Lower door hinge

[gs spoken here]

Has anyone bought and installed a reproduction lower door hinge? Where did you get them? Ames shows 64/5 the same and 66/7 the same. I need 66 lower, one of mine is in bad shape and I am not sure I want to try to rebuild it. They state, the reproduction is 66 but will fit 67. Not sure if I know the difference, will need to look a both 66/67 side by side to see. Thanks Bill.

[Brian]

Someone else may have some pics, but if I remember right, the biggest difference between 66 and 67 is 66 still used the large flat head Phillips bolts to hold it to the door, and 67 changed to hex bolts in that location.  Probably would have to use the 66 bolts if you used a 66 hinge on a 67

[nail lark]

Usually when they use fillips screws they are taper headed. 

[Brian]

What you are referring to as a tapered head screw is actually called a flat head in the engineering world.  The top of the head is flat, and the back side is tapered to fit in a countersink hole.   Pan head is semi round on top (pan shaped), and back is flat.  Round head has a spherical head, and is flat on the back. 

[elagache]

Dear Bill, Brian, and mid-60s Buick fans,

Has anyone bought and installed a reproduction lower door hinge?

Not sure if it is here or there but I had the lower front driver's side hinge replaced on my wagon about 5 years ago.  The stops had broken decades earlier and I always worried that the door would swing back and smash a finger.  I bought them from OPGI because I was new to the game then.  The replacement works fine.  Now I can open the door without fear of fingers getting smashed.

Cheers, Edouard

[Loren At 65GS]

Dear Bill, Brian, and mid-60s Buick fans,

Has anyone bought and installed a reproduction lower door hinge?

Not sure if it is here or there but I had the lower front driver's side hinge replaced on my wagon about 5 years ago.  The stops had broken decades earlier and I always worried that the door would swing back and smash a finger.  I bought them from OPGI because I was new to the game then.  The replacement works fine.  Now I can open the door without fear of fingers getting smashed.

Cheers, Edouard

Sounds like it functions well.  Is it a good reproduction from the appearance standpoint? Is fit and finish good?

  Loren

[elagache]

Dear Loren and mid-60s door experts,

Not sure if it is here or there but I had the lower front driver's side hinge replaced on my wagon about 5 years ago. 
. . .

Sounds like it functions well.  Is it a good reproduction from the appearance standpoint? Is fit and finish good?

  Loren

Well, it is out of the way but it does look like the old hinge.  If people are interested I could take a photo of it tomorrow.

Cheers, Edouard

[Loren At 65GS]

Edouard,

Pics good if you want.  Your opinion is most appreciated with it though.

I'd say by your response that it gets   

Thanks,
  Loren

[gs spoken here]

Looked at a few door hinges yesterday.

Upper ones for 65/6 are aluminum and bolt to body and flat head screw on the door. 67 is a steel upper hinge and bolt to body and door.

Lower 65/6 appear to be the same. Cast, with bolt to body and flat head screw to door. 67 has the same bolt/screw as 65/6 but the stop is a different size that 65/6.

I will try to get some pictures of these.

It appears my 66 has a 67 style lower hinge on the pass side ( in good condition). Not sure if door has been changed. Will be removing the paint from that door and may be able to tell it was replaced.

Thanks Bill.

[cwmcobra]

Bill,

I have door hinges from a 65 Skylark 4-door parts car available.  Will they work for you?  I can post pictures if that would help.

Chuck

[elagache]

Dear Loren, Bill, and Chuck,

Pics good if you want.  Your opinion is most appreciated with it though.

Well, these days it is so easy to take photos - no reason to not post them!

The problem with OPGI is what I call the "glossy catalog tax."   I believe OPGI has some core products that they manufacture themselves.  On those things, it stands to reason their prices should be competitive.  However, they also sell all sorts of products made my other companies, and usually OPGI is significantly more expensive on those items.  I haven't looked around, but the door hinge is the sort of item I would expect is manufactured by somebody else.  So if you can figure out who actually makes the hinge, you can probably get a better deal by avoiding the "glossy catalog tax."

Cheers, Edouard

[freddie.zee65]

I got mine from The Parts Place in DeKalb, Illinois. Fits great.

Fred Z.

[cwmcobra]

Bottom hinge in my 65 Skylark parts car:

[WkillGS]

The Buick parts book shows the 64-65 using one pn and the 66-67 using another pn.
There's a left and a right for the lower, upper fits either side. No distinction for 2 door vs 4 door.
There's a parts book on this site in the 'Electronic Garage'.  Hinges are in group 10.45 and 10.454

I've used the bushing and pin kits from 'Help' aka Dorman products. But don't recall if it was the upper or lower I rebuilt.
I might have some hinges from a 4 door I parted out.

[gs spoken here]

Walt, thanks for looking up the info. I did take a upper apart and the bushings are plastic. Yes they fit either side, the pin head was down on my pass one.

I also took apart the pass side lower. Used my door spring tool. found best to open up the hinge to get the max length to put the tool and it removed easy. The knurled upper areas of the original pins are much longer than the aftermarket ones I bought. The bushings are about one half the length of the original ones. I will look for some longer ones.

After removing the spring you can tell what condition the roller and arm pivot are in. After some cleaning they both look OK, Small amount of play in the roller and shaft. but the after market kit I bought has about the same.

The bushing kit I bought has 6 non knurled  and two knurled. I am thinking I need all non knurled ones.

Still looking for a drivers lower, should have one but to many parts to sort through. I have one on a parts car but cannot get the door open. If I cannot find one, I have a friend local that should have one, or a trip to the junk yard may be in order.

If anyone has any ideas on the bushings or rebuilding let me know.

Thanks Bill.