Who knows the history of door hinges being shaved on hot rods? How far back do examples of this go? Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I think the first car was the McGee roadster shown on the cover of Hot Rod in 1948. But that certainly doesn't mean it was mainstream after that. It's actually a fad from the "smoothie" movement of hot rodding starting in about 1983. Proliferated by Boyd Coddington, and a sure way to make your car look like a fiberglass repro. Commonly done in the 90's with a glue in windshield, a filled/ribbed roof, rubberless runningboards, and monochromatic paint on everything that wasn't milled aluminum.
I would imagine it was more inspired by dry lakes/Bonneville racing, rather than "style"...especially after WW11 when a lot of returning GIs had learned something about aerodynamics.
Another reference I found attributed this practice to Harry Westergard and custom lead sleds. Harry, having died in 1956 would at least indicate it was a practice (albeit maybe not a common one) in the 50’s. As noted, the earlier and famous McGee ‘32 Roadster from 1946 also had shaved handles and hinges. Pre-dating Westergard, it would seem perhaps McGee was the first, and Westergard builds indicate that it was done by some others in the 1950’s as well. Perhaps Coddington brought an old modification more mainstream (as did fiberglass knock-off’s), but it appears the fact remains that this was indeed done in the late 1940’s and in the 1950’s. With this historical context existing back to the 1940’s, I’m not understanding why there seems to be a bias to not do this on a hot rod? I’m just looking for historical context in keeping hot rods builds to being 1965 or prior hot rod practices. Seems odd if that only includes what 80% or even 99% of people did back then in building their cars. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Ya, that makes perfect sense. I think I’ll go digging through some lakes racing and Bonneville archives. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I would welcome anybody to post pics of any cars with hidden hinges built before 1980. Westergard, Bonneville, or John Doe's, I don't mind. Educate us. Search those old magazines and AHRF.
I don't know for sure about all of your statements but the filled ribbed roof had almost nothing to do with fiberglass cars and was very rare on one. The filled ribbed roofs were steel cars with 60's station wagon grafts long before fiberglass bodies were the norm.
Someone must have bumper their heads coming up from pulling some tools in the garage and bang, there goes those hinges, I know I have!! Good Challenge @alchemy I swear I seen a post lately with a lakes car with hidden hinges. I have to find it now.
The Nitti roadster in the 50s Shaved hinges are traditional. Never confuse this with a billet laden street rod modification.
Photos credited to Don Palmer from 1953-1955 at Bonneville show some shaved door cars as well. The red 180d car looks to have gone as far as taping the panel seams as well. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=24661 Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Just my thoughts but I feel hidden hinges came about shortly after newer cars started using them. There were probably not a lot of guys doing it because fewer had the desire to modernize than those that just wanted more performance. It's the same today. More build for performance with less regard for look's and is what explains the custom culture that does the opposite and is proportionally a smaller group, not meaning either is right or wrong. Just different tastes. Anytime common practices are not seen in magazines it is usually because the magazines are a business to sell magazines and they show content to draw the masses. This doesn't mean that many rodders that were not featured were not doing otherwize. I have always been influenced by the magazines but have also done many modifications that were never seen in magazines and I am pretty sure I am not the only one. I have always thought long before fiberglass cars were the norm that protruding hinges were something to get rid of that did nothing for the looks of a smooth steel body as was doors that flapped over the body. I can only assume that Henry Ford felt the same way as he flush fit the front edge of a Model A door then the whole door on a 32. Then began hidden hinges a little later. Seems he was doing the same improvements that us latter rodders started doing on the cars he hadn't thought of these ideas yet. Filled roofs and the list goes on and on. I am only unhappy with the same things he was.
My first job was a local custom/rod shop around 1990. We did all the stuff popular then. GM sub grafts, ugly wheels, suicide doors, shaved everything, painted chrome....... 17 years later I’m in another hot rod shop. They had a very good library of old magazines. Got to do some cool homework looking at styles and modifications through the years. A filled top and shaved everything does not turn a car into a “street rod” It’s the overall vibe or style. Whitewalls on a billet laden car looks odd. Billet wheels with a flathead and tuck and roll interior looks odd. Or whitewalls and steelies on a S10. Customizers have been using the same tricks for decades. I was into mini trucks (building one currently). Shaved handles was a must. Learned how to do that from a guy shaving handles in the 60s. Passed that skill to my students. Who knows what they will do with that decades from now. Same concept. Different vehicle with a different style. It’s not necessarily what modification is done but how all the modifications create the cars overall look or feel (vibe) plus overall proportions. Hate to tell you, but there were some sharp streetrods and billet rods built. As well as a lot of ugly ones. Just like traditional built cars.
OK, the Nitti roadster makes two. The 36 roadster pic is too blurry to tell. I don't think the Bonneville racers pictured had HIDDEN HINGES, they had no hinges. Those racing roadsters probably had the doors welded shut, and the coupe probably only had a working door on the other side. But I'm still willing to look at all the vintage pics you guys can show us. Not saying that it's gonna make me feel any better about hidden hinges, but maybe you can convince yourself. In the end it's your car and you can modify it in any way you see fit.
Most of by friends that went with " hidden hinges " wished they hadn't . Go & hang a big heavy coupe door on two hidden hinges & tell me how good , over time .it opens & closes ! Roadsters are a somewhat different deal . When chopping a 32 / 34 coupe , just keeping the top hinge makes for a better hanging / closing door . Tradition or not , doors are happier with their original hinges !
I guess it depends on what hinges. Suicided a 40 ford. Shaved the Ford, replaced with late 40s early 50s mopar hinges. Worked great but a ton of work. Does the mopar hinge count as factory hinge? We made a custom set for another car. Had issues if allowed to swing open hard. It’s not just hinges but reengineering the door frame as well. I don’t think the amount of effort to do it correctly doesn’t add that much to the finished car.
I'll always love that Pete Eastwood comes here. Gospel. .. I have some Fred Larsen roadster photos. Some from here .. Jimmy B. Kustomrama, etc. Just a fan. Something about an east coast guy, with arm sleeve tattoos, racing Bonneville, & working with Shelby .. in that time frame .. is bitchin'.
I have the original of this photo . It was given to me by Blackie Gold, that's his roadster on the right . They all have stock hinges .
I believe shaved door hinges started with the original hot rods: dirt circle race cars. Doors were welded on and a couple pounds were saved. I don’t have the time to post photos, but please don’t think they came out in the billet era.
No shit…. ya coulda fooled me- ...but now that I look closer I can see the passenger side hinge on his car-
Shaved off hinges ala racecar is not the same as hidden hinges. And I know it wasn't invented in the billet era. But I do know it was popularized in the billet era.