Does anyone know the original color of the door hinges on 53-56 trucks? Were they body color or black or silver or not painted?

Mine were painted Meadow Green 17 years ago when I painted the truck and I don't remember what they were before that. The hinges on my 55 which is unmolested are Meadow green. But this truck was repainted about 4 years ago.

 

body color

 

They should have made them the color of blood, knuckle skin, heat torch charcoal and broken drill bits to make it easier to restore them after trying to remove worn out pins.



Tom

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Now Tom, we are talking about the new state of the art 53-56 trucks with the advanced swing away door hinges not the outdated 48-52 trucks with the hinge pins! We dont need no stinkin' pins!

 

You know what they say... If it ain't got pins...it's just another old truck. I guess I'm pro-monkey. But I do wish mine didn't. Been fighting them off and on for 2 days. They're winning so far.

 

From the looks of the hinges on many of the "unmolested" trucks that I have worked on, the cabs were painted with the doors installed. Paint patterns on the hinges show that to be the case. I paint all of mine off the truck with the same color as the truck...but then again I am not a purist.

 

My sympathies Toby. They do come out . . . eventually. But only after you have used every tool in your tool box.

 

Thanks Pete. I see you took the whole thing off. Probably a lot easier. What do you attach the cab side back on with? Had to drill a couple screws out too to get the doors off.

 

I bought the same type bolts but with allen heads instead of phillips heads. They are a lot easier to take out and put back securely. I also used anti-sieze compound on the threads. Just do a Google search on "countersunk allen head bolt".

Here is one source:
https://www.zoro.com/value-brand-shc...w&gclsrc=aw.ds



I used a source near me Metro Bolt and Fastener in Redford, MI.

I had the same problem that you did (my truck came from MN too). I had to drill out a couple bolts. My problem was that the tapping plates were in terrible condition. The attaching bracket on the passenger side was completely gone. Luckily when I opened the area up to install the patch panel it made it much easier to repair. I'm still not happy with the fragile condition of the tapping plates but I have not been able to find a source for them. I used nylok self locking nuts on the two holes that I had to drill out. I have access to a CNC plasma cutter so I may make a couple new plates when I have time.

 

My brother can make them. He made a set for me and threaded the perfectly.

 

Those should be easy enough to make with a CNC. Getting the holes in the right spot would be my worry. I think we hijacked Abe's thread. Sorry Abe.

 

I was thinking you 48-52 guys did take this in a new direction! But that's OK. It sounds like you have helped each other out.

 

Sorry abe.

If it is any help to your original question you can see from my picture in post #7 that the hinges were painted the truck's original color, sea island green, while the hinges were mounted on the truck. You can tell as there is no paint on the part of the hinge half that fits in the pillar pocket. My truck was built late in the 1950 production run.