By accident, I started a dialogue with the guy who is parting-out the 12K mile CE talked about below. I too inquired about the hinges as soon as I saw the Ebay posts. I passed on the hinges as like all of you know, they may be as bad as any of ours. Mileage is not the culprit here...time and pressure is. Anyway, we struck up a conversation about valve covers and what material they are made from...I had no idea it was the same guy with the '82 CE being parted out....we talk about supply for us who have CE's and what parts are practically nion-existant...Finally to the point...... I figure out he is the guy with the CE to be parted out.
He says he has someone who will make the mold. He has repo'd many parts for lots of various years and has experience from where he speaks. I am in the metals business so I start telling him what the problem is with the stretching of the hinges. He was prepared to just copy his low mileage hinges and go until I warned him that his might be as bad as ours... The bottom line is that he can do the hinges and use the right material. I can get him metal to work with to cast, machine, or whatever. He thinks by the fitment on his car being parted out that he may have good units, BUT he wants to know a C-C dimension from us that we feel is good just to be sure. I really think that if we were to place our glass in the best possible position without any gas cylinders attached and the hinges off the car, can't we squeeze a set until the spread is right for our rear glass? I realize as soon as we install, they will spread under pressure, but seems like we could lay them against the glass and the roof and get real close. He wants our input!

Guys, this is our chance! What say?

Bill
Centennial, Co.

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Bill
2" TB's, X-Ram, rollers, comp cams 262HR, hedman headers, 3.73's, prominator w/ 8746

Bill,
I have done just about what you explained for getting the hinges to fit perfectly, I removed the struts, and positioned the hinges against the glass. I measured and removed them, placed them in a vice, and squeezed them to the correct measurement. After remounting, I was able to install the bolts without moving the glass, and the alignment was almost perfect.

I have the CAD drawing about 90% complete, and here is a screen shot of the dimension showing the distance that I squeezed mine to.

If you guys need any other information from my drawings, please let me know...
Also, please be sure to get him to mold in the part numbers that are embossed on the side of the hinges. This will make all the difference later on when someone is at an NCRS meet..

Hi,
That would be great if hatch hinges were available, I squeezed mine once and doubt it would work again. Thanks for your effort on this project.
Regards,
Tom

I have a right hand hinge. It came from the parts supply of a man that has had it for twelve years. I have give the hinge to to man who said he could make us a set. This all took place this past weekend. I have not heard anything from him as of yet. I could sue the left hand hingle. The drawing on this post may prove helpful as well. I'll let you know how it goes.

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JohnnyB
The 82

Sounds promising.Keep up the good work!
Jules

This is great news.We are getting closer.I'm in for a pair.

I'd like a pair as well in case I need a spare. From what I've been reading these hinges will wear out (expand?) even if you don't open the hatchback much?

My son had a friend that does restoration tell him that the hinges could be heated and bent back to the right diminsions. Heating sounds like a bad idea to me. What do you guys think? I don't want to be left with no hinges at all.

Welcome EOANDY..

I bent mine, without heating (and that was stressfull enough!)..

when the title(job description) of someones profession is restoration, is he a automobile restorer or does he work with metal exclusively as his profession?? I would not think it would be a wise move to heat an unknown material to that point. I am no metalurgest but I do work with metal alot. Does any one know for sure what material these are made of??? If he has had sucess altering these particular hinges by heating them,that is one thing, or if they were a common readily accesable item and inexensive,I would say go for it. Please let me know how the heat process turns out.

I talekd to the guy Saturday night that is trying to builod the hinges for us. He has found a man that can cast them out of any material. He hopes to talk more to the man as he only has a right hinge. The man replied he can make a mirror image, buff the burrs, and then they can be painted or powder coated. He thinks we are close, but we still doe not have a hinge. But, I am trying!!

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JohnnyB
The 82

It is very important that who ever makes these hinges uses a left side and a right side as they are different. If he could cast them that would be EXACTLY what we would want.

And to state this once again, Pleasse include the respective part number for each side. NCRS judging will probably look for this first.