Body / Glass: K body trunk hinge

[mmagic]

Right side trunk hinge has problems. I can build up and reinforce the kink in the underframe of the trunk lid but it would solve nothing without getting to the problem... the hinge. It seems to move freely but sticks at the over center point when lowered.

I assume the issue is worn or frozen pins in the hinge assbly. Thus a little lube is not likely a solution. ????

That logically takes me to rebuild or replace. Quick look at the normal vendors suggests new C/K body trunk hinges are rare. Are there any tricks or advice should I choose to rebuild myself or do any of our vendors/suppliers rebuild hinges or stock rebuilt ones?

[StudeRich]

They are a definite "Weak" spot on all C & K's, but I know of no one rebuilding them.
The supply of NOS ones for obvious reasons, has pretty much disappeared.

[mmagic]

Much as I suspected. Any words of wisdom as I dive into mine ??

[JoeHall]

Pitch it in a bucket of old oil for about a week, then wipe it off and see how it works.

[RadioRoy]

And anybody else who has one of these cars, keep those hinges well oiled. That goes for 47-52 also.

[rkapteyn]

It seems that it is always the right hand one that fails.
I only have one N.O.S. right hand left but many left hand ones.
If you want my last one let me know.(all C/K cars)

Robert Kapteyn
studebaker@mac.com

[mmagic]

With the above input, I quickly decided it was on me to resolve. Pulled the deck lid, leveled and welded an 18 ga overlay on the damaged deck lid. Ground off excess weld and bondo'd everything smooth. Finished the deck with single stage paint match I had mixed to rattle can.

Comparing side to side it was obvious that the bottom pivot/hinge pin to the mount plate on the right side was moving excessively. A comparative measurement of hinge movements (at the end point) before resistance confirmed this as left was 1/2" and right was 1 1/2". So I assumed either the pin had to be worn or the pivot hole was worn. Pulled the rivet/pivot pin and although the pivot hole was worn slightly, this is what the pivot pin looked like. Don't think oil would have helped.


This might appear minor but considering that the entire deck lid is leveraged against it, this equates to several inches at the latch.

Quick trip to HD just before they locked the door and picked up a clevis pin right diameter.... not grade 5 but I bet that original rivet/pin was grade 3 at best as it was malleable enough to be peened into place. All reassembled and much better. With a little adjustment it could be good. Just ran out of daylight and energy to finish today.

[mmagic]

[QUOTE=rkapteyn;854865]It seems that it is always the right hand one that fails.
/QUOTE]

Hypothosis: Most stress in the hinge system occurs on the too soft pin pictured in #7 and lower pivot. As most people are right handed and pull the deck lid down from the right side, the right side of the trunk lid is torqued slightly and receives the initial stress as the hinge crosses from pulling up to pulling down. Thus the lower pivot becomes the weak spot, wear point in the system.

[52-fan]

I love it when someone repairs a part instead of tossing it. Some parts are too complicated, but most can be repaired with some creativity. Good job.

[mmagic]

.... All reassembled and much better. With a little adjustment it could be good. Just ran out of daylight and energy to finish today.

Close but no cigar... daylight didn't help make the adjustment right.

Inspected and still had 3 pivots with some slop. All pins are 5/16". Removed and drilled these 3 out to 3/8". Replaced them with 3/8" Clevis pins.

Ground the heads as thin as possible, cut off and ground cotter pin end as thin as possible so as to not catch on the springs.

Still working on adjustments but at least now with all pins tight, both sides scissor open smoothly at the same rate. Before the mechanism on the right side would not open, then open with stress when it bound half way down. With 3 pins and holes out of round, there was enough slop to prevent the semi parallel bars from moving the first part of lowering stressing the mount to the deck lid.

Not a professional rebuild but the problem appears to be solved with $5 of parts and 2 skinned knuckles.

Optimistic we can now bring into adjustment.

[mmagic]

To summarize....
These pictures tell the story best. Rebuilding these hinges is not that difficult or expensive to do. The only tools I used were an angle grinder to remove the old pivots/rivets and thin the pins for clearance, and a table top drill press to resize the holes. Other than repairing damage to the deck lid that the failed hinge had caused, the only parts and tools required were about $5 of clevis pins from Lowes. Do not try and make the repair with the hinge still on the car!

I made several false starts and wasted hours including trying bolts etc before I quit making the task difficult.

[jimmyg]

There is a gentleman in Menomonie, Wi. that has an unbelievably large collection of Studebaker cars, trucks, parts boxes of NOS parts, everything you can imagine. I was up there a year ago& found a couple front fenders for my Hawk & I remember seeing a box of new Hawk trunk hinges that I made a mental note of in case I needed any. Danged if can find his name/address/phone number. I know he's just north of town on hwy 25. Hope that gets you a step closer to the parts you need

[sweetolbob]

Nice fix and post. Pictures explain it well. Thanks, Bob

[johnod]

This is going to be very helpful, thanks.

Yes I know it's an old thread.

[StudeRich]

THIS is exactly the kind of Old Thread that is just TOO helpful to lose!

In the cleanup of "Old Threads" over 5 Years old, I would hope that SOME discretion would be used.

I show Merlin's Last Post as: 12/17/2016, I hope we have not lost him, one way or another.