Take-apart door hinges (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Threads
285
Messages
3,348
Location
West MI near GVSU
Website
www.mcdesignsoffroad.com
Okay, I've been working on building myself a set of better door hinges for my 40. After all of the time and s****ed drawings and parts, I've finally figured it out. I could possibly build them for others too. I abandoned the factory design and geometry to use a top and bottom style hinge with replaceable bronze bushings from the hardware store and a much larger replaceable hardened cap screw which will be pressed into the top half. I'm sharing prototype photos, some of which can be seen on mybluetoy's home website at unemployedfilms.com under the 40 refresh option. I'm doing this while job searching, performing AF Reserve duty and hobby farming.

These allow easy door removal and hard to tube or half door changing too. A-pillar and door halves could be supplied as needed. They work on thin and thick doors and I imagine they will work on right hand drive trucks too.

I'm an enthusiast, not a business. I have a quick thought up business name of MC Designs and have a paypal account. If there's enough interest I'll ramp up and build better jigs and make sure I have reliable material sources.

PM me if interested. I have an idea about where I'll price them, and I know it will be considerably less than a set of new factory pieces.

As requested, my new website is mcdesignsoffroad.com

Pricing and buying options are listed there.
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Does the top ot the hinge clear the windshield frame when you lift it out, or does the windshield need to be folded forward to clear?
 
In his first post, the third picture shows you what you want to see..

I like the idea!!! :beer:
 
It looks like it would... If it does I'm sure there would be more interest. Just wanting clarification for all.
 
Thank you for your interest and for looking.

The hinges do clear the windshield frame. My first go around was with the factory dimensions. That was going to hit the frame. I scrapped everything and started over. I made some more adjustments to the design since the photos, but only to make the security nut installation and removal easier as it allows more wrench clearance between the nut and the door. Thick doors presented the reason for this change.
 
These hinges would be ideal for switching between half and full hard doors.

Great design... :D
 
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Thanks. I know. I had problems with welding over the bugger tacks on those pieces. The more recent pieces didn't have that problem. I had to tack the first pieces like on both blue 40s above, so I could verify fit.

I'm at Reserve duty for the weekend, but will grab some fresh photos of the better looking parts Sunday night after I get home.
 
Matt stopped by this evening on his way through town to show me these hinges. Really nice idea! It's obvious he has spent some time and money getting the design just right. If I still had a 40 or 45, I'd be all over these.

Keep up the good work, Matt!

I'd still get a hold of Kurt at Cruiser Outfitters, Mark at MetalTech and maybe Jeremiah at Proffitts Cruisers to see whether they would offer any ideas for improvements. If not, start selling those bad boys!

Luke
 
Quik Hinges

Thank you Luke. I appreciate the kind words.

Now that barn chores are done, here are some fresh photos of a Top Right from a set going on the '79 pictured above. I painted them for the guy for letting me use his 'cruiser for prototyping.

I plan to just prime them with the self etching primer or could just oil coat them if that was preferred.

The welds improved since the photos of the prototypes I posted initially.
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I have been switching from tube doors to hard doors and back again, with the weather changing here in Michigan every five minutes, it is nice to have the ease and simplicity of his design. Here are some pics of my FJ40 before it went back into storage today, snow is in the forecast tomorrow, I like to store it with the hard doors on. This took me about 3 minutes to do the change out, just saying it is simple and easy. Thank you Matthew, these hinges are great, saves me time which I have little of.
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I like the look of these...same problem in Oregon this time of year with the weather all over the place, and it would be nice to be able to swap the doors faster/easier.
 
I like them.....How much and when will you be selling the?
 
nice job! i'll take a set!
 

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