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Mon Jan 20, 2003 7:37 am

I bought a 71 super beetle that has a seized driver's door hinge. When I was looking at the car initially I didn't know it was seized and I tryed to open the door. I felt the resistance and noticed the entire hinge area in front of the door was bending. Is this a difficult area to repair? Do they sell repair hinge panels for that area? Advice?

Tue May 20, 2003 8:47 pm

ok,.the first is to replace the door if you have another door, the second is to drill out the rivits that hold the hinge to the door( there is three of em and the door needs to be off for this) CIP has new hinges,the down side is trying to rivit the new ones on, i have had good luck with tapping the new hinges and useing the same bolts with the philips heads used for munting the door on the body used hinges work too if you hv=ave a crappy doner door
hope this helps

Wed May 21, 2003 3:40 pm

upper or lower hinge mount area? I wouldn't say replacing that area is easy. If the lower hinge mount area is wiggly, it is probably rusted out. If the door is still seized, I would try very hard to drive the pins out after soaking them with Liquid Wrench for a week. Then hit the hinge with a torch, git her good and hot and drive the pins out from the bottom with an air hammer. With the pins out and the door out of the way, you'll be free to determine whether you truly need a new door or what the problem might be. I'll bet that a little time cleaning up the pin and hinge and you might be able to get away with putting the pin right back in, oiling it back up and go.

Thu May 22, 2003 10:01 am

Ahhh not the door hinges.. I have had a nightmare with them.. I had tried to remove my door hinges last year with a sledge hammer and various types of pins, bolts and such.. I had succeeded in removing the pins along with the door hinge from the door.(rip!!). I tried an air hammer.. did not budge.. If I were you.. I would not try to remove. I feel its a major pain in the A$$.. If you can look for new doors. Might be cheaper and less headache..

Chris

'72 super

Tue May 27, 2003 7:25 pm

I used many many hours of a weekend trying to do the same thing, not only did I eventually get the pin out (after removing the door), but I managed to smash 3 fingers, and break a bone in one, plus the blood, and bruises on my legs from trying to hold the door steady, and then the burnt up grass from the liquid wrench.......if you can get the door off, try and find a replacement.

Tue May 27, 2003 8:07 pm

the only other way if you are going to replace the whole hing anyway is to cut(sawzall) the hinge off,removing the door compleetly, then you should have access to not only the phillips bolts holding on the remainder of the hing to the body ,but the rivets also.
sorry but thats as far as my thinking goes.
(o\ l /o)JHC

Tue May 27, 2003 8:08 pm

hinge*

Tue Jun 03, 2003 10:15 pm

I actually got mine to work...here is how I did it. Fist you have to take the door off period or you will rip the hinge area on the car(or really weaken it), though that has already happened on alot of them. I soaked it in liquid wrench for about a week, heated it with a torch and attached a set of vise grips to the hinge and worked it back and forth, applying a liberal amount on LR and heat alternately. The heat expands the hinge and LR washes out the rust. It took the better part of a saturday and my neighbors think I cuss alot, but it did work. Baring that, you can buy a new set of hinge pins, I think real Stuff sells a set of four oversized for something ridiculous like $50 after shipping, but if you plan on keeping the car and the paint is anything worth loooking at it might be the best way out. Heat and liquid wrench don't improve the aesthetics. good luck!