The flippers ( don't know if this is the right terminology or not?) I'm talking about the metal part that lifts up when you open the door on a hardtop and closes when you close the coor and seals the top door edge. On my olds these don't work as good as I would like, just on the drivers door, of course this is the one that got the most use. there seems to be a spring set up in the construction, has anyone had to fix theirs? I have done a search for 'flippers' and mostly got caps. this is basically my daily driver so would like to get it sorted. I have looked at fusicks catalogue and nothing is mentioned in there. anyone able to point me in the direction to adjustment or new springs? Anyway heres a photo of the car, as I know you guys love photos!
I have the same problem on my '56 Ford. There was another post on here today about this issue on '53-4 Chevy Bel Air hardtops, and somebody recommended Danchuk as a source for replacement springs and hardware for tri-5 Chevies. Go to the Danchuk website and look for "flippers", they will also reference a forum for tri-5s and there's an article there about rebuilding them. I'm sure there are differences among Chevy, Olds, and Ford, but I think the concept is the same among all three makes and the Chevy information will probably be useful.
Without knowing the alignment of the holes, the best I can show you is this: http://www.classicchevy.com/assets/pdf/36-40.pdf? If that doesn't work, because it's 1am and I'm half brained as usual, go to this website and look at the PDF file for destructions on installation. http://www.classicchevy.com/product.asp?pf_id=36-40&dept_id=1468
On a '57 Chevy Sport Coupe I had a while back I had to rebuild those *flipper* mechanisms.........for Chevies I recall that Danchuk had a kit to do this complete with the correct spring clips that are essential...... Mine worked perfectly after I did the spring install....... Look for such a kit from the big Oldsmobile parts suppliers, or maybe the Chevy items will work? Good luck...... CB
Had the same problem on the 55 Buick Super, passenger side worked good but drivers side would hang halfway open when closed. Removed it and greased up the springs (they were really rusty) and then tweeked the little hang down window catcher. Seems they give a little after all those years of opening. It now works fine.
I'm rebuilding a 55 Chev Bel Aire in a few weeks I'll do a tech when the car comes in. the repo springs (like most repo parts fit but don't work perfect. takes a little tinkering. and might have to adjust the vent assembly itself
I have an illustrated "how-to" article from the seventies (I think) to fix these that I will scan, and post. Give me a little while to look for it...
If the torsion spings not broke then Bassfires got the right approach. a litle lube and tweeking will fix most flappers. gently add more tension to the tab that hits the vent frame. or even add a nylon shim at the contact point. also many time it's the vent frame alignment
Bassfire: thanks, the olds and buick super share the same body and doors, so would be the same. NoName: would appreciate that, as I'm sure would others. Totally Custom, if you can find that article would be good to see. Da Tinman, if you look at Brandys links they call them flippers. I thought flappers were stick on whitewalls. Brandy, good to see you made it out of the jungle girl! Wondered if you were ever going to surface again. Hope all's well, appreciate the info.
I got replacement springs and tabs for the flippers on my '56 Ford from Mac's. And I bought the catwhiskers/fuzzies in bulk from a local glass shop. I've got one side almost done and still have to finish the other one. If the hinges and stainless are good and not bent, the other parts should be available. I don't know if the GMs are different from the Fords.
Ooooooooooh I bought a machete and started hacking like a mad man. It's amazing, I actually get more than 3 hours of sleep a night, have weekends to myself and can actually remember my name. Downside, I put on 20 pounds. Back to the gym and the garage for me! FINALLY!!
So, after getting the springs and nylon inserts I started rebuilding the flippers on my '56 Fairlane. And the tabs that the nylon inserts go on, are trash - rotten rusted and unusable. I haven't found a good source for them and they'd be a reall hassle to even try and fabricate. I've checked around and can't locate a source for them. From looks of it, the Ford flippers are very similar to GM styles. But even the GM sources listed (Danchuk, Ecklers) don't list repair parts for theirs. Has anyone found a source for other than what Mac's has for the Fords?
The classic chevy link is the same set of instructions I used for rebuilding mine. They are a good source for the parts as well and likely use the same parts as your Olds. HERE IS A HUGE TECH TIP on this though: NONE of these flippers will work very well if you just torque down the screws that hold them in place to the body. They work MUCH better if you leave the screws a little loose, especially all of the middle ones, and just let the things float. That alone solved 90% of my problems and they work like new now. Good luck!
Well actually I have a Ford, not Olds. But I looked at those instructions. Other than dimensions, the mechanisms look identical betwx GM & Ford (funny, maybe those GM & Ford engineers met downtown Detroit way back in the 50s and figgered this stuff out together. . .) Biggest problem I'm having is with those front flipper tabs - mine are rotten/rusty and unusable and I don't see a source for replacements. But I'll pull one apart and maybe there's enough left for a pattern to fabricate new tabs. Thanks for the advice! I'll update post how-to, along with success or failure here later. Ron
This worked for me on my 55 Chevy hard top. The 55, 56, 57 Chevy's tops are curved above the doors. Consider the flipper as a piano hinge. If the hinge is bent, the hinge won't work. On my car, I took the flipper mechanism off and then used a straight edgs and placed it against the under side of the drip rail. I could see that there is about a 5/16 arch running the lenght of the flipper. I made various thickness spacers out of stainless washers (taped them together with double sided tape) and stacked them where the four middle sheet metal screws attach the flipper. The remaining screws on the outer points don't need washers. This resulted in a straight flipper when reinstalled. It works like a champ! This always seemed like a design flaw to me on tri-fives. (Not my idea, an old head Chevy guy clued me in on it.)
Just redid a set on a 53 Chev. Used modified tri five flipper springs. Looks like it’s gonna be all good. As stated before don’t over tighten the inside screws. The two on the ends do most of the work. These are called flippers not flappers. Asked some old head GM assemblers. Flippers.
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