center door that eventually became distorted with age from the compartment light switch's spring pressure.
All three of the door hinges had springs. Lou.

JC68

Below is a picture of the 1968 early 1969 storage door spring. This is the second design spring used in 1968 that carried over into 1969. There was an earlier 1968 design that worked worse than this one.

Early 1968 center doors were plastic, later model year center doors were made of the same Masonite as the outer doors.

John

dugsgms74

Good replies everyone,thanks. My Jan 15 build 68 (the exact day the TIM&JG says the center door changed from plastic to masonite)has the black masonite doors(all 3) and pull loops. I guess they could have been changed at some point in time but the stickers on the underside of the pass side door do look age appropriate(maybe taken from another car).

loup68

If the TIM & JG says that the center door changed on January 68, they are way off!
I haven't wanted to spend the money on one, yet. I know that I will be able to find a lot of 68 errors in it, if the older one I bought, not knowing a new one was in the works, is any example. Lou.

PRNDL

Well, that explains why my battery compartment door - which does not close properly - always pops wide open!! It's the darn spring! Also, the button latches have a little metal tab over them, one of mine unfortunately broke off.

dugsgms74

Interesting, I was wondering how they came up with such a specific date, this is GM were talking about after all. A few years back I restored a 63 VW beetle, VW would give a specific VIN number where a change occurred and that was the way it was. As I understand it, GM was very different, they would make a change note on the engineering drawings and the change would happen sometime after that, likely when the initial part inventory was depleted but I dont think itd be hard to imagine that if some additional stock of the initial part was discovered after the change occurred that it would be used.
It would be shame to think that a car with original parts on it would be hit with a deduction during judging because NCRS was trying to put a absolute date on a change that wasn't very absolute during production.

Easy Mike

The Judging Guide says GM was aware of the glove box door problem and authorized a change to a masonite door on cars to be assembled after January 15, 1968. It is not likely the change took effect that specific day. In the real world, existing stocks would have continued to be used until the new doors were received at St. Louis.

My 68 AIM shows a change for the glove box door but I am not able to read the date of the change.

loup68

Just to clarify, my center door and interior are red. I could not read my two AIM copies, either. But my early copy has the center door as callout #13. Lou.