Well - it looks like I have a few moments to document the VDI hinge install I did at Archie's Sept 2-3 of 2008. Sorry it's taken so long to post but life seems to be extra busy the past two months. I moved my 83 yr old father to Mississauga and it's been a ton of work getting him into an old folks home, selling his house, getting rid of a lifetime of his stuff etc....
Most of you know I love spending the week before Fierorama at Archie's. Well this year was no different. Archie, Rob and Kris are a ton of laughs - and they really know their stuff. Yeah that's my opinion based on dealing with him since my swap in 2005.
I drove to Rockford on the holiday Monday and left Mississauga at about 6am. I trailered as I did not know how long it would take to get the VDI hinges installed - that I had shipped to Archies at the beginning of August. I arrived at around 5pm on the holiday Monday only to find Kris driving out. They said they thought I was driving in and would be there first thing in the morning. We agree to start in earnest on Tuesday morning.
Archie is the consumate host and I convinced him he'd need a watchdog for the rest of the week - so Ginger and I hunkered down in the shop at night. Thanks Archie! It was crazy hot those first two days and no AC had me thinking I'd made a mistake. Oh well - this stuff happens when you're cheap like me. At almost 95 degrees it took until the wee hours before the temp was even close to being comfortable. Thank goodness it cooled down on Thrusday!
Anyway - first things first. Tuesday at 7am I drive my car into the shop and get the benefit of the car lift. No one can start anything until I take off all the hardware. My deal with Archie is I do as much as possible to minimse my costs. I'd taken off the XD hinges in the Spring and know how to do this stuff in the dark now.
The first order of business is to take off the rockers, then the front fenders, then the inside door panel, then the mirrors, then the inner lower door trim, then the outer door skin. The last thing to come off is the front window guide that runs up and down the front part of the door - in between the door. This makes getting to the hinge bolts easy as pie.
Here is a pick of the driver side - stock hinges - front fender and rocker panel off.
Same thing - other side.
Inside door panel - passenger side.
Driver side - removing the front window guide (bolts are on the inside)
Driver side - no window guide.
Next picture shows the bolt locations on the inside of the door (passenger side)
The final pic for this post is Rob welding in tabs at the top and bottom of the door with the frame. We do not want the door to move when we take off the stock hinges. Please note the door is closed! (tehee)
More tomorrow.....
[This message has been edited by DrCPU (edited 10-15-2008).]
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07:35 PM
gaas88 Member
Posts: 435 From: Burlington,Ontario,Canada Registered: Dec 2003
Let's see where I was - Oh yeah - Rob has just welded on the two tabs to keep the driver side door in place before we remove the stock hinges....
If you check the last picture in the first post there is a very very slight detail of something quite funny. I don't think any of you will find the item - so I'll narrow it down. It's trailing from the driver door - at the rear of the door....
We remove the stock hinges....
Next we place a pit of stock steel that had the holes pre-drilled and tapped. This way the mount point is perfect with the standard bolts! The cut VDI hinges will be welded to this stock later..
Next is a little detail of the VDI Universal Hinge Kit - note the wishbone with the mounts for the door has already been cut off. We need to cut off the bottom mount now...
Kris hard at work cutting the lower mount off the VDI hinge
Next is the build up for the top mount of the VDI hinge. Note the rounded edges (both sides) for a good weld.
And a test fit once things have cooled down and been ground flat....
Now a close up at the lower mount point - this needs to be built up with a nice weld...
And a few with more lighting showing how the wishbone will be tacked and then welded the last pic has the welds done.
Now a couple of picks of the hinge just before we are ready for the test opening....
Alrightythennnnn! Now to cut off the bits that were welded on to keep the door solidly mounted to the frame during all this mounting/remounting and welding.
The next few are different shots - at different angles.... The hinges still come off one more time for final clean up of welds and some paint....
So now the door and hinges are off for the last time. Must clean up the area while everything is open, and one more look at a finished hinge!
That's it for today's post. The first two posts show all the work performed on the first day - Sept 2,2008. There are many small details I could have added, but most if not all of the important things are covered off the now "acclaimed" Archie/DrCPU Youtube production of the complete install.
I'll post the remainder of the images of the finished project next week. Yup - that's it for me until Wednesday - let's see - close the trailer this weekend - fun and games on Monday night - Old farts hockey on Tuesday..... Enjoy yours too!
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08:13 PM
Oct 22nd, 2008
DrCPU Member
Posts: 708 From: North Dumfries, On, Canada Registered: Jan 2004
I promised my post today - so here is the final installment for the VDI hinges.....
This last part is a bunch of pics I took three days after the install and one at the Chop Top Reunion....
and the shot from Saturday at Archie's place during ChopTop
So as a wrap up - if you follow the last two posts and then check out the youtube video - you'll have all the info you need to get perfect fitting and perfect functioning doors! follow this link to the videos...
Thanks Who! I really like the way the car has evolved. Madcurl has given me a few ideas - so I'm keeping my eyes peeled to find something that works best for my tastes. Yeah - I'm being a tease - but won't be doing too much over the winter in terms of mods - more thinking about options than anything else.
Althought the paint is only coming up tp two years I do need to get a few chips fixed. The front hood needs to be redone - I need to grind down the seams from the glass job I did with the insert and redo that job with a much wider swath of glass. I have some ideas for the rear trunk lid as well....
hmmm - back to the drawing board.......
Dave
[This message has been edited by DrCPU (edited 10-24-2008).]
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07:33 AM
exoticse Member
Posts: 8654 From: Orlando, Fl Registered: Jun 2003
Thanks for the compliments exoticse. Your car is really coming along nicely as well. Funny how quick time flies by on these projects. I prefer the ever evolving project as I`m getting new ideas. Most of them aren`t worth repeating in public - but the process of thinking about a change - to visualising it - to seeing others doing something similar, or not, is the best part of a project IMHO. Having a `finished`car is nice - but then you gotta do something else....
I`m still stuck on the dash. I`d really like to get a donor dash - all the parts - and then start cutting, adding foam and glassing over to get what I want for my car. I know I`d like a rev light blended into the top left of the driver side dash - kind of like a circular hump (say 1/4 the diameter of a 1 inch light) wihout a big ass tach. Something with class. I`d also settle with 4" analog speedo and tach and 1" for the remainder of the gauges. Backlit off blue would be nice.... I`d also change the temp control, radio etc and angle that more to the driver. A Zune dock (built in) would also be a must!
See lots more to do - just need time space and money.....
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05:39 PM
Oct 25th, 2008
Eclipse Member
Posts: 2040 From: Woodstock, Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 2004
The cleanest and sleekest choptop I've ever looked at, by far!
Do you mind if I ask what wheel/tire combination you're running?
Thanks for the compliment!
I've got 18" MSR rims (I think they are 40mm offset - but I'd have to check the rims to be sure) with 245/40 at the rear and 225/35 up front. The rubber is Marangoni (Z rated) - from Italy.
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06:38 AM
Nov 10th, 2008
madcurl Member
Posts: 21401 From: In a Van down by the Kern River Registered: Jul 2003
Not much happenin' here. It's way cold and a ton of snow and salt on the roads. Another month to six weeks before I take the Taz out of hibernation.
I have been giving a lot of thought (but just that) to my next project. It will be a new dash. I might be moving from the Condo I'm in into a rental farm house (with barn) later this summer. If I do make this move then I'll have lots of space to do my own stuff.
So far I haven't seen what I want in a dash. Nothing too extravagant - but with nice analog gauges and a red rev light 2" custom into the top left edge of the dash. I really need to get a hold of a used dash & centre console and bolt it together. Next, I'd layer foam and then shave out the form I want with all the indents for the vents, zune player, GPS etc and get a much beeter looking dash that I could then fiberglass myself. I really want the instruments that are currently on the right side (with the radio) turned about 15 degrees towards the driver and I want the whole thing as a smooth uniform curved surface that better fits with the lines of the choptop instead of the boxy setup it is right now. I'd include a glove box as well.
Maybe someone has ideas or samples?
If I don't move then it will likely be a longer time before I get what I want done completed.
Dave
[This message has been edited by DrCPU (edited 02-06-2009).]
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01:59 PM
madcurl Member
Posts: 21401 From: In a Van down by the Kern River Registered: Jul 2003
Not much happenin' here. It's way cold and a ton of snow and salt on the roads. Another month to six weeks before I take the Taz out of hibernation.
I have been giving a lot of thought (but just that) to my next project. It will be a new dash. So far I haven't seen what I want in a dash. Nothing too extravagant - but with nice analog gauges and a red rev light 2" custom into the top left edge of the dash. I really need to get a hold of a used dash & centre console and bolt it together. Maybe someone has ideas or samples?
Dave
It's sleek w/analog gauges.
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06:31 PM
johnyrottin Member
Posts: 5487 From: Northwest Florida Registered: Oct 2007
Take a look at the new AC Cobra dash. I think you will find it to your liking. Simple and classy.
Haven't seen that dash andI want to keep the very front part of the dash (by the windsheild) stock so it fits right in. Exact dimensions. I know Archie has a dash but the console portion is straight. I guess that might be a starting point to then just add the other bits I want. Guess I need a scrapper car to rip parts off to see what can be adjusted (the air and heat controls) as I'd want those angle twards the driver seat as well.
Will look inot it when I have some time. Thanks
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10:54 PM
DrCPU Member
Posts: 708 From: North Dumfries, On, Canada Registered: Jan 2004
Here is a link to some photos of the cobra dash. My PIPS isn't working so can you post? Just click on the photo of the car and a selection of photos will come up.
