My '82 Flareside

[PetesPonies]

Mine are made by Dashtop. No cracks in the panel itself and they aren't new. But someone obviously broke the speaker grille on the left one, right one is fine. I'm going to contact the manu, probably will get me nowhere.

[PetesPonies]

So, the speaker grille problem is solved. I have a set of Dashtop door panels for my Bronco I'm building. I decided to rob Peter to pay Paul, as I need the grille now. I then called Dashtop this morning, spoke to Dennis. He told me no problem, send m an email and I'll send one out. Wow . .life long buyer here now. Good deal.

[PetesPonies]

Oz, here is a pic of the spring installed. It is difficult  to make out. It is the rusty looking vertical piece. You are seeing from an angle that doesn't show the "S".

[PetesPonies]

I replaced the grille, recolored the panel, and added jute to the back.

[Gary Lewis]

Looks great!  

[Oz Econoline/F100]

Thanks Pete its looks like that is not on my hinge. Where about's did you get them from a Junk yard or were they new?

[PetesPonies]

I actually got it here, from Gary.

[Gary Lewis]

Yep.  And, in theory I have two more.  Huck, the 1990 half-truck that gave up his crossmember and will be giving up his roof for you, Oz, probably has the same hinges as the 89 and earlier trucks.  According to this they all used a 1978-designed (E8) hinge.  I have one door off so I'll pull that hinge and compare to those on Dad's truck and Big Blue.  It runs in my mind that there was a change along the way but that they will interchange.  I'll see and report back.

(Perhaps I should just ship Huck to you instead of taking off the individual parts?  )

[Gary Lewis]

Well, good and bad news.  I do have two hinges on Huck, the '90, and they'll fit a Bullnose.  But, the spring is broken on the left door, as shown below.  And, I have two hinges from Bullnose trucks, but both are for the right door.  So, long story short, I have three good hinges, but all are for the right door.  

However, all is not lost, Oz.  If your hinges are the same as the ones shown below for the Bullnose then I may be able to remove the S-spring that keeps the door open.  I say "may" as I haven't tried it, but if I can then it'll sure be less expensive to ship just the springs than the whole hinge assembly.

Here is a 1982 (brown) and a 1985 hinge (blue) from the right door of a Bullnose, showing the S-spring that is depressed by the knob with the serrations as the door opens.  Then, when the door is fully open, as it is on the blue hinge, the knob is trapped between the stop and the spring.




And here is an odd retainer that probably needs to go with the spring - assuming I can get the springs out.




And, for comparison, here's a good 1990 hinge.  You can see a roller instead of the serrated knob, and the piece of metal between the nut and the roller is a spring.  Once the roller gets past the end of the spring, as it is here, the door is held open.




But, after a few thousand cycles of the door opening and closing, in this case the left door, the spring breaks and there's nothing to hold the door open.

[Oz Econoline/F100]

Thanks Gary! I'm pretty sure the hinge we've got is like that (see attached pic). Thanks for offering the spring - we'll see how we go when we arrive next year because I'll definitely have a list of things that I need to source/find when we're there. I can't take a pic of the driver's side one but it looks like it's got a tube running down the middle of the hinge and no spring either.

[Gary Lewis]

Oz, you are supposed to have that spring or you wouldn't have the serrated knob.  But, it isn't unusual for the springs to break from working and fall out.

I'll put these hinges in a box with your name on it and we can figure out what to do when you come.  (Incentive for you to come.  )

[Oz Econoline/F100]

Thanks for that Gary! We don't need the incentive to come - we are definitely coming. It's just a logistical task working out the timing to get from A, B and C and so on. We'll start in NYC on August 24 then a road trip from Washington DC on to North and South Carolina, Nashville, Memphis and on to Gary's gathering ;)

[Gary Lewis]

Glad you'll be there - both of you.  

I'm going to cut the top off of Huck in the not too distant future and store it away for you as well.

[PetesPonies]

I took the '82 on it's maiden voyage. I went to Myrtle Beach yesterday to see a female friend I help. It was about 200 miles, truck did fine. I really had not driven it since I bought it as I went to work on leaks and the interior right away. There are some things that need attention, alignment being the most important now. I stopped at my favorite vintage Esso station. I actually am going to build a replica on my property  :)

[Gary Lewis]

Looking good!  Good job.  

How big is your Esso station going to be?

[PetesPonies]

The building will be 14 x 22, roof larger.

[Gary Lewis]

That will be cute!

[PetesPonies]

I have a counter, cash register and stuff . . but it will also be where I keep my bikes . . motorized and not motorized  :)