[MARTINSR]

I have seen discussions on this on the forum often and for some reason never got a good photo of it. I was talking thru the shop this morning and saw one of my Co-workers (a favorite co-worker of mine, he DOES it, you know what I mean, no crying, no asking for help all the time, he just DOES it.) using this method and I snapped a couple of shots.

He has his knee forward under the door. I need to shoot a video. But basically he carried the door up to the car, knelled down resting the door on his leg. The right hand is keeping the door on the leg while the left hand is installing the bolts. Note that this is a newly painted door on a finished car, yes it's a small door but it really is easy to do this. Practice a little and you would be surprised how easy it is.

Brian

[malc]

That´s pretty cool, bet he does´nt take too long doing it or he´d permanantly crease his leg.

I built a cradle on wheels to do my Camaro doors, waay to big to do it that way.
This is the old one coming off.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by malc

That´s pretty cool, bet he does´nt take too long doing it or he´d permanantly crease his leg.

It takes no time at all, wham bam you are done.

Brian

[nine4gmc]

i used an engine hoist and some straps when I did my truck hinge bushings, the door was pretty big and heavy though.

[MARTINSR]

I posted this on a number of sites that I visit. I got a funny response, everything from "you hurt your leg" to "that door is light, try it with a vintage car door".

I have been using this method for decades. I now am a 53 year old gray haired 158 lb soaking wet old guy and it still is no big deal! I got to thinking about that door is so much lighter thing. Well, this is easy I have doors all over the shop, I brought in a scale I use to weigh stuff for shipment that I sell on ebay and I weighed the doors. You can see the scale on the floor behind me. The Toyota Camry front door you see in the photo weighs 37lbs. I pulled the door off my boss' 67 Chevelle and it weighs 40 lbs but it has the latch in it, where as the Toyota door is completely empty so I would say it's a wash and they are both the same weight. So there goes that theory.

I pulled the door off the Chevelle and while holding the door I hit the shutter button on my camera as it was sitting on a bucket set up for a 10 second self timer. I then went and installed the door getting a bolt in before the camera even flashed. The bolts were rusty, the nut plates had to be moved around from the inside of the door into place to put the bolts in and it still was a breeze! Guys, it's just an idea, it's as easy as putting a fender on by yourself, give it a try and see for yourself.

Brian

[MARTINSR]

LOL, a lot of people said how you can't do that with an older car because the door is too heavy. So I posted the previous photos showing me doing it with a Chevelle door. Well, like I said it won't work with EVERY door and every car. I found that out today, haven't work on something like this in a while and had forgotten, how about an 84 Chevy Elcamino? LOL, I went to grab the door and HOLY CRAP, TWO of us had a hell of a time with it! LOL, I still had my scale there at the shop and weighed the door, now this is complete with glass and hinges and all, but how about 110 lbs!


Brian

[jetnow1]

With steel safety beams I am not suprised to find late model doors weighing
as much as older doors.
Thank you Martin for all the basics you post- I for one learn something from
all of them. Jim

[MARTINSR]

You are very welcome.

Brian