How You Can Replace The Door Hinge On A 1967-69 Camaro
Rebuilding an old 1967-69 Chevy Camaro is a good way to keep busy over the long winter months. But one area you can have trouble with is the doors. The pins in the hinges can get worn out and the door won't shut properly anymore. You will have to change the door hinges so the door sits right and will open and close without causing damage to other parts on the door. If you have never replaced a door hinge on a 1967-69 Camaro, here is how to do it.
Set Door on Jack
You need to keep the door from sagging and putting pressure on the bolts for the door hinge. The pressure will make it harder to loosen and remove the bolts. The best way to keep the door raised is to set the open bottom end of the door on a jack. To keep the jack from damaging the door, put a couple of rags or an old towel onto the saddle of the jack. The saddle is the plate that presses against the underside of the car when you jack it up. Raise the door up so it is even and not pulling down on the bolts.
Protect the Door
The door will flop around a little bit once a hinge is removed. You need to make sure the door doesn't flop against the fender or it can get scratched and damaged. Open the door and place a towel into the space between the door and fender. Have the towel cover the first few inches of the door from the base of the window to the bottom of the door in case it rubs up against the fender. You should use masking or painter's tape to hold the towel onto the door.
Remove Hinge
The hinge is held in place with ½" standard bolts. You should use a spanner ½" wrench or a ratchet wrench to remove the bolts. Remove the bolts from the door and the frame of the car by twisting them counterclockwise. You can take out the hinge once the bolts are removed.
Install New Hinge
Set the new hinge in place and line up the bolts holes on the hinge to the holes in the frame. Insert and manually tighten the bolts. You don't want to tighten the bolts until you get the ones into the hinge and door. Tighten all the bolts once they are all in the frame and door.
Test Door
Remove the towels and lower the jack. Open and shut the door to make sure it works well.
For more information and assistance, contact a company that supplies vintage American car parts.
