How do I remove the door?
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How do I remove the door?
Is there a special trick to removing the door from a 1947 Ford truck? On my '55 the hinge is attached with hex-headed bolts. The '47s doors are attached with what look like giant wood screws. Does the hinge pin pop out like they do with household doors?
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Southern Oregon
The hinge screws are bevelled, flat heads, 5/16 or 3/8 fine thread (forget which), not backed up with nuts. They can be hard to get out. I suggest using a hammer driver type tool with large phillips bit. A good soaking spray with Kroil may help. Be sure to unfasten the part that prevents the door from opening too wide first.
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Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Paris Crossing, Indiana
elbert, almost everyone in this forum has come across this problem. Those flathead screws are (like 46yblock says) 5/16 fine thread. Take as many of the screws out as you can first Then as a last resort, take a 3/8 drill and bit and drill into each bolt until the bolt head pops off. The phillips cross in the bolt will center the bit. Take your time. When your down to the last bolt be ready to catch the door its heavy. Now you have the studs to drill out, which can be done if your careful.
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Joined: Jan 2003
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From: willamette valley ore
elbert, if you haven't already taken the hinges off, you might consider that with the pin removal technique, you will not have moved the hinges out of alignment. The pins come out pretty easily. I have removed several pins and I do not have a special tool. Just soak 'em up good and take your time with the correct size punch and tap them out. I removed the hinges from the jamb of a '40 once and that was the last time I'll ever do that. I created much more work doing it that way and then hanging the door was a pain to line up. One thing that many folks overlook when trying to realign a sagging door is the fact that the bottom hinge half that is attached to the jamb is often times bent forward causing the door to hang low at the lower rear corner. the fix is to heat the hinge up a bit and bend it back into shape. the hinge parts are forged so heat will not hurt them. Steve
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Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Canada
Just a suggestion on the hinge removal if they have to come off. Take either air or battery powered impact gun, get the proper size Philips bit, not undersized, but a good fitting bit. Try tightening them first just a bit, and work them back and forth a few times and on occasion they do come loose.
As a few mentioned a good penetrating oil helps a great deal, as it does in the hinge pin removal. Be carefull with the hinge pin as they have a tendency to mushroom then you have a problem. Hitting the bottom hinge with a punch and hammer is a problem if the running boards are still on the Truck, tight quarters. Patience in this operation is essential, good luck
As a few mentioned a good penetrating oil helps a great deal, as it does in the hinge pin removal. Be carefull with the hinge pin as they have a tendency to mushroom then you have a problem. Hitting the bottom hinge with a punch and hammer is a problem if the running boards are still on the Truck, tight quarters. Patience in this operation is essential, good luck
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Joined: Feb 2006
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it is most likely a #3 phillips or better. i would take and heat it with some maap gas then apply some beeswax. after that try the impact driver plus have someone apply heat while trying to drive it out.
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Postmaster
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From: Southern Oregon
Just one more thing on this topic. If the top bevelled screws end up having to be drilled out, and the threads are messed up in the process...you can put in a bevelled allen head bolt, but getting access to put on the backing nut is VERY difficult.
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From: Gibsonia, PA
In my case, I had to drill them out, hacked the threads, but I retapped the holes one size up and used the allen head bolts, like 46yblock indicated. You will need to also drill out the hinge holes to the new size, or be like me, balancing the door and not able to put the new bolts through the hinges ! 
Note: the backing plate may eventually work loose, so after you drill and tap the first hole, put in the new bolt to keep it aligned when you drill and tap the next one.
Note: the backing plate may eventually work loose, so after you drill and tap the first hole, put in the new bolt to keep it aligned when you drill and tap the next one.
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