door hinge alignment

[chimp koose]

OK I am making upper door hinges for the T . I have noticed that the existing ones attached to the door side are not in line . Anyone have a few tips for me on aligning them ? Not real sure which one is out of whack . I have a "pin" for the hinges that is long enough to go through all 3 at once to check alignment . I am fairly sure the main tool requirements are a torch and a BFH but please steer me if I am wrong . ...and pray for me if I am right !

[kb426]

C.K., the only thought I have is a BFH usually causes more pain than good. Cut, move, weld is my thought but I don't know squat about T's. Someone will have way more advice than me.

[idrivejunk]

I also have zero experience with Ts. I thought the hinges on the 33 I did were cast pieces screwed or riveted to layered sheetmetal. If thats the case, spare the hammer lest ye cracketh yonder hinge. Section the pillar instead. Chop out and reposition the mount area. Thats this chop lover's technique suggestion, if no adjustment is provided. Tape measure everything like crazy first though, to be sure the trouble isn't elsewhere.

Wonder if George or anybody else has pics showing T bodies. We lack visuals.

[Carnut]

Well, not sure what is being looked for, but here's a pic of Tvicky's 26 T with door removed.

Pretty sure hinge pins should be in a straight line.



Just for grins here it is done

[idrivejunk]

Well, not sure what is being looked for, but here's a pic of Tvicky's 26 T with door removed.

Pretty sure hinge pins should be in a straight line.

Thanks, that looks pretty much like the 33 but on the A pillar. So my advice stands as-is but I still am not sure about the material the hinges are made of. Maybe if they are forged you could heat and beat them. Or maybe if the adjustment needed is small, the hinge could be pushed into position, taking the mount area with it. I don't know, would have to try it.

[chimp koose]

The hinges barely slide in to the slots in the door frame where they are screwed in place with no adjustment . Right now the hinges that are out of alignment are the parts on the door . I had this same problem on my Anglia and I made a heat and bend tool with a small degree of success . That car only had 2 hinges per side though and it still took me a month to get the door to fit right  . First I need to figure out which hinge is out of alignment . That may require putting the rest of the door opening back together and installing the doors with gaps correct and then seeing which hinge is the problem . I think I will make (machine ) a pair of upper door hinges for now as those ones are junked , and just not drill the holes for the pins in them until I get the doors squared away. Or maybe I should just do lambo door hinges  

[chimp koose]

mtfca  model t site basically says never remove those hinges unless you absolutely have to . Now I know why  :oops:

[idrivejunk]

Hmm. It still sounds to me like slicing around 3 sides of both layers around the mounting area of the crooked hinge, then aligning with the other two and tacking in place would work. You'd remove the door to finish the alteration but the hinges would not have to be loosened.

[chimp koose]

I think I have figured out a repair . The bottom hinge is out of alignment on each door . The hinge halves that bolt to the door posts are fine , its the ones in the doors that are bent . I will finish making my upper post hinges as I am better than half way there. I will not drill out the hinge pin holes on them . I can install my lower 2 hinges and with an alignment pin through the 2 hinges , mark the location of the pin on my new hinges . That way I know the door post hinges are aligned . Then I can go after the lower hinges in the doors . One has cracked the door so it will need the cut and weld treatment .  Both look like I may be able to remove them from the doors and straighten with a vice or pressing .Oh yeah , as a side note , 5 hours into measuring , drawing , planning and cutting my hinges , a buddy sends me pictures of a T cowl and doors with the car cut off in the rear side window area . My hinges will be stronger than the originals as there will be double the load bearing area where the pin hole meets the flat , as the original pin holes were made by rolling metal into a loop and mine are milled out of a 1" x3"solid flat bar. I may buy the cut off T as it would make a neat looking extended cab lo-boy truck some time in future . My version of cleaning out the garage !Metalflake and all !

[chimp koose]

very close to finished on the top hinges .

[kb426]

I sure wish you would take a multimedia class on the side so we could enjoy what you are doing.

[idrivejunk]

I sure wish you would take a multimedia class on the side so we could enjoy what you are doing.

^^^^
That :!: