Re: Droopy E Body doors
[Re: challengeragtop]
#536421
11/25/09 03:32 PM
11/25/09 03:32 PM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,285 West Coast, USA
jbc426
master
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master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,285
West Coast, USA
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Your hinges likely need to be rebuilt. Look on Resto Rick's site for the kits, or send them in to him to have them done. You can also get fresh bushings in those Help packets sold at some auto parts stores and get acceptable results with those, but they are more of a bandaid approach.
That being said, you may be able to adjust your worn hinges to the point that the striker is not lifting the back of the door up when closed. That way once the handle is released and the door begins to open, the door won't drop.
This is what I've learned on this site, and it's how I did mine after rebuilding the hinges with Rick's kit. It still took a while, as door adjustment is somewhat of an art with these cars.
Adjust the back of the door to the 1/4 panel and the door sill, then the fenders to the front of the door, and finally the hood to the fenders.
1970 Plymouth 'Cuda #'s 440-6(block in storage)currently 493" 6 pack, Shaker, 5 speed Passon, 4.10's 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible 408 Magnum EFI with 4 speed automatic overdrive, 3800 stall lock-up converter and 4.30's (closest thing to an automatic 5 speed going)
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Re: Droopy E Body doors
[Re: jbc426]
#536422
11/25/09 07:02 PM
11/25/09 07:02 PM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,345 Marysville, O-H-I-O
70Cuda383
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,345
Marysville, O-H-I-O
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mine sag too, but I think it's more of a door alignment issue that i'll correct as I do the body work.
the doors would sag once opened, but if you lift on the door, the hinges are solid, and you can rock the car back and forth with the door, no movement vertically at all in the hinges.
check that before you tear everything off and apart. could just be the slightest mis-alignment...which can be a real pain!
when I was working at the resto shop, I once took 4 hours to line up a door! it's a long and slow process to do it right and not mess up the fresh paint! make a small adjustment, close the door, check it. open the door, hold the door so it doens't "fall" when you loosen the bolts, make your admustment, tighten the bolts, close the door, check...over and over and over!
and yes, you start the panel alignment process where the sheet metal cannot be moved and move forward from there. sounds like common sense, but if you're not thinking about it, you might toss the fenders on, then the hood, eager to get the car "whole" again...thinking the doors last would be ok.
so on these cars...line the back of the door up with the quarter, the bottom with the sill, then line the fender to the front of the door, and finally the hood to the fenders.
now, on that 59 T-bird we did...the quarters were welded onto the unibody, and the fenders were welded onto the unibody! better hope the doors were on when the fenders were welded on! (in this case, it looked like the body shop that got fired, allowing us to finish the car correctly...did NOT have the doors on when welding the feners on!)
**Photobucket sucks**
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Re: Droopy E Body doors
[Re: BDW]
#536427
11/25/09 09:09 PM
11/25/09 09:09 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 27,347 Today? Who Knows?
1_WILD_RT
Management Trainee
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Management Trainee
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 27,347
Today? Who Knows?
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Quote:
Thx,
So could I just remove the bottom hinge, while supporting door with jack or something else? Then put back in after rebuilding. I'm a little leary of the whole alignment issue. Would the above process eliminate the need to redo everything?
Nope.. You won't loose the adjustment up top.. but the bottom will need in/out & fore/aft adjustments set.. And really the top probably could be improved upon too... BTW The easy way to go would be just to pick up another pair of hinges & rebuild them.. Then swap them out & you'll have your old hinges to either resell & recoup the expense or keep around as spares...
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Re: Droopy E Body doors
[Re: 1_WILD_RT]
#536428
11/25/09 09:54 PM
11/25/09 09:54 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 367 Newark DE
Dogpro
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 367
Newark DE
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Not to be the bad egg here but E-body verts are known for center body sag and you may have to tie the rails to straighten it up . Lou
Lou P. Newark DE
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Re: Droopy E Body doors
[Re: Dogpro]
#536429
11/25/09 10:29 PM
11/25/09 10:29 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 27,347 Today? Who Knows?
1_WILD_RT
Management Trainee
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Management Trainee
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 27,347
Today? Who Knows?
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Quote:
Not to be the bad egg here but E-body verts are known for center body sag and you may have to tie the rails to straighten it up . Lou
Really? I can lift mine on the hoist, open both doors & still close the doors easily...
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Re: Droopy E Body doors
[Re: jbc426]
#536431
11/25/09 11:24 PM
11/25/09 11:24 PM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,822 Colorado
denfireguy
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,822
Colorado
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Quote:
Your hinges likely need to be rebuilt. Look on Resto Rick's site for the kits, or send them in to him to have them done. You can also get fresh bushings in those Help packets sold at some auto parts stores and get acceptable results with those, but they are more of a bandaid approach.
That being said, you may be able to adjust your worn hinges to the point that the striker is not lifting the back of the door up when closed. That way once the handle is released and the door begins to open, the door won't drop.
This is what I've learned on this site, and it's how I did mine after rebuilding the hinges with Rick's kit. It still took a while, as door adjustment is somewhat of an art with these cars.
Adjust the back of the door to the 1/4 panel and the door sill, then the fenders to the front of the door, and finally the hood to the fenders.
Another vote for RestoRick. After taking the hinges out, bead blasting them, put the HELP style bushing and pins, painting to match the car, reinstalled and the door would not match up to the quarters. Started over with another set of hinges, installed Rick's kit, everything matches, fender to quarter. Save your money by spending more money for better quality and do the job once. Craig
2014 Ram 1500 Laramie, 73 Cuda Previous mopars: 62 Valiant, 65 Fury III, 68 Fury III, 72 Satellite, 74 Satellite, 89 Acclaim, 98 Caravan, 2003 Durango Only previous Non-Mopar: Schwinn Tornado
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