Door hinge question

[gjz30075]

Good point on the taper, Gary. I did mine that way, too. Allows for a much easier fit.

Greg Z

[AHM]

To post a different view...

The locknut may rusty (steel in Aluminium) rather than the shiny one in Gary's picture. Even if you can get the locknut out, it is unlikely that the nylon bobbin will unscrew past the thread where it was.

I have found that a much quicker and easier way is to cut through the bottom nylon hinge bobbin with a plane hacksaw blade (between the door and the sill). This exposes the other end of the square drive hole and the remnant of the bobbin can unscrewed (if not jammed in!). No need to touch the top hinge.
You can now put the door on the bench/floor where it is easier to deal with
Run a tap through before replacing bobbin and locknut.

This topic should be one of those F-n sticky things pinned to anyones forehead that buys an Elan for restoration or paint.
Don't take the 1/2 bolts out, end of story. Save your self some work. door adjustment with the new door seals will make you be very drunk and then it get worse...

I don?t see why not? It is not that hard if you have a little patience.

There are 3 adjusting points top/bottom hinge and the catch. The catch has up/down and in/out (twist) adjustment and the hinges also have fore/aft and control the angle.
Try not to disturb the top hinge or the catch, but if you have a bag of bits as the OP ...
Put them all on in approximately the right place, and nip them up so that they don?t move.
Woking on one at a time loosen the adjustment screws so that the door is held under its own weight and closing pressure, but will move and stay moved when you push in the chosen direction.
If the seal pressure is such that it pushes the door back out ? remove the seal set the adjustment compensating for the seal pressure, tighten the adjustment, replace the seal, check ... iterate!
My chosen order would be height adjustment of the nylon bobbins, then setting the angle of the bottom edge of the door with the sill, then the in/out /twist which is a compromise for all round fit. Finally set the striker /catch for correct closing, and tighten adjuster screws.

I found that I could reach a reasonable compromise in fit and no need for any fibreglass work.

Simon

[garyeanderson]

To post a different view...

The locknut may rusty (steel in Aluminium) rather than the shiny one in Gary's picture. Even if you can get the locknut out, it is unlikely that the nylon bobbin will unscrew past the thread where it was.

I have found that a much quicker and easier way is to cut through the bottom nylon hinge bobbin with a plane hacksaw blade (between the door and the sill). This exposes the other end of the square drive hole and the remnant of the bobbin can unscrewed (if not jammed in!). No need to touch the top hinge.
You can now put the door on the bench/floor where it is easier to deal with
Run a tap through before replacing bobbin and locknut.

This topic should be one of those F-n sticky things pinned to anyones forehead that buys an Elan for restoration or paint.
Don't take the 1/2 bolts out, end of story. Save your self some work. door adjustment with the new door seals will make you be very drunk and then it get worse...

I don?t see why not? It is not that hard if you have a little patience.

There are 3 adjusting points top/bottom hinge and the catch. The catch has up/down and in/out (twist) adjustment and the hinges also have fore/aft and control the angle.
Try not to disturb the top hinge or the catch, but if you have a bag of bits as the OP ...
Put them all on in approximately the right place, and nip them up so that they don?t move.
Woking on one at a time loosen the adjustment screws so that the door is held under its own weight and closing pressure, but will move and stay moved when you push in the chosen direction.
If the seal pressure is such that it pushes the door back out ? remove the seal set the adjustment compensating for the seal pressure, tighten the adjustment, replace the seal, check ... iterate!
My chosen order would be height adjustment of the nylon bobbins, then setting the angle of the bottom edge of the door with the sill, then the in/out /twist which is a compromise for all round fit. Finally set the striker /catch for correct closing, and tighten adjuster screws.

I found that I could reach a reasonable compromise in fit and no need for any fibreglass work.

Simon

Simon

You are more than welcome to do it how ever you like, I don't want to yell but folks don't need to make more work than they have to. It just saves a few steps and when I look on the forum and see the wonderful lines of so many side photos spoiled by wonky fitted doors then I just would like to advise folks that their hard work may need not be spoiled by door that look like crap due to disturbing the factory fit in conjunction with new door seals that are too fat. Do you think that Lotus really shipped the Elans looking as bad as many do? Its not all down to the seals in my view and yes you can make the them work but why mess with it if it was a nice fit to begin with. Please do what ever you like and you are welcome to tell folks that its not that hard to realign but I will just say why spend a day or morning or even an hour if you don't have to. That time could be better spent doing something productive like driving.

End of rant.

Gary

[AHM]

Gary,

Why the rant?

You will notice that the top half of my post makes no reference to removing the hinges, and the bottom part says "Try not to..."

That said; Personally I find it more agreeable to spend my half day with my hand in the door with clean freed threads rather than trying to apply force to ones that won't budge.

Re the lotus fit. No I don't believe it was that bad, certainly no worse than most other cars of the 60's. I don't subscribe to cosmetic surgery to the doors and neither do I the legends of the door mold.

Simon
P.s. all you spellers - I know that that should be "plain"

[Elanman99]

[quote="piss-ant"]This topic should be one of those F-n sticky things pinned to anyones forehead that buys an Elan for restoration or paint.
[size=150]Don't take the 1/2 bolts out, end of story.[/size] Save your self some work. door adjustment with the new door seals will make you be very drunk and then it get worse...

elan-f14/elan-door-removal-don-mess-with-the-inch-bolts-t19282.html[/quote]

I know I coming into this thread late, and probably fuelling the controversy, BUT, I honestly think that is a rubbish bit of advice Gary.

Without knowing the full history of any car with poor fitting doors the last thing I would assume is that the pairs of 5/16" UNC bolts are in the original Lotus position.

Other than the fact that the bolts are not the easiest to access and the actual adjusting process a bit fiddly, the only way to get the best compromise fit, is by adjusting the hinge positions.

Ian

[garyeanderson]

Gary,

Why the rant?

You will notice that the top half of my post makes no reference to removing the hinges, and the bottom part says "Try not to..."

That said; Personally I find it more agreeable to spend my half day with my hand in the door with clean freed threads rather than trying to apply force to ones that won't budge.

Re the lotus fit. No I don't believe it was that bad, certainly no worse than most other cars of the 60's. I don't subscribe to cosmetic surgery to the doors and neither do I the legends of the door mold.

Simon
P.s. all you spellers - I know that that should be "plain"

Hi Simon
So we agree but I don't have any problems with removing the jam threaded tubs with a 3/4 inch 6 point socket (they were all are rusty just like the shiny ones were before they were cleaned by wire wheel or bead blasting). My wrecks were outside for many years (20 plus in some cases) I have seen a few and the nylon ball is the most difficult to get loosened. That's why I gave the detailed instructions (several times if you go an look) on how to get the nylon ball loosened. I guess you can cut them if you like but thats more work and chances of more damage is just as likely, I get(have) the broken record mentality and when I read your response it does not jive with what I see. Any way please do it the way you want or are comfortable with. The rant is not much of one really, but If I don't need to create work, I try not to. Thats all I am saying. maybe I come off wrong a lot (just ask around) If I don't help than don't read my trash. You can do your way anytime but just get it done and go and drive.

Gary

[garyeanderson]

This topic should be one of those F-n sticky things pinned to anyones forehead that buys an Elan for restoration or paint.
Don't take the 1/2 bolts out, end of story. Save your self some work. door adjustment with the new door seals will make you be very drunk and then it get worse...

elan-f14/elan-door-removal-don-mess-with-the-inch-bolts-t19282.html

I know I coming into this thread late, and probably fuelling the controversy, BUT, I honestly think that is a rubbish bit of advice Gary.

Without knowing the full history of any car with poor fitting doors the last thing I would assume is that the pairs of 5/16" UNC bolts are in the original Lotus position.

Other than the fact that the bolts are not the easiest to access and the actual adjusting process a bit fiddly, the only way to get the best compromise fit, is by adjusting the hinge positions.

Ian

Hi Ian
If it looks good before then why mess with it. If it sucks then do as you please. Its your Elan so do what what you like. Maybe we come from different worlds, all of the wrecks I buy have not been apart before, all have been left for dead, not one was remotely near drivable let alone driving. These Elans are in the U.S. I have seen plenty of them were driven till dead, not restored several times so that they did have the factory alignment. What you see are well used for there whole lives and several paint jobs. You have to look at what you are working on and take them on that basis. Nothing is that simple and my advise is for Elans I have seen not necessary what you are looking at. Am I digging the hole deeper yet, tell me when I get to 6 feet and I'll jump in and you folks can back fill?

[AHM]

Gary,

I responded to the original post and offered a different approach to yours.

Similarly If you don't like what I write don't read it!

Simon