Post by darkside on Sept 17, 2012 17:36:36 GMT -5
I've seen tutorials on late model door hinges, but never anything on older exposed hinges from the early days.
As I found out soon enough, the standard wire and tube hinge simply won't clear the fenders. I then set out to design and make some somewhat sturdy hinges. These might be a little out of scale and if your eyes and hands are better than my old clunkers, you could use smaller materials than I did.
As for materials, .080 x .100 styrene, 1.2mm brass rod, Brass U-channel (sorry I don't know the size, it wasn't marked. The channel should fit snugly, but not at all tight to the outside of the .080 x .100) , and a short length of tubing to fit over the brass rod.
We''l start by making the body side of the hinge. Simply take the styrene, cut and cement 2 "L" brackets together. Set aside to dry completely.
Now cut 2 lengths of the brass U-channel. at the end of each one, drill a 1.2mm hole. Don't center it from the outside of the channel, but try to imagine the center of the inside portion of the channel. The reason for this, you will be sliding the styrene in the channel and want the hole centered in the plastic. (I hope that made sense.
Next you need to cut most of the sides of the U-channel off, laving a small amount around the holes. The pic should explain it.
Now round off the sides around the holes.
Determine where your hinges will go and cut notches in the body to accept the L-brackets made in step one, and slightly larger ones in the door to accept the wider brass channel. Note the body side notches are deeper than the door notches.
Now you need to bend the door hinge pieces to fit your doors.
Now assemble you door hinges to the rod. This step is important as the hinges have to align on the single rod to keep from binding later. The spacer is optional, but is useful to space the hinges the same on both doors.
In place on the door.
Glue the brass hinges to the door. Sorry, no pic.
Once dry, fit your L brackets into the brass hinges as shown.
Fit your door to the body and cement the hinges in place, be careful not to glue the L brackets to the brass.
A view from inside the body.
Set aside to dry.
With the door set in place (this is important!!!!), drill through both of the brass hinges.
Assembled with the single rod. Notice the styrene sticking past the brass, this needs to be trimmed back and rounded for the hinges to work.
The hinges rounded over.
All that's left is to make two hinge pins to replace the single long one and some body work.
As I found out soon enough, the standard wire and tube hinge simply won't clear the fenders. I then set out to design and make some somewhat sturdy hinges. These might be a little out of scale and if your eyes and hands are better than my old clunkers, you could use smaller materials than I did.
As for materials, .080 x .100 styrene, 1.2mm brass rod, Brass U-channel (sorry I don't know the size, it wasn't marked. The channel should fit snugly, but not at all tight to the outside of the .080 x .100) , and a short length of tubing to fit over the brass rod.
We''l start by making the body side of the hinge. Simply take the styrene, cut and cement 2 "L" brackets together. Set aside to dry completely.
Now cut 2 lengths of the brass U-channel. at the end of each one, drill a 1.2mm hole. Don't center it from the outside of the channel, but try to imagine the center of the inside portion of the channel. The reason for this, you will be sliding the styrene in the channel and want the hole centered in the plastic. (I hope that made sense.
Next you need to cut most of the sides of the U-channel off, laving a small amount around the holes. The pic should explain it.
Now round off the sides around the holes.
Determine where your hinges will go and cut notches in the body to accept the L-brackets made in step one, and slightly larger ones in the door to accept the wider brass channel. Note the body side notches are deeper than the door notches.
Now you need to bend the door hinge pieces to fit your doors.
Now assemble you door hinges to the rod. This step is important as the hinges have to align on the single rod to keep from binding later. The spacer is optional, but is useful to space the hinges the same on both doors.
In place on the door.
Glue the brass hinges to the door. Sorry, no pic.
Once dry, fit your L brackets into the brass hinges as shown.
Fit your door to the body and cement the hinges in place, be careful not to glue the L brackets to the brass.
A view from inside the body.
Set aside to dry.
With the door set in place (this is important!!!!), drill through both of the brass hinges.
Assembled with the single rod. Notice the styrene sticking past the brass, this needs to be trimmed back and rounded for the hinges to work.
The hinges rounded over.
All that's left is to make two hinge pins to replace the single long one and some body work.
. Not too many kits with opening door anymore.
