hugh9222

I removed my doors in order to replace very well worn bushings and pins. I am attempting to install the doors to do a fit check. With the new bushings the upper hinge (working on the right side) the pin appears to be too long, i.e. I’d have to notch the fiberglass to have it be a direct fit. I verified that the new pins are the same length as the old ones and the pin fit the new bushings. The lower pin is no trouble. I was planning to remove the hinge half that mounts to the body after the fit check. It appears that I will have to remove the upper body side hinge half and insert the pin on the bench. I would then install the upper complete hinge to the body, align it and bolt the door to the hinge. I’m concerned that I would be able to scribe the upper hinge current location. I had excellent gaps except that both doors sagged. Am I on the right path?? Thanks in advance. Hugh

DUB

Hugh,

Seeing how I know what year you are dealing with..it is always wise to mention your year model in any thread you start.

YES...it is very common for the pin in the upper hinge to come out easily...but not want to go back in the same way and that is due to you having NEW bushings and the pin reacts differently due to now being tight again.

Not knowing on the 'level' of quality you are wanting to achieve. it is possible to grind down the button head end flat....so it looks like a 'D'...and then you can turn and rotate it in like you are threading it down past the body and get it in...and put the flat side of the head you ground to the rear so it is not easily noticed. once again...depends on how picky you are. And grinding the edge of the head DOES NOT effect its strength....because it is being held in by the splines and will NOT come up if fully seated or fall out.

If that is NOT to your liking...then the hinge needs to be removed from the post. And instead of scribing the heads of the bolts....i shoot an aerosol paint in the post so I know where the head of the bolts went. You may ahve to remove sealers that GM put on the bolts when they installed them to stop water entering in the post from the hinge bolts. KEEP THAT IN MIND when you remove the hinge.

I can say that you may need to check your upper hinges to see if they are hyper-extended.....becasue if they are...and left alone and not replaced or repaired....one day...if the door fly's open...the upper hinge will contact with the inner door structure and it CAN chip or chunk out fiberglass....that many people are well aware of. unfortunately...this needed to be check before you did anything with the bushings.....beacsue if you do get it all back together and check it and see that your door when fully opened is REALLY CLOSE to the upepr hinge...they either need to be replaced with new hinges or removed and modified to STOP this potential inherent problem form occurring. I always check the 'door/hinge' issue and almost every Corvette from 1968 to 1982 needs for them to be modified.

DUB