C2 roadster door

[Dennis H.]

My 64 driver door internal hinge plate( where the hinges bolt inside the door ) has come loose from the door structure. There is a rivet between the hinges on the door that is sheared off. If you have experinced this problem please advise method of repair.

[John M.]

Re: C2 roadster door

This is very hard to rivet buck in place with correct rivets without removing the door skin. If the car is never going to be judged, replace the rivets with large-flange head pop rivets. This is a fairly common failure item, and there just were not enough rivets to hold the load. I install the large head pop rivets in all the original holes, and then add another rivet between each original rivet. You will probably find that all the other rivets are also loose and the holes are worn out. I will put some bonding compound in the hole and expand the rivet after the compound sets so that the bonding compound will fill the loose hole and then the expanded rivet will hold it in place. Of course, if judging is in your future, you will probably want to rivet it back in place with original style soft aluminum rivets. It can be done without removing the door skin, but it is not a job for the inexperienced rivet bucker. Finding a bucking bar with just the right shape, and holding it just right while a helper drives the rivet, is a real tough job.

Regards, John McGraw

[John H.]

Re: C2 roadster door

You could also substitute 1/4" carriage bolts; chucked in a lathe with the head turned down flat, they look almost just like a rivet.

[Mark S. Lovejoy]

Re: C2 roadster door

You can also use 1/4 - 20 "weld studs". I used them on my C2 doors. The head is thicker than the rivets, but turning them down in a lathe was easy. McMaster-Carr has them P/N 93865A220 for about $12/100.

Hope this helps.

Mark
#27152

[Mark S. Lovejoy]

Re: C2 roadster door

Here are a few after lathe work.

[Dennis H.]

Re: C2 roadster door

Thanks to you and everyone else for the information.