Dropped lower cargo door plate when removing cargo door

[zack1]

I was in the process of removing the passenger side front cargo door, the one closet to the passenger side front door and when I removed the last screw on the lower hinge the plate just dropped!!! Has this happened to anyone before and if so how did you fix it. thanks in advance for any help

[campingbox]

Bummer. There's no quick fix.

If you use the search function you'll find your answer.

[ratpanel61]

Happens all the time. You'll be cutting a window in to fish it out and rewelding up the hole. Have fun, no easy way.
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- '57 Sunroof Beetle (project)
- '73 THING

[Vintagespeed]

With a freshly painted bus, and you don't wan't to cut a window, not sure on this one, but isn't it "possible" to bolt it through, without the plate.

For instance drill a little hole in the next post you see trough the holes and bolt it with special measured bolts? Seems like it should be possible.

[my65vert]

bolt it to what????? The plate fell down, you wouldnt want to just bolt your heavy swinging cargo door to just sheet metal.

whats the diff between cutting a small window and drilling holes to fix it incorrectly?

Id cut the hole, fix it then weld it up and touch up paint.
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OGJHC
Kombisutra;
I'm starting to get little wafts of bus stink coming from the north. Something about the unique scent of drivers seat padding when it's glued together with mouse piss and shit that really gets me going... and I'm smelling it! Oh yeah! Time to start loading up the equipment.

[VintageVulture]

I restore Bus bodies frequently and this is a very common problem... I've found a few tricks to making this a quick repair- BUT, do you own a welder? Simply cut the lower portion of the rocker area where the plate is likely to have fallen and retrieve it. Then cut a small window on the outer skin just next to the area where the plate is fixed to the inside of the pillar. I usually am able to repair and reshape the flap that holds the plate in/ allows it to be adjustable. Then place the plate back in, tack weld the flap to hold the plate back in and reverse the cutting with your welder. Once I was able to make the immediate metal repairs in about thirty minutes. Make your cuts in areas that are easiest to grind, putty, repair, etc. Make sense? Again, do you have a welder? Once you complete this task you will feel like a pro!
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[Vintagespeed]

as it is the only way to fix this, it sure still is a nasty way

Someone should design something for that, some kind of adjustable spring type plate that fits trough the small holes or something and then expands

[zozo]

Is anyone aware of a method for keeping it from falling in the first place? It seems like it would be easier to prevent, than fix.

[Nor_AL_67]

[zozo]

[Alaskan Adventurer]

[Vintagespeed]

[Mikee]

[Rick]

what about a magnet? I've used this in a similar situation where I needed a nut welded to the inside of some square tubing. I drilled a hole where the bolt would go through then tossed the nut in the tube from the open end (the tube was long, about 8 feet and we needed it near the middle). I then put a magnet on the outside of the tube, picked up the nut on the inside and slide the magnet over to the hole. Now with some finesse I was able to get a bolt in the nut to pull in into place and tacked it in. I'm not familiar with the inside of that pillar in your situation, but it might be worth attempting since it requires only a magnet and no damage to the car. Even if it took me 3 hours of fiddling with a magnet I'd rather do that than cut, weld, paint, etc.

[hugheseum]

you need a endoscopic tool,surgeons use them,and in the last 356 registry mag theres a retired dr. with a endoscopic tool that retreived a socket from a freshly painted 356,it had fallen down the heater vent and into the longitudinals (rockers to bus guys)
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[Dropped Metal Customs]

[kguarnotta]

I just spend a couple days, about two hours each time, but I was able to do it without cutting a hole.

It takes a lot of patience, other things to do when you start to get frustrated, and some 19 gauge steel wire-although I'm sure 18 or 20 would work, 19 is what they had at the local hardware store.

You need that and some good flashlights to be able to look down the hole. Flash light from underneath, and fish from above. pull out plate, then use wire to reinstall.

[Redlocker]

[Ragman]

There is a coat hanger trick you can do as well, hooking and holding the plate in place while removing the cargo door. Ian and I just did it on a 23 window in his shop while remove these doors. Trick worked fine. Hard to describe on in a post, but basically the coat hanger holds via one removed bolt hole the plate in place...remove door. Place bolt back in, being careful not to knock it down the chute from hell.

[Redlocker]

Thanks, that sounds even easier.
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