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presidentsamito
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-- 08-17-2010 @ 4:28 AM
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Hello Friends, I'm still putting my '46 back together here in Rhode Island...2.5 years in the works, but slow but sure restoration.
The driver's door sags. The bottom of the door at the end away from the hinge sits about 1/4 below the body line.
Can the door hinge or parts of it be replaced or repaired to fix this? Does anyone sell these?
Thanks to all.
John Peterson
1946 Tudor
Crazy to have tried restoration...but even crazier to finish
This message was edited by presidentsamito on 8-17-10 @ 4:29 AM
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trjford8
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-- 08-17-2010 @ 7:33 AM
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Most times the wear is in the upper hinge at the pin.You can get oversized pins, but if the hinge is worn too much you will have to put a bushing in the hinge. Most auto parts stores carry hinge pins with bushings in those "Help" packages. The V-8 suppliers do carry the oversize pins and you might also run a want ad for a better hinge. You should not have too much trouble finding hinges for your car.
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TomO
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-- 08-17-2010 @ 8:21 AM
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1/4 inch seems like a lot for a worn hinge pin. Did you have the body off of the frame?
Tom
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supereal
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-- 08-17-2010 @ 9:49 AM
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With the door slightly open, have someone lift it while you watch the hinges to see where the slop is occurring. Hinge pins are measured in the thousandths, and can be hard to find, particularly the better stainless kind. Given that much drop, I assume that your latches don't work, and the dovetails are badly worn or missing. I think most of us who spent months or years restoring a vehicle understand your frustration. When I feel like setting the car on fire, I take time off from the project. I think you will eventually find it worth the effort.
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ford38v8
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-- 08-17-2010 @ 10:05 PM
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John, Super gave good advice. Odds are that your hinge is good, but is unsupported fully by the door itself. While a friend lifts and lowers the latch side of the door, you'll likely see the hinge move relative to the door skin.
The fix is to remove the door upholstery panel, cut an access window from the inside of the door, and weld an internal brace to the hinge area. Be sure to protect the paint outside with wet towels on the skin and hinge, or you'll be doing some painting also.
Alan
This message was edited by ford38v8 on 8-17-10 @ 10:06 PM
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presidentsamito
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-- 08-18-2010 @ 4:16 PM
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This is an excellent theory...I have the door panel out already because I am painting the door.
Is the piece in question inside the door...if so, the access panel must be cut in the side of the door, the part into which the hinge goes? Thanks in advance to all.
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ford38v8
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-- 08-18-2010 @ 7:34 PM
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John, the hinge is welded to the side of the door, which takes constant flex stress, as well as rust damage inside the door. the access hole should be cut on the inside of the door, not the side of the door, and itself be welded closed again after the installation of the brace.
Alan
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presidentsamito
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-- 08-19-2010 @ 3:07 AM
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Will do...will try to see if there is slop there. I should clarify that only the driver's door does this. Subject to more opening and closing I guess.
As another clarification, I don't have any...zero of the door latch or other hardware on the car. I'm simply opening and closing it to check alignment. The passenger side goes in exactly where it should, that is, even border all around. Amazing.
I guess my question is, for the drivers door, does the door require the latch to put the door "into correct place" -- is that what I should be reading?
You guys are so kind to help me with this...
Lots of wet sanding going on here 
John
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ford38v8
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-- 08-19-2010 @ 8:52 AM
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John, both doors should align properly without the aid of the latches, but do rely on the dovetails to stay aligned while on the road. I've read back through your post and you haven't answered TomO's question regarding body/frame, so before you start cutting your inner door panel, confirm that there is actually an excess of slop, or is it that your body is out of alignment? I'd suggest that you postpone the wet sanding until the fit is of all body panels is perfect.
Alan
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supereal
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-- 08-19-2010 @ 10:04 AM
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John: As Alan says, the doors should fit evenly in the opening, in any case. The alignment of the latch with the strike is adjustable by moving the strike, of course, but that movement is limited by the movement of the captive threaded bar behind the jamb. We have had to make thick shims from sheet stock a number of times to get good latching action. Unless the hinges are bent or broken, it is wise not to try to remove or adjust them, at least until you determine the hinge pins are not the cause. We had problems with getting the doors on my '47 convertible to fit, even more than usual with an open car. The cause turned out to be a "racked" (bent) frame where someone apparently tried to jerk the car out of a ditch by hooking into one of the frame holes. Put your can on a known level floor and take careful measurements all around. If the body is out of line, a good frame shop can get it back where it belongs, and the doors will shut easily.
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