Tips needed on buying and installing '71 Duster lower door hindge.

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Ken71Twister

Ken71Twister

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My 71 Duster's lower door hindge needs to be replaced (broken spring and door sags a small amount). My initial question is: how hard it is to install the new hindge in a manner that has the door properly aligned? It looks like I'll need to remove some inside trim (driver's side) to remove a couple of the bolts from behind the hindge. At first glance - it also looks like I might need to unbolt the door from the upper and lower hindges in order to gain access to one of the bolts that attaches the hindge to the car.

Any/all advice would be appreciated.

Also, I've found a full set of hindges online but would prefer to buy one hindge vs a set. Any good sources for a single hindge at a reasonable price?

tx,
Ken
 
You could scribe around the old hinge - at least as a starting point. Kick panel will have to be removed to access a couple of the hinge bolts. Support the open door with a jack (a second set of hands would be a good idea), remove all the bolts and hinge. A box wrench will fit in areas a wratchet won't. Line up the new hinge with your scribed marks and install all the bolts leaving them just loose enough to make adjustments. You'll only tighten/loosen one bolt on each half of the hinge while you make adjustments.

The bolts on the door half of the hinge will allow you to adjust the lower part of the door in or out from the body. The bolts on the cowl half allows up and down, fore and aft. The upper hinge will prevent any vertical adjustment of the door and that's okay. It will still move fore and aft. If it's too far forward then the rear edge of the door will droop. Too far to the rear and the rear edge of the door will be too high when you try to close it. When the door is adjusted where you want it then tighten the rest of the bolts.

Just remember that a tiny adjustment at the hinge can translate to a large movement at the other end of the door. Loosening or removing the striker from the jamb may allow you to get the door squared in the opening easier for closing.

Also, hinge replacement may not be necessary. You can buy hinge repair kits with new pins and bushings at your local auto parts store. The springs are also available separately but harder to find. I would repair what you have before buying replacements (that someone else has already rebuilt). It's a lot cheaper.
 
First - let me say that your car looks great and I enjoyed your video. My car was the same color when it was new and will be again when I get it repainted this year.

I appreciate the tips on installing the hindge and the suggestions on where to buy parts. I'd found the springs online last night but I was not aware of the fact that restoration kits were and option. I'll certainly try that route. I pulled the kick panel off this afternoon and I can see how to get to the bolts (and the fact that the top hindge will be a bit of a pain to get to from under the dash.

I'll let you know how the repair and installation work out. Sounds like something I should do before the paint job since there will be plenty of opportunities to chip/scratch paint during the door removal and alignment process.

Thanks,

Ken
 
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