Removing the door hinges - 74 Ghia

[ReginaVonVolkswagen]

I am starting a restoration on a 74 Ghia. Just removed the doors the other day and am trying to remove the top door hinge. Screws are out but it looks like the hinge needs the check strap removed to get the hinge off completely. Is this right? Sure would be easier to replace the check strap with the hinge off the door. The pins for the check strap are rusted solid on the inside and removing them will be a pain. Suggestions?

[c21darrel]

Penetrating oil.
or cut the check strap. Bam.
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[copellos]

Straps are adv repro cut them when you get the hinges rebuilt the pins will get removed

[rward011]

If all of the screws are out, then the hinge should come off (probably needs some oil like c21darrel mentioned).

The check straps can be removed after the hinge is out by taking off the small c clips on the bottom of the pins and then removing the pins.

Chances are you'll want to replace those anyways.

[ReginaVonVolkswagen]

Thanks for the thoughts on this. I think the pins holding the check strap rollers are the problem - they are on the inside of the door panel while the rest of the hinge is on the outside, and they just seem too wide to fit through the opening. I've already sprayed with PB blaster. The clips on the ends of the pins just come off in tiny chunks with pliers. Will try cutting the check strap and see if that helps.

[rward011]

I don't know why I was thinking the hinges were on the body still...

think you are still going to run into the problem of the pins being in the way even if you cut the strap.

If the clips are toast, you should be able to use something and push the pins up and out of the hinge, then both the strap and hinge should be free...crossing fingers.

[ReginaVonVolkswagen]

Finally got these hinges free. The pins for the check strap rollers were about 1/8" too long to come through the opening in the door panel. With much PB blaster I was able to punch out the pins from the inside. Thanks for the advice.