[Larry Tyner]

Iam building a 1931 Bantam & the doors have eat me alive. I wanted to install hidden hinges, but i
can't keep the door from rubbing when it starts to open. After it opens about 2 inches, it swings away from the body.I have made 3 set's & some work better than others. I bought a set from Rocky's hidden hinges & this did not solve the problem. I have moved them every way that i can.Could someone please help me? It have got to be a formula for determining what it needs. It has got be in the arc of the hinges. The last set that i made came very close. I really need help on this. I have worked on these door for 2 mo.
Thank's Larry

 

[fire power]

Hey know the problem, where does the door rub? My guess your problem is the inside door frame rubes on the way out of the body ? Or maybe the hinge edge rubs at the gap? Need more info to really help. Don't really know a formula but may be able to help, just got done setting up a set of suicide doors on an old volvo 544 and over came a couple similar problems

 

[Larry Tyner]

Originally posted by fire power:
<strong>Hey know the problem, where does the door rub? My guess your problem is the inside door frame rubes on the way out of the body ? Or maybe the hinge edge rubs at the gap? Need more info to really help. Don't really know a formula but may be able to help, just got done setting up a set of suicide doors on an old volvo 544 and over came a couple similar problems</strong><hr></blockquote>

 

[Larry Tyner]

Thank's Fire Power
The problem that i have is the front part of the door barley touches the body. That is the best that i have had them, & believe me, I have tried everything, but the right thing. I need to have the door move away from the body the instant that it starts to open, if that is possible. This problem has cost me a very large amount of time & Money.I only have Sat. to work on it, if i don't have to work at my job. Please give me any help that you can.
Thank's Larry

 

[fire power]

Well Larry you don't give much useful info .You say the front of door bairly touches body? Do you mean front of door opposite of hinge side,or rear of door hinge side? My guess is hinge side of door rubs just as door opens then moves away to clear. Do you have a gap when fully open? Are you using completely home made hinges, or trying to fab some from some other car door? Did the doors work PERFECTLY with old exposed hinges? The placement of the actual hinge pin is pretty crutial, next the shape of hinge movable plate,Trying to use late model stuff is not easy due to the fact that door design has changed a lot since the twentys. Give me a run down of what your using and what exactly happens be glad to try and help.

 

[[email protected]]

I made home made hinges for my '36 Pontiac (see my photo album) so the trunk opens sideways and I went thru the learning curve 'til I got it right. I found that the hinge pivot point needs to be tucked as close to the crease where the door jamb meets the body as possible Ideal would be a pin that had it's axis directly thru the 90deg bend in the body sheet metal but that is impossible. Next, the radius of the hinge needs to be exactly equal thru it's entire arc to the distance from the hinge pin to the place where it intersects the door.

 

[Larry Tyner]

Thank's Again Fire Power for your responce
The front of the door opppsite of the hinge hits.
I have about a 3/16th gap with door fully open.
The hinges are all homemade, i bought a set & they did not work as good, that is when i started to make some of my own. I had a machine shop drill 5/8 round steel to accept chevy pins & bushings for the pivot point, then I used 1 1/4 by3/8 flat metal to make all my bends & welded it to my pivots. I think that my problem is where I weld it to my pivot. I have the pivot 7/8 from inside of body. That is as close as i can get. It is a fiberglass body & I have never had regular hinges on it, but if something don't change I will have to go that way, but i have put so much time & effort in the hidden hinges I hate to give up.The hinge side of the door is close but it does not hit.
Thanks again
Larry
ps if i give you enought information i believe you will get me thru this

 

[fire power]

Larry sounds like willys36 has the right idea. I'll write back in a few days goin fishin. I'll try and get some pics or diagrams to send in

 

[fire power]

Larry I have looked at several old style doors and they all have hinge pin very close to outer skin, I think your hinge pin location is your problem. Is it the inner door that rubs on the way out? You could cut door and angle inner piece slightly if your totally happy with the rest of how the door works. I suggest looking at as many rods as you can first hand to see how other doors are hung, you must have show and shines or car shows in your area.

 

[woodz428]

You do have to have the pins as close to the outer skin as possible and I've had to angle (front to rear not up and down) the hinge boxes at times to eliminate rubbing. I'm currently fabricating some for a Deuce (trunk) to replace the crappy ones that came with the body ('glass) that hit the water channel before it opened, so even the body makers sometimes don't get it right.

 

[ezinoregon]

Hidden Door Hinge Problem...HELP!!!

I'm in the planning stage of shaving door hinges off a '39 plymouth 2 door coupe. I hadn't planned on trying to convert them to suicide doors, just convert to hidden hinges. I've looked at "universal" hidden hinges and also wandered around the local junk yard trying to see if there were hinges on something there I could take off another car and make them fit my application. After reading some of the discussions here I'd like to ask you all for advice on the best way to proceed. I'm short on money and that seems to always get in the way with this thing. I'd appreciate any advice anyone can give me.

Thanks!
EZ

 

[MARTINSR]

Click here for info on your problem complete with drawings.

Brian

 

[cboy]

Here's a "tester" I used to build my own hidden hinges which might be of some help. Also details on the tester and actual construction of the hinges here
and here

And the final hinges during mock up.

 

[tyler71385]

I spent about 10 min in AutoCAD to draw these up. I know just like them. Mainly just to get it clear in my mind.

Not enough clearance:
http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=26586&stc=1
Bad Hinges.JPG

Just right:
http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=26587&stc=1
Good Hinges.JPG

These are the same design that we used on a '32 Chevy 4dr Sedan. Straight Fronts/Suicide Rears w/ center post

 

[ezinoregon]

Wow! Thanks! I think the template of the hinge tester is the perfect way to go. It didn't seem to me that it would be too hard to manufacture hinges. From everything I see the hardest part is getting them swing the door open with enough clearance while still closing properly. I'm going to give the tester a try and see what I come up with. Thanks for your help.
EZ

 

[speedydeedy]

The trick as shown in the CAD drawing is to keep the pin as close to the outside body panel as possible and that both pins line up as if they where 1 long pin.

 

[powerrodsmike]

I have used the storebought ones that are just like the ones cboy made. And I have made about 20 sets that are quite similar in design. Those work well, are strong and easy to install.

They are easy enough to make, if you have access to a welder and a drill press.

The trick is, as has already been stated, to get the hinge pivot point close enough to the outer panel and back far enough to let the door swing clear of the body. Also, you want a leg long enough to allow a good amount of swing. I worked on a CMC car one time that would only allow the door to open about 30*... ain: :boxing:

The dimensioned pic below is a set that I make for a company that builds fiberglass model T bodies.

You would have to re-size yours to the maximum width of your A pillar, That is how I usually start the designing process. You would want to make the rest of the hinge proportionally larger as well.

Later, mikey