Cascade Crew

[Al Hasse]

I replaced the lower hinge, along with the upper and lower pins and bushings on the driver side and still have the passenger side to do. I replaced the body side lower hinge so I could replace the detent roller. I may have to pull another set, I asked the one of the guys at the yard to pull the pin and roller from the hinge, and he did just that - the whole pin, which I needed the lower portion to put my new roller on We got it reassembled, but probably needs some extra tack weld where the swedge (mushroom on the end of the pin) was ground off.

Now my question. How are the doors adjusted so they don't bounce open against the striker pin prior to latching? It seems to be the weather stripping on the front side of the door that's causing a bind and preventing the door from fully closing. I've tried everything I could think of short of placing shims behind the hing plates.

[Dan Johnson]

Al, try adjusting the striker pin out, might help, good to hear the doors are back on. Dan

[aaron_sK]

When the door closes, is the front edge (on the outside) to far in? If so, it may need shimming.

[Al Hasse]

Door is in a bit, but I think that's from a previous owner jacking from the wrong spot and putting a bow on the fender.

When I put new weather stripping on, it did much the same thing, but cure itself after a few days as the seal formed to the car. Don't think that's going to happen again.

Thanks Dan for the help on separating the detent pins.

Passenger door is still waiting, maybe next weekend.

[MrMike98]

here is a good place to ask:
if u pulled hood, fenders and both doors what is the correct reassembly sequence?

i think its doors first (shimed to rear body ) then fenders shimed to doors then hood shimed/ adjusted to fenders??

I just bought a box of 250 assored body shims 1/32 1/16 1/8 /4 whole box 8.00 at HF.

al if u need an extra hand let me know

[chevymad]

Ya, its doors first because you can get to the hinge bolts. Align them with the quarters and the rocker panel. Then shim the fender to fit the doors.. But the hood throws a problem in here. You have to split the difference between getting the door gap and hood gap correct.. Cars that have been around awhile or wrecked are a real pia to get shimmed in. On the high end cars they actually remove/weld in metal at the seams to get them tight. Our cars were fairly tight to begin with, but 60s stuff was way off. I know the spec on the trunk lid for my old 68 velle was anything under 5/8s of an inch was acceptable from the factory.

[Al Hasse]

I think I've got the driver door lined up pretty good now. I still need to install the hinge spring, but it seems to shut correctly 90% of the time with the window down. Now the window needs adjusted for upper limit height and curvature toward the body. I think the door was tweaked from a previous "redneck" adjustment with a block of wood as a temporary cure for a sagging lower hinge I've got the bottom of the door pretty even with the rocker panel and the back edge looks good on the quarter. The fender still bows out a bit beyond the door from improper jacking, but that's another matter. Passenger side next, then the windows

[Al Hasse]

I removed the driver side again so I could get the detent pin welded on where my "friend" at the yard ground it off. Now it wont lift out with the pressure of the hinge spring against the roller on top.

Here's a couple of shots of the weld I had a friend do for me at Kitsap Muffler, free of charge .





My "new" passenger side hing looks just as good, considering there's not normally a weld in that spot, the pin is normally mushroomed on the bottom side of the hinge body.


And here's a shot of the new upper pins and bushings in place.



Occasionally, the door still bounces open after catching the first part of the latch, but most of the time it will fully close. I still think it might have to do with the weather strip and the memory it formed to it's old position. I'm thinking I may need to get new seals again, partially because they won't form to the new position, and because there is a break in the strip by the hinge.

[IROCDave]

Al, try using a heat gun on the seals before purchasing a new set. As for the broken seal, try stuffing 3m strip caulk into the bead then press them together. I love that stuff, it sticks to everything and is the same color as the weather stripping. If you need some give me a call. I bought a brick of it when I put my car back together after paint and still have most of it left.

[Al Hasse]

Thanks Dave, I might have to take you up on that. If you're home on Saturday, I'm working until about 1:00 or 1:30 in Bothell. Maybe we can meet somewhere?