PINTO CAR CLUB of AMERICA

Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: ToniJ1960 on May 18, 2013, 05:00:55 PM

Title: 78 wagon door hinges
Post by: ToniJ1960 on May 18, 2013, 05:00:55 PM

 Im getting ready to change the hinges on my 78 wagon passenger door. Does anyone have any advice tips suggestions tricks? Is there a thread or write up on this? The hinges I got seem really good, Im anxious.

Title: Re: 78 wagon door hinges
Post by: OhSix9 on May 19, 2013, 03:36:14 AM

If you where rebushing the originals i would say drill locator holes for pins but since you are changing hinges just trace them with a sharpie to get you in the neighbourhood adjustment wise. seems to me i layed a 3/16 or 1/4 strip of wood down the rocker to get the door level and about right

Title: Re: 78 wagon door hinges
Post by: ToniJ1960 on May 19, 2013, 03:46:11 AM

 I was going to spray a little black paint over the hinge area before I remove them (its a red car). What Im wondering about is if I need to remove the fender or anything. Or do I just pull all the bolts from the door then the car? I changed a door once by myself, but it was over 30 years ago ( my first Pinto). This time I have help, but he has no experience with these things, so Im hoping for advice before I pull bolts out and have something fall apart and cant get it back together

Title: Re: 78 wagon door hinges
Post by: sedandelivery on May 19, 2013, 05:39:56 AM

I changed the top hinge on my Sedandelivery. I took off the render, and with the door closed, removed the hinge and put the new one on. Then carefully opening and closing the door I adjusted it until it was perfect. Then I replaced the fender.

Title: Re: 78 wagon door hinges
Post by: ToniJ1960 on May 19, 2013, 01:03:32 PM

 Thanks but I mean, I dont want to take off the fender if I dont have to.

Will it be that the bolts will be hard to get a wrench on, get out or get back in if I dont? Will there be anything that drops or falls loose behind the fender? Im changing both hinges and dont mind taking off the door completely. I changed the whole door once myself on a 1974 wagon. I just cant remember most of what I did, if I took the door off the hinge first, or put he door back on with the hinge on the door or on the car. I do remember not taking off the fender, but maybe I just left the hinge on the car.

Title: Re: 78 wagon door hinges
Post by: jim72 on May 19, 2013, 05:29:41 PM

What I have done in the past is change one hinge at a time without taking the door off at all. Be careful to give the door some support as you will only have one hinge supporting it. This takes some of the guess work out of reorienting the door.

Title: Re: 78 wagon door hinges
Post by: ToniJ1960 on May 22, 2013, 03:03:52 PM

 Well we got the hinges on all three bolts on the bottom one but only the one bolt at the top for the top hinge. I can open and close the door, but its really stiff. I guess we have to take off the fender to loosen things and try to get the lower bot for the top hinge lined up. Who knows whatll happen with just one bolt in t he top hinge?

 Also does anyone know if the top or bottom are switchable from passenger side to drivers side?

Title: Re: 78 wagon door hinges
Post by: TIGGER on May 22, 2013, 04:03:21 PM

As far as I know the hinges are not switchable from side to side.

Title: Re: 78 wagon door hinges
Post by: Pinto5.0 on May 25, 2013, 11:05:40 AM

I believe the lower hinge on '74-up cars is the same on both sides. A good passenger hinge can be flipped & used on a drivers door. If I'm wrong then it's the upper but one is identical.