Headlamp door removal...Help
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 603
Likes: 11
From: Dayton Nevada
Headlamp door removal...Help
In prepping for paint, I come to headlamp doors....Removing them for paint..I have consulted w/ the AIM, not clear on how this done, checked with Haynes still not clear.Dose anyone have thoughts on this.??
The doors do need to be removed for paint..right???
I read where it says remove pivot bolt in front..ok...3 cap screws..by reaching in through the grill...ok..but nothing about the other 3 screws attached to the frame under the fender????
I'll go give it a try and get some pics..
The doors do need to be removed for paint..right???
I read where it says remove pivot bolt in front..ok...3 cap screws..by reaching in through the grill...ok..but nothing about the other 3 screws attached to the frame under the fender????
I'll go give it a try and get some pics..
Last edited by Douglas Brown; Apr 4, 2013 at 05:32 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 5,236
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From: Myrtle Beach SC
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,614
Likes: 350
From: No Where USA
Take everything off the headlight door. Pivot it up and you will see 2 collars with set screws. Loosen the set screws and move the collars in. Now you can move the door side to side to get it out of the rotators.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,235
Likes: 4,326
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi db,
I would leave the doors in place... but remove ALL the operating mechanism.
This way you can open and close the doors at will to prepare and paint them. BUT, you can also align them the way you want.
Painting the doors separate from the body is nice, but getting them back in place, and the gaps set is a TOUGH job to do with out slightly damaging your new paint.
Maybe?
Regards,
Alan
I would leave the doors in place... but remove ALL the operating mechanism.
This way you can open and close the doors at will to prepare and paint them. BUT, you can also align them the way you want.
Painting the doors separate from the body is nice, but getting them back in place, and the gaps set is a TOUGH job to do with out slightly damaging your new paint.
Maybe?
Regards,
Alan
Racer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 300
Likes: 3
From: kempton park Gauteng
[QUOTE=Alan 71;1583554389]Hi db,
I would leave the doors in place... but remove ALL the operating mechanism.
This way you can open and close the doors at will to prepare and paint them. BUT, you can also align them the way you want.
Painting the doors separate from the body is nice, but getting them back in place, and the gaps set is a TOUGH job to do with out slightly damaging your new paint.
Maybe?
Regards,
Alan
I took mine out when i was getting the car ready for paint thinking it was the best way to do things
( Wrong ) When you want to get them back in with your new paint on , you will scratch the body or the doors unless you use automotive body tape around the door lip and the door opening on the body .
This makes the gap between the two smaller and then the fight to get them back in begins . I screwed up my paint like this and it was back to the body shop and extra money . Just follow Alan's advice you wont be sorry . I wish i had asked the same question you did before i started
Cheers ,
John
I would leave the doors in place... but remove ALL the operating mechanism.
This way you can open and close the doors at will to prepare and paint them. BUT, you can also align them the way you want.
Painting the doors separate from the body is nice, but getting them back in place, and the gaps set is a TOUGH job to do with out slightly damaging your new paint.
Maybe?
Regards,
Alan
I took mine out when i was getting the car ready for paint thinking it was the best way to do things
( Wrong ) When you want to get them back in with your new paint on , you will scratch the body or the doors unless you use automotive body tape around the door lip and the door opening on the body .This makes the gap between the two smaller and then the fight to get them back in begins . I screwed up my paint like this and it was back to the body shop and extra money . Just follow Alan's advice you wont be sorry . I wish i had asked the same question you did before i started
Cheers ,
John
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,842
Likes: 285
From: Palmdale CA
[QUOTE=jakvette;1583554954]
Same thing here. Damaged the paint around the edges, even with the tape. It was a huge wrestling match and it might've helped if I had a helper, but I was by myself that day. Very frustrating, tiring and tough to boot! I'd leave em' in, in a heartbeat. Only pulled them to replace the tired plastic bushings and mechanicals.
Hi db,
I would leave the doors in place... but remove ALL the operating mechanism.
This way you can open and close the doors at will to prepare and paint them. BUT, you can also align them the way you want.
Painting the doors separate from the body is nice, but getting them back in place, and the gaps set is a TOUGH job to do with out slightly damaging your new paint.
Maybe?
Regards,
Alan
I took mine out when i was getting the car ready for paint thinking it was the best way to do things( Wrong ) When you want to get them back in with your new paint on , you will scratch the body or the doors unless you use automotive body tape around the door lip and the door opening on the body .This makes the gap between the two smaller and then the fight to get them back in begins . I screwed up my paint like this and it was back to the body shop and extra money . Just follow Alan's advice you wont be sorry . I wish i had asked the same question you did before i started
Cheers ,
John
I would leave the doors in place... but remove ALL the operating mechanism.
This way you can open and close the doors at will to prepare and paint them. BUT, you can also align them the way you want.
Painting the doors separate from the body is nice, but getting them back in place, and the gaps set is a TOUGH job to do with out slightly damaging your new paint.
Maybe?
Regards,
Alan
I took mine out when i was getting the car ready for paint thinking it was the best way to do things
( Wrong ) When you want to get them back in with your new paint on , you will scratch the body or the doors unless you use automotive body tape around the door lip and the door opening on the body .This makes the gap between the two smaller and then the fight to get them back in begins . I screwed up my paint like this and it was back to the body shop and extra money . Just follow Alan's advice you wont be sorry . I wish i had asked the same question you did before i started Cheers ,
John
Same thing here. Damaged the paint around the edges, even with the tape. It was a huge wrestling match and it might've helped if I had a helper, but I was by myself that day. Very frustrating, tiring and tough to boot! I'd leave em' in, in a heartbeat. Only pulled them to replace the tired plastic bushings and mechanicals.
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Brett Foote
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
When you put the head light doors back in, stop at that point and align them. Get your gaps good before the color coats. Do the same thing with the doors. Mount them and align them before color.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 603
Likes: 11
From: Dayton Nevada
On the headlight doors, I only needed to unscrew one adjusting collar...As far as the D & P doors, I had planned to prim , paint & clear coat the jam areas before rehanging them, all the other removable parts, Front Air dam, mirrors, cowl cover, hood ect I will paint complete then attach them as I go......I do not think you can get a good paint job with all that stuff in the way .
Thanks for the support and advise.
Thanks for the support and advise.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 987
Likes: 7
From: Surrey British Columbia
I vote for removing the doors. In fact I pulled everything (headlight doors, gas cap door, side mirrors bumper covers, driver and passenger doors). I just think it'll look better if the parts are painted off of the car. But I'm funny that way.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,428
Likes: 5
From: Japan
I've painted my '70 twice now.The first time I left the light doors in because I didn't want to deal with the hassle of disassembling them. As a result,I got overspray in places where I didn't want it. As is documented ad nauseum in my Paint Thread recently I took them out this last time. I actually did manage to extract the complete assemblies without disassembling them, but in hindsight it would have been better to remove and label everything before taking just the doors and frames out as a unit.
I then disassembled, cleaned and painted everything, and set the frames with the doors attached back into the car while everything was in primer and adjusted the doors for up/down-side/side location.
I masked off the door/frame assemblies and painted them separate from the car so I wouldn't get overspray on them, and there really isn't any noticeable color shift or difference between them and the rest of the car.
When I reassembled the car after paint I masked around the openings and set them back in place, then built up the assembly in the car. As a result, everything's nice and clean and works really well.
Good luck and hope it all turns out nice!
I then disassembled, cleaned and painted everything, and set the frames with the doors attached back into the car while everything was in primer and adjusted the doors for up/down-side/side location.
I masked off the door/frame assemblies and painted them separate from the car so I wouldn't get overspray on them, and there really isn't any noticeable color shift or difference between them and the rest of the car.
When I reassembled the car after paint I masked around the openings and set them back in place, then built up the assembly in the car. As a result, everything's nice and clean and works really well.
Good luck and hope it all turns out nice!
Last edited by birdsmith; Apr 7, 2013 at 01:54 PM.