Wow, so lately, I can't even open my door from the outside anymore; seems like the handle's gonna break. I gotta have the woman pull up on the handle from outside, while I push the door HARD from the inside. In fact, she's gotta body-check the door to get out of the car! LOL! So a few days ago, I open the door, and decide to lift up on the open edge. Well, the worn out hinge let me lift the door about 4-5 inches.

Now -that-'s a hinge!!

I'm going to try to hit the junkyard tomorrow to find a door. I wanted to wait until I got the rear 1/4 welded up, but that's gonna take a while. Has the "best success" been with lonsol's hinge kit, so far? My door's rusting out at the inside bottom, can't see it from the outside of the car... it's rusting out at those drip/drain plugs pretty badly, almost separating the inner door from the outer door.

So if I can't find a good-shape door with a great-shape hinge, I'll settle for a rust-free door with a bad hinge, then buy the hinge kit. The kit's just got the upper hinge, right? I replace the lower hinge with a bushing and a pin? Also, I can weld... can I MIG the new upper hinge in place or is it better to bolt it up?

 

http://www.3rdgensolutions.com/

 

This topic was also covered in High-Performance Pontiac Magazine last month. They are running a series of articles regarding common 3rd Gen problems. I can scan and send if youn wish.

Kevin

 

I believe the problem that TomP and many other 3rdgen owners have, is with the upper door hinge. For which no service parts are available from GM.

Was the Upper door hinge covered by the High Performance Pontiac article?

Thanx,ANDYZ28

 

I believe it does. The title of the article address the "Sagging door syndrome". The article is pretty detailed and the only parts they refer to are replacement hinge pins ($1.17 each) and bushings ($3.37 each) from a Pontiac dealer. The total fix was less than $15. The article is in the December 2002 issue with "Sultry Sixty-Six" on the cover. Here are the links to the previous two articles in the series. Article I addressed overheating, headlight motors and rear hatch latches. Article II addressed the sagging headliner (hardtops) issue. Article III is not yet posted on the website (the mag is probably still on the newsstands)

http://www.highperformancepontiac.co...1hpp_fristaid/
http://www.highperformancepontiac.co...0hpp_fristaid/

Kevin

 

Kevin, where can I get a copy of the magazine? I have not been able to locate it locally.

Thanx,ANDYZ28

 

Thanks Kevin for the link to the "Firebird Frist Aid Part I" (spell check software needed at Pontiac High Performance?). I had been told of this article appearing in the magazine by some customers, but hadn't read it before now. I sent an e-mail to the Editor of Pontiac High Performance, Thomas A. DeMauro. I let them know that my company (Top-Down Solutions) makes the parts to repair two of the problems they attempted to correct in the article (sagging headlights & inoperative hatch pull-down unit).

To set the record straight. Top-Down Solutions doesn't make the kits to repair F-Body sagging door hinges. I think the confusion comes from the fact that they appear in my Price List and that Andy Sherrer (aka Andy Z28) has been including my business card in the orders he has sent out as a favor to me, to help increase exposure of TDS and my products. Andy makes the hinge bushing kits and sells them on his web site. Unfortunately to further add to the confusion the names of our companies are similar (Top-Down Solutions and 3rdGen Solutions). I have been working closely with Andy. He has kindly been showing my hatch repair products to potential customers in his area and I've been doing the same for his hinge repair kits out here on the West Coast. I am one of the distributors of his kits, but not the manufacturer. I hope this clarifies the issue.

Thanks,

Lon Salgren
Top-Down Solutions

 

Andy, I work in downtown Manhattan so there is certainly no dearth of magazine stands. I will check my place to see if the mag is still on the stand (I don't think it is). I can photocopy the article and snail it to you (I don't think scanning will work). Also, if you wait a short while, I'm sure it will appear on their website (the other ones eventually did). I've had the mag for a while so I imagine the new one is set to hit relatively soon. My guess is they won't post the new issue so you have to go buy it and once the new one comes out, they post the previous issue. Let me know if you want me to mail you a copy.

Kevin

 

Thanks, Kevin. That would be great.

ANDYZ28