Hinge

[mezzmo]

Hi All, - looking for some in depth technical help! Ben is making me a one piece rear door and we have discussed hinge systems but i guess i am trying to eliminate a lot of trial and error. I was wondering if anyone out there with a one piece could post pics  (close up) of your hinge systems and perhaps what make of car they came from, also recommended opening handles and their workings. Maybe even a how to would be awesome - i'm sure it would be handy info for all of us that are getting Ben to make up our doors.

Cheers

[ben]

yeh im starting to think it will be too difficult to setup your own catch.. i really need to glass in mounting points/ nuts and whatnot.

same with catch. really needs to have something supstancial to bolt onto. let me have a think about it.


morgans door has a huge glippen handle in the middle of the door.. its good for ease and its keyed as well which is great. but i think it looks ugly. ive thought about a bonnet catch with lever underneath the van or on a remote button in front of the van? does that apeal to you mezzmo? it would be most secure than a keyed handle anyway.

cheers
ben

[TOOLKING]

Hey ben, Take a drive to a wrecker and check out the lock, catch and mechanism from a hiace or similar.

there is no reason that this couldnt be cut out and re used in a fiberglass door
this way the streamlined door handle and internal catch could be incorporated into the door as well.

all you need to do is pick a van and make the door to suit its parts.
then the people buying the door could get the lock parts from a wrecker themselves. saves you a lot of hassle chasing parts and you can concentrate on making doors
(make sure its a common brand of van like a hiace so the parts are easy to come by)
the base catch can also be used.
most of these are bolt on but a few are set into the base of the door frame even this could be bolted or cut and welded into place.

[mezzmo]

A remote button would be cool but i think TK has a good idea re the handle - i'm sure someone out in beddie land has suffered hours of pain in this area and is just itching to pass on their expertise!!! If money wasn't an issue i'm sure motorised mechanism's would be the best answer but all my bucks are dissapearing into the fibreglass stuff. Maybe a future option.

[Warren]

I have a fibreglass full rear door skin, and have to make a frame for it.

I have thought of lift up versus side opening, and thought that with a light frame the side opening might be a better option, using a pair of existing hinges.

All the lift up ones Ive seen have had realy tacky exposed piano style hinges.

Door latches would be a matter of finding something suitable at the wreckers, possible ford wagon latch ?

Warren

[ben]

well a remote button can be put on justa bout anything anyway memzzo.. yeh good idea toolking. will check out!!

ben

[eddy]

bestest and mostest hinge I seen for the one piece lift up rear door is a pair of aluminium door hinges (heavy duty) that were pop rivetted (again commercial type pop rivets) which also gave a nice even gap at the top of the door to match the side gaps, I have a pair in the garage somewhere amongst my building tools, don't ask for pics cause that means I will have to go and find them, they certainly do give a nice professional finish and are rust proof, the worst I seen is a pair of butt hinges arc welded onto the frame under the gutter, (what a mess) don't recommend the stupido hinges mounted on the outside of the door (yuk!) but then again thats just me ....     

[Marishka]

HQ 2 WB Pannel van hinges are the best, strong as made 4 the job.
couldnt be 2 hard 2 fit.
marty