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Triumph TR3 - Door removal

I am in the process of restoring a 59 TR-3a and am having a difficult time removing the doors. At least three layers of paint plus 40 years of corrosion. If anybody has any tips on how they removed theirs let me know. Thanks
Alpha

First you remove the horizontal bar that limits how far the door can open. Use a screwdriver to remove the screws. Use penetrating oil. If after a few days, they still won't turn, use a grinder or a "die-grinder" to grind off the screw heads. Later you can use vice grips to unscrew the rest still in the nut inside the door.

Then swing the door out wider and using a huge mother of a screwdriver, remove the screws holding the hinges for the door where the hinges are screwed to the "A" post.

Use lots of penetrating oil first. Let it sit for a day. Add more each day. Some screws will come out - others won't. If the fenders are off use the oil on both the head as well as the inner thraded end.

For the others that won't budge, get a 1/2" drill and start to drill out the screw heads for the flathead screws holding the hinge plates to the "A" posts.

Then the door will fall off.

I assume that the front fenders are off. Put more penetrating oil on the other end and maybe you will need heat from a propane torch. An Oxygen/Acetylene torch flame would be even better.

Then with the vice grips tightly holding the protruding end of the threaded screw, unscrew the remains of the screw (only straight threads here now) turning it out towards the front of the TR. Or tear out the nut with the screw remains and put in new nuts later before re-assembly.

Remember these cars were designed by people, the parts were made by people, the car was assembled by people, the car was allowed to rust by people, so the nuts, bolts, screws, etc. can be removed by people.

It may take the techniques above. Or they may need nut crushers, heat, grinders, cold chisels, hack-saws, some masterfully clever swear words and whatever else it takes to get them off.

That's why when I restored mine (1987 to 1990) I used stainless steel nuts and bolts everywhere. I've driven over 70,000 miles since and they all come apart like a dream.

Good luck

Don Elliott, Original Owner, 1958 TR3A, TS 27489 LO
Don Elliott

Thanks for the quick response Don!
We've been trying for several weeks with penetrating oil technique with no luck (too much paint). And heat didn't work either. Reluctantly (I'm like you; "It was put together by people and can be taken apert by people.") did the drill bit trick and that took care of it. Thanks again. Incidentally have you heard of anybody ever knocking the pin out of the hinge?
Alpha

I'm not aware of any pin in the hinges. There is a pin in the horizontal flat bar that limits the door from openeing too far. I've take that out.

In fact I took every piece apart when I did my restoration from 1987 to 1990. My wife says there are over 15,000 pieces in a TR. She says she counted them. On the dining room table, under the bed, behind the sofa, on the floor in the play room, in the guest room.

The see my restoration photos, click on the web-site for the Montreal TR Club:-

http://www.rucompatible.com/triumphmtl/

Then click on "Member Profiles" and also under "Member Cars", then scroll down to my name - you will see my restoration photos.

Also on Barry's TR2 to TR4 web-site:-

http://www.rucompatible.com/triumph/

Then click on "Brag Book", then on my name.

Don Elliott, 1958 TR3A

Don Elliott

When I was trying to visualise a pin in the hinge, I was thinking of the flat-head screws and maybe an alignment pin next to the screws.

Now I have given it more thought, I know you meant the vertical hinge pin that the door swings on.

No I don't know anybody who has ever taken these pins out.

Many suggest changing the complete hinge (all 4) when doing a full restoration, but my TR is an early TR3A with the brass hinges and I re-used them. The newer TR3A's (after TS 60000 Comm. No.) have steel hinges and maybe when owners drilled out the flat-head screws, they ruined the hinges so they replaced tham. Or maybe on the newer steel ones they get rusty and make it hard to open the doors. My brass hinges swing nicely after more than 150,000 miles.

Don Elliott, 1958 TR3A
Don elliott

This thread was discussed between 23/01/2003 and 24/01/2003

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