DRIVER SIDE HINGES sagging
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 258
Likes: 0
From: Brookhaven Mississippi
DRIVER SIDE HINGES sagging
I was wondering if anyone had any instructions as to how you install new driver side hinges. Im going to try to attempt and get this done this weekend so i was wondering if any of you could guide me on the right path? thanks!
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,332
Likes: 786
From: Redondo Beach, California
Sorry, it seems a little straight forward. For the door, there's a little steel panel adjacent to the hinge you have to remove do undo the door side fasteners. For the body, you have to remove the driver's side kick panel and then you can get to the body side of the fasteners. The side kick panels can be a little balky to get loose. Pull the carpet that sticks up under them,....out. Also, loosen the driver's side speedo/tach panel screws a little bit to give you some slack to get the kick panel out.
The door is pretty heavy so getting it loose means you have to plan to have something to support it after you remove a hinge. If you don't mind spending the money, Eastwood sells door supports with dolleys that will hold the door when you remove a hinge.
Finally..DO YOU HAVE NEW HINGES? Where did you get them, I'm been looking for some. (There are hinge rebuild kits available which provide for re-bushing the hinge spring holes.)
The door is pretty heavy so getting it loose means you have to plan to have something to support it after you remove a hinge. If you don't mind spending the money, Eastwood sells door supports with dolleys that will hold the door when you remove a hinge.
Finally..DO YOU HAVE NEW HINGES? Where did you get them, I'm been looking for some. (There are hinge rebuild kits available which provide for re-bushing the hinge spring holes.)
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,666
Likes: 1
From: Where it's always hot as Hell-South Louisiana.
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Best buy urself a Shop Manual first. It's not a "simple" job but can be done by a novice (even me). You'll need a buddy to help hold the door,or a jack as mentioned above. Removing the dash panel is what has stopped me this far 
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
or the assembly instruction manual (AIM). Upper hinge bolts on the interior will be a little hard to hit with the dash pad in place.
Are you sure you need hinges and not hinge pins and bushings?
Index the hinge bolts (door and door post) and the shim stacks before you remove them. You want to use the factory locations and shim stacks as a place to start for door fitting if you install new hinges.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Jul 16, 2010 at 12:49 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,113
Likes: 669
From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
Thee was/is a rebuild kit for this problem. It has two brass pivots bushings and two new hinge pins. A lot cheaper that replacing the whole hinges. I've seen the at Pepboys sold under the 'Help' brand also calls the motormite brand in a red container.
Motormite Mfg Div
P.O. box 1800
Colmar, PA 18915-1800
Motormite Mfg Div
P.O. box 1800
Colmar, PA 18915-1800
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 258
Likes: 0
From: Brookhaven Mississippi
Sorry, it seems a little straight forward. For the door, there's a little steel panel adjacent to the hinge you have to remove do undo the door side fasteners. For the body, you have to remove the driver's side kick panel and then you can get to the body side of the fasteners. The side kick panels can be a little balky to get loose. Pull the carpet that sticks up under them,....out. Also, loosen the driver's side speedo/tach panel screws a little bit to give you some slack to get the kick panel out.
The door is pretty heavy so getting it loose means you have to plan to have something to support it after you remove a hinge. If you don't mind spending the money, Eastwood sells door supports with dolleys that will hold the door when you remove a hinge.
Finally..DO YOU HAVE NEW HINGES? Where did you get them, I'm been looking for some. (There are hinge rebuild kits available which provide for re-bushing the hinge spring holes.)
The door is pretty heavy so getting it loose means you have to plan to have something to support it after you remove a hinge. If you don't mind spending the money, Eastwood sells door supports with dolleys that will hold the door when you remove a hinge.
Finally..DO YOU HAVE NEW HINGES? Where did you get them, I'm been looking for some. (There are hinge rebuild kits available which provide for re-bushing the hinge spring holes.)
My dad and i know a guy that has had a family corvette sales/restoration shop for a long time. I did some work for him and I just told him I'd take the hinges for compensation. It worked out and they were new in box. Not sure where they came from though Ill check with him and get back to you on it. He said new hinges upper and lower for one door was about 260 bucks retail.
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Drifting
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,345
Likes: 0
From: Melbourne Australia
or the assembly instruction manual (AIM). Upper hinge bolts on the interior will be a little hard to hit with the dash pad in place.
Are you sure you need hinges and not hinge pins and bushings?
Index the hinge bolts (door and door post) and the shim stacks before you remove them. You want to use the factory locations and shim stacks as a place to start for door fitting if you install new hinges.
i had done some repair work on my drivers side door hinge, but i was lucky that i already had the dash out, so it made the job a little easier.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 258
Likes: 0
From: Brookhaven Mississippi
you dont?? well awesome i guess i havent really gotten up in there yet to see. Im going to try the repar kit first, but does anyone know where i can get them to fit our cars? i went to o reilly yesterday and auto zone but the pins were about and inch and half too long
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,666
Likes: 1
From: Where it's always hot as Hell-South Louisiana.
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,666
Likes: 1
From: Where it's always hot as Hell-South Louisiana.
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
the "S" spring changeout on an 80/81 model is childs play. all that is needed is a flat screwdriver about 12-14 inches long, bend a 30 degree angle in the shaft about 4 inches back from the tip. check out a few vendors website for the tool ,they sell for $10-12, or buy a cheapie screwdriver and bend urself. easy job, really.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 90
Likes: 4
From: Missouri City Texas
DRIVER SIDE HINGES sagging
It is better to rebuild your own door hinges and use a kit, fairly simple to rebuild. If you buy new or rebuilt be careful as the hinges changed in the 70 model year. I have a 69 and I bought a set that I could rebuild (these were 70/76), when I tried to put the door on the door pockets that enclose the hinges they would not fit. The later year hinges have more meat on them because the doors got heavier with all the power options,locks windows etc.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
There's where you're going. The dash is out of this car making things much, much easier to see. It'll be dark up there. Crawl under the dash and take a look in that direction.
You can get to the lower hinge behind the kick panel.
Good luck.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Jul 21, 2010 at 11:56 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 258
Likes: 0
From: Brookhaven Mississippi
thanks for the help. i just ordered the repair kit for the hinges off of ecklers for about 20 bucks amd new springs so im going to give this a try first to see if the door will meet flush and if not then ill put in the new ones 