There are a lot of different things on a vintage car that contribute to driving enjoyment. We're not talking about whipping late models at the stoplights or setting off car alarms with your rumbly exhaust (although we still smile every time that happens). We're talking about the subtle things like rattles, wind leaks, and sticking window lifts. We like to refer to these as "quality of life" details, because while they're small annoyances that don't have any real affect on the car's overall performance, they still detract from our complete enjoyment of our Mopar.
We've got one car that has a little thing that just bugs us. Whenever we lock the door with the plunger from inside the car and then shut the door, the lock mechanism comes up about half way. The door is still locked, but when the key is installed in the tumbler to unlock the door, it has to be first turned to the full locked position, then turned the other way to unlock the door. This is a minor pain at most...but it's still a pain.
Maybe you have something like this on your car-a sticky lock, a window lift that is just a little tight to crank, or the door hinges are sagging just a little bit. Mike Paremsky, owner of Michael's Auto Body, addressed these issues with The Paddock Project Charger. He has a method of cleaning and refurbishing window lifts and door latch mechanisms that makes them look and function like they just came off the shelf from the factory 30 years ago, and it's easy enough for the average enthusiast to do in the garage or driveway. Best of all, it's incredibly inexpensive! While the effort involved is more than a wipe-off and shot of spray lube, it's not much more than that. And the results are parts that function like they did when the car was new. We'll also show you how to rebuild the door hinges to eliminate poor fitting, drooping doors, which is also a fairly easy job.
These aren't things you're likely to notice once the car is on the road, but you also won't notice that they need attention every time you get in the car, which is just going to enhance the overall enjoyment that much more.
Rebuilding the upper hinges...
Rebuilding the upper hinges is as easy as first driving the old hinge pin out, then driving out the bushings. Replace the bronze bushings (it's a light press fit, easily accomplished with a light rap with a hammer), and then install the new hinge pin supplied with the kit. Bushings are available from The Paddock as part number RB107 and are $1.95 each. Pins are part number TAD03653 and are $2.95 each.
Next, we addressed the lower...
Next, we addressed the lower door hinges. There are rebuild kits available for these hinges, but the complete reproduction hinge assemblies are not that expensive. Additionally, the pins in the lower hinges are not bushed, so after years of metal-to-metal contact, both the pin and holes tend to get chewed up. Here we have the complete reproduction door hinges (left), and the disassembled original door hinge (right). Replacement is a simple matter of unbolting the old hinge and bolting in the new one. You may find it easier to install the two halves separately, and then insert the pin if the doors are still on the car. The hinges are The Paddock's part number PAD03663 and are $48.95 each. There is also a rebuild kit available, with eight bushings (you'll have to drill out the holes), four pins, and with or without the "S" spring.
We'll start with the door...
We'll start with the door hinges. These can be replaced or rebuilt with the doors still on the car, provided you support the back of the door with jackstands or a floor jack, although it is easier with the doors off. Shown here are the disassembled original upper door hinges, and the rebuild pins and bushings from The Paddock. After 30 years, the original bushings are usually heavily worn, if they're still there at all.
This is why the doors sag-when...
This is why the doors sag-when the pins get worn, they get sloppy. A little slop at the front of the door will translate into a lot of slop at the rear of the door jam. The heavily worn pin is the driver's side door. The driver's side door hardware and mechanisms will always have the most wear, since that door gets used every single time the car is used.
Now that the door hinges are...
Now that the door hinges are rebuilt, we'll turn our attention to the door latch and lock mechanisms. This latch mechanism is in fairly typical condition after 30 years of use. It's not terribly rusty, but the original lubricant is dry and gummed up with dust and dirt. Nothing is broken or missing, and while all the parts still move, the action of them is no longer smooth. If your plastic clips are missing or broken, The Paddock carries replacements.
Next, Mike liberally coats...
Next, Mike liberally coats all moving parts with an aerosol spray white grease.
Mike starts by thoroughly...
Mike starts by thoroughly bead blasting them (go ahead and keep all the rods attached) to remove all the old lubricant, dirt, and surface rust. If you don't have access to a bead blaster, soaking the parts in carb cleaner should also do the trick.
Here is the mechanism after...
Here is the mechanism after it came out of the blasting cabinet. Everything is nice and clean.
Spend a lot of time blowing...
Spend a lot of time blowing off the part to remove any blasting media-you don't want small grains of sand or glass grinding every time you open the door. If you soaked it in carb cleaner, be sure to wash the part well to remove any solvent.