my 1932 datsun replica build

OK, I spent a week trying several different options for door hinges. I think I'll be using hinges off an Ford E250. The price was right ($20), and they are heavy duty enough to work well.

Here's a before and after shot comparing the original length and one that I've shortened a bit to make it fit better.

I've spent the day alternating between doing laundry and working on the hinges and frame for the driver's door. (I'm modifying both so that they behave with each other.) The biggest changes are to the front of the door....I'm replacing some of the tube with angle iron to accommodate the hinges.

Angle iron cutouts to accommodate the hinges.

The front plate is only there for aligning the tube with the angle iron. It will be cut away so the front of the hinge can rest against the cowl. If you're paying attention, you are probably thinking to yourself, "Yea gads, that is a GIANORMOUS gap between the front of the door and the cowl!!!" I'm going to move the door forward until there's only a 1/8th gap at the front. Now, you might think that would leave a giant ugly gap at the back of the door. The advantage of the morgan-style lip at the back of the door, however, is that I have the ability to move the door forward without showing the gap.

(...and I'll need to create that space at the back, anyway, so the door doesn't bind when I swing it open.

As has been noted before, I use my dog walking sessions as an opportunity to browse through the neighbor's trash and see if they might have unknowingly tossed out some automobile parts. Here's this morning's find:

Gertrude is being forced to sit by what my neighbors thought was some ugly mesh siding from the screened patio that they are rennovating. The neighbors were wrong. It is actually part of an automobile grill.

I've been annoyed by the expanded metal that I'm going to use for the grill on my 1932 datsun replica. This will let me put a fine black mesh in front of it, which will look more like the original car.

more hinge modification....it is amazing how slowly an HF band saw cuts 1/4 steel

Haha, I just thought the other day while using my work van "Hmmm, these hinges look heavy duty enough for what Joey M is looking for."

You were definitely correct. At the moment have no doubts that a better fabricator could make them work, although Im currently questioning my own ability (and sanity)....

the hinges on the driver's door are modified, clamped to the cowl and door in their approximate location, and seem to work; i.e. the door swings without scraping the body/chassis, and the hinges don`t bind

How the hell am I just now discovering this thread? Props dude.

Thanks. I'm hoping to have it at the $2011 Challenge, but right now $2012 is looking more likely.

Busted a band saw blade and wasted most of the day driving to HF to get new blades. (...and, like every time I'm there, ended up buying all manner of things that I may or may not use.) After getting back, I put a new blade on the saw, cut some of the angle iron and tube needed to make the leading edge of the passenger's door, and tacked it together. I also ground down a few welds I had missed on the outer side of the transmission tunnel (so the sheet metal skin could lay flat, and mocked up part of the transmission tunnel skin using poster board.

Maggie sez Gertrude rocks.

Last night I used some shears and my sheet metal break to make part of the skin for the transmission tunnel. The sheet metal came from the side of a refrigerator. I took photos but have not edited them down to a reasonable size. I will post some later

[FGC: If you being Maggie to the Challenge, I'll bring Gertude. We can turn it into a "hounds in the hot rod" theme.]

JoeyM wrote: [FGC: If you being Maggie to the Challenge, I'll bring Gertude. We can turn it into a "hounds in the hot rod" theme.]

I've decided that I like Beagles ("emergency adoption" from a family member). Wasn't sure I would, since I've always had larger breeds..but she's got a large breed's brain (mellow, quiet) in a small breed's body. Except for being such a slave to her nose (she slipped lead and headed off after a full-grown buck in the woods the other day!), she's great. And I guess I can't blame her for trying to do what she was bred for..

cutting up the 810 wagon hood to use for the floor pans

Pulled the steering column and part of the throttle assembly (i.e. the bits on the firewall) out of the 810. Now I need to figure out how to mount them

messed up the door hinge placement. started over, but just retreated from the garage because of the mosquitos. Earlier I forgot to mention that I also pulled the door latch assembly out of the driver's door of the 810.

I hate door hinges

Did you end up getting that header I told you about?

I called and left a message for him. He didn't call back. I will try again now that the holiday is over....I expect that he was just too busy to call back.

I am done trying to adapt the wrong hinges....i just ordered a set from speedway (Yes, that means ditchdigger gets to say, "I told you so." )

Check out the funky turn signals at the end of this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TR5LtaU7js&feature=player_embedded

Those indicators were used on a number of older cars, usually called semaphores or trafficators

JoeyM wrote: Check out the funky turn signals at the end of this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TR5LtaU7js&feature=player_embedded

That was worth watching. My first car was a 59 Morris Minor. Since it was a LHD car destined for out shores it had a metal filler piece where the semaphore turn signals would have been in other countries.

Got my hinges and bear claw door latches....now trying to figure out how to install them. Here's hoping that this is helpful
http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/techarticles/0705rc_bear_claw_latch_install/index.html

JoeyM wrote: (Yes, that means ditchdigger gets to say, "I told you so." )

Nah I would never do that

After all I am the guy who made his own thread repair insert for a highly critical use because a keensert was just too expensive

Yes that is for a rocker stud. Yes I am dumb, Yes it worked perfectly and cost me about 15 cents to make.