33 5 window bear claws and hidden hinges

idrivejunk · September 19, 2016, 10:15:53 PM

I started on another part of this at-work old Ford project today. Began with the driver's door latch and got it closing nicely. I'll post pics as I go along if you guys want to see. I've done bear claws on a truck before but never hidden hinges. It looks to be a potentially satisfying challenge. The door gaps are fairly nice as-is so this should and I repeat should... be a cakewalk. If I watch my step. It only bit me once so far.

idrivejunk · September 20, 2016, 09:43:22 PM

Do I have this latch upside-down?

Used part of the door plate they sent to make a couple pieces to tie it together. Niced up the latch hole and filled some other old holes. Got the body side welded up.

Crosley.In.AZ · September 20, 2016, 10:40:54 PM

interesting. I have thunk on doing Bear Claw latches on my 1962 Morris Minor. Very narrow, tight door , around window channel

idrivejunk · September 20, 2016, 10:45:07 PM

Quote from: "Crosley"interesting. I have thunk on doing Bear Claw latches on my 1962 Morris Minor. Very narrow, tight door , around window channel

These are the minis (see box). Probably your best bet. I mean if it will go in this door with that much access, it will probably work with anything. Who knows, you might even be able to use larger ones than this. I can measure these if you want.

idrivejunk · September 21, 2016, 09:05:55 PM

kb426 · September 21, 2016, 09:45:37 PM

What is the rest of the plan for this car? You have haven't said much about it.

idrivejunk · September 21, 2016, 10:26:30 PM

I don't know anything to tell, its like asking for help at Wal Mart on this one.

Pretty much flying blind here, just doing the work operations that I've gathered I am supposed to do. Fill roof, finish floor, hinges. I had the customer under it one day and asked him if he wanted those outer rockers tacked to the inners. He said yes so I did that. I know of more issues to be tended, body work on skin panels and such. When I don't know what to do, I just do the next thing thats in front of me. I did hear that the 69 Chevelle we just took in is my next project.

Crosley.In.AZ · September 21, 2016, 10:58:53 PM

Well: I have this one latch. About 4 inches long. Dont know if it is a mini latch

Not attempted fitment into the Morris door yet

idrivejunk · September 22, 2016, 08:08:53 AM

That ought to fit just about anywhere! Looks about the same size as what I'm using.

KB, in case you were wondering if it was headed to SEMA, no I don't think so. The cost for the shop, of doing builds like that, proved to be too much. No plans to take in any more of that type build in the future.

Rochie · September 22, 2016, 08:55:36 AM

Tony, i used the 4"x 1.5"x3/4" minis in my 29 roadster door, which is pretty darn thin. They worked out great

idrivejunk · September 22, 2016, 10:02:15 PM

Wha'dya know? I got the hidden hinges worked out on one side! Whew. I was kinda sweating those, being my first time to install them. The mental process was a little drawn out but the execution stage is moving along OK for me now. Measure twice, saw once. End of the day, I was still working on adjustment but I think I'll have to be mean to the top of the door a little to make it mind.

You'll see where I've had the top pocket on the door tacked in a couple spots and I may end up in between those two. But it still shuts like a bank vault so I'm happy.

I did take a moment to ask the car's spirit for permission, after removing the wood but before the first hinge project spark. Lotta cutting on some fairly pristine steel. I felt uneasy and tried to act like I knew what I was doing. Co-worker opinions and muscle were both borrowed quite a bit to get me to here.

It clears all around nicely, even the running board. The top half of the front section could use some edge matching but its pretty much back where it used to sit. Roughly. Heres the skunkworks pics.

I noodled where I wanted the hinges and just hacked the B-pillar. Tacked the tubes where I thought might work then latched the door and held it to mark hinge pocket location on it. Hacked the old hinges away and chopped out for the pockets, then tack and try. Wasn't far off at all. The small tubing tacked to the hinge tubes is to tie them together squarely but temporarily. I have lots of work to do!

idrivejunk · September 23, 2016, 03:26:20 PM

Got the hinge pockets welded into the driver's door, and filled in around the old hinge stumps since they sit flush. Still in the ugly phase. Short work day.

UGLY OLDS · September 23, 2016, 05:41:09 PM

Looks neat ..

There's GOLD in that there door edge :!:

:!:

Does the vertical tube replace all the door post body wood :?:

Where are you going to hide the "wayres" to operate the latches :?:

Bob...

idrivejunk · September 23, 2016, 07:52:57 PM

Thats a lunker nugget on there ain't it? Wonder if Miss Kitty would sell me a beer for it?

The body wood IN the pillar (meant to get pic of it laying on floor) is merely a shallow insert that fills the void in the 2-layered pillar. To tack interior trim to.

Think of a cross section that looks like this: U with one of these tucked in it and welded at the edges: u Then the wood strip lays inside the "u" and is held in by folded tabs.

The vertical tubing will be cut away once the horizontal tubes' attachment and bracing is in place. Its to keep the horiz tubes aligned, although the top one looks crooked as a dog's hind leg. A very small amount of that crooked stayed as a necessity but its more straighterer now. The top hinge needed to twist a little to stay away from the door glass but still fit within the existing pillar.

As far as guts to work the latch, I am assuming an outside handle shave and those cars mostly don't lock but use a hidden button and / or in this case, a remote control. So there will be a big actuator directly below the latch and some sort of as-yet unspecified inside handle. Not much wares required but thats the as-usual plan. The actuator goes on a bracket, bracket attaches to door shell. Probably below where the window travels. A cable is used to connect it to the latch lever.

There is infinitely better access to the door guts than there was on the '41 truck we did. It used an original type inside handle with worn out wayres and only had one probably 5" square hole in the door shell to work through. This should be a snap comparatively.

idrivejunk · September 26, 2016, 07:32:46 PM

Re-checked door fit with pockets and shims, and welded and readjusted just about everything a little. Got the bottom tube like I like and almost finished the top one. The 1" square tubing is for bracing the tubes. It won't need much.

Since the inner pillar passes right through the hinge stop holes, I designed the pockets themselves to the the stops. It goes just past the detent then holds the door open without much slop but will need a rubber pad or two for the contact points.

The hinge pins are both removeable, although for a better-looking and stronger jamb at the top hinge, I trapped that hinge. It doesn't come out of the hole but can be taken loose.

I'm still just working my way through a new challenge and learning. However, I'm not doing this at home with scrap metal which makes it not rodding. For that I apologize but I will finish this thread soon. The passenger side should be easier by a long shot!