I didn't want to mail-order a set of door hinge pins for our '53 Chevy 2-door and wait for them to get lost or sent to the wrong address? I also didn't want to shave down some bolts and still have shitty sagging doors after all that work. I spent some time looking for some locally, but failed. I busted out the dial calipers and found the diameter of the stock hinge pins (.340) and they measured out to be about 2.5" in length. I ran down to Autozone and looked in their HELP! section for a pair of hinge pins with the same diameter and atleast the same length. They had quite a few very long pieces in the right diameter but only sold them individually and for about $7 each! Well, I stumbled upon HELP! part number 38381. It's a kit for a Chrysler of some sort that comes with 3 pins, and 6 bushings. 2 of the pins were the right diameter, 1 of which was a little long. The other was a smaller pin and was thrown in the misc bucket I keep around. I popped the stock plastic bushings out of the hinges, and the replacement brass bushings happened to tap right into the hinges nice and tight, like they should be. Then I assembled the hinges together and knocked the pins through them. They fit nice, and operate smoothly. Remember, I said one of the pins was the right length, and one was a little long. Out came the cut-off wheel, trimmed to the proper length, then smoothed out. I put the doors back on and they open & close very smooth, with no sagging. Anyhow, the hinge pin kit was about $8, and enough to do 1 door, so you'll need two to do both doors. Again, it's HELP! part number 38381. Not sure if it works on 49-52's, 55-57's, or BOPs of the same vintage, but it might be worth a shot. I also heard the rear doors on 4-door cars have a different length, but might be the same diameter. Anyhow, hope it helps.
Haven't gotten to that point yet but I sure appreciate the info. That info will save me a lot of time and save a little hair from being pulled out. Lord knows I don't need to loose anymore. Which # is the right one? Thanks, BOBBY FORD
That what roddings all about. If you cant wait find something else that will work. Good job and nice tip
Sorry, I get a bit "dyxlessik" sometimes. The right number is #38381 (MOTORMITE/HELP!) By the way, the MOTORMITE/HELP! brand tells you the pin diameter & length on the back. O'reilly carries a new brand that doesn't give the specs on the back. NAPA has their own brand, but I believe they are the same as the MOTORMITE/HELP! but in a private label for NAPA because it tells you the specs on the back and looks like the same packaging.
Does anyone know where to get new springs for these hinges? They're the flat type, mine are worn clean off.
Greetings! When it came time for me to rebuild the hinges on my '53 what the vintage Chevy parts suppliers wanted to sell me was a "generic" hinge-pin rebuild kit that still needed the pins shortened. Like you I found pins and bushings at my local parts store , the only real snag was finding replacement door limit springs. Unfortunately I was unable to fine replacement springs on-line or in any of the vintage Chevy parts catalogues so I scrounged some from a set of '59-'60 Chevy Impala front door hinges, the rivets needed were purchased from a local hardware store, hope this helps, Mike.
Just bought eight NOS door limit springs for my '53 from Cal McCollum @ Vintage Chevrolet Parts in Bonsall CA, ...not cheap, but hard to find! He had a few left [that was a coupla weeks back]. His ph# is 760-723-5134
Howdy, Thanks for the advice. I ordered the parts for my '54. I realize that this post was quite a while ago. But could you tell me how you got the old pins out of the hinge? Thanks, Scott Acton
I unbolted the hinge from the car and the body and knocked them out with a hammer and punch. Im sure this could be done on the car without removing them from the car totally though
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