seventysixvette

I was corn-fused about what I thought were deck pins and asked about them in a different thread. It turns out what I thought were a second style of deck pins were in fact door pins. As you can see from the pics, it looks like these pins are far more beefy than they have to be to merely hold the door (or body line gaps) securely.



This is one uninstalled for a clear view. They used some thick strap to make this!



Really, it looks to me like these are somewhat of an attempt to use the doors as a stressed member to help take up the slack created by the lack of the bird cage.

Here is the door with the male tapered dowel.



Obviously, the vert door is different than the coupe.

Does the vert door have extra reinforcement inside to help create a sort of perimeter frame around the cockpit?
Do you think the extra support's important enough to hold off my convertible project until I manage to find a couple of vert doors? (just a little scarcer to find than hens teeth or the Holy Grail, I figure.....)

I really don't think these were just stuck in on a whim. If you've ever tried to remove ball joints or tie rod ends, you know how firmly a tapered dowel and seat can hold. These look like they were made to keep that door from flexing at all. If anyone has thoughts on this or experience with the inside of a vert door and any extra support there might be in there I'd appreciate your opinion!
Thanks..
John

70Donnybrooke

My thought on these parts was that it was an attempt at crash safety. I was told it links the doors more to the frame, For example in a head on crash the car would tend to not have a lot of strength because of no roof. These pins keep the doors fclosed and from blowing off in an accident. I would have to say that they bear no use in day to day driving. They are like an attempt at todays side impact beams. They are there in case of an accident, but if they were not there, there would be no difference.

JustForFun

mine dont have them. I have not noticed any ill effects.

LYLE

Paragon sells a sheet metal cup to weld in coupe doors to mount the pin and make them convertible doors.

seventysixvette

Guys, thanks for your replys. Much food for thought!
John

markdtn

Vert doors are structurally no different than coupe doors. At some point-maybe '73?- they all got side impact bars. Paragon reproduces the chrome door wedges (and the weld-on conversion indention), but unless recent, nobody reproduces the receiver. Yours look very nice, where did you get them?

theandies

Both female parts on my doors are broken. I've been wanting to replace them but they are almost $100 each on average. I have a lot better stuff to do with $200 than these for now. I bought the car with these broken so I cannot say if they make any differance at all.

Roughrider

It looks similar to the tapered dovetail door locks Studebaker and Mercedes used to make the door structural body members when closed.

seventysixvette

Ok, but this just begs the question, why'd they break? Were they being used so much, bending and flexing to the point they fatigue cracked? Or was it a problem totally unrelated?

You'd think if it was honest overuse, there'd have been some cracks in the fiberglass somewhere from the body twisting and flexing that much.
John

seventysixvette

Heck, I lifted the uninstalled pic from an online catalog. The car pics a fellow forum member was nice enough to take for me, and gave me permission to use. I haven't bought any of this door hardware yet.

The receiver is reproduced. I belive my newest Ecklers catalog has them. About $96 each if I remember right.
John

Just looked at Paragon, they have replacements also.

Easy Mike

The pins and receivers were installed to add a little more stiffness to the convertible body. They're supposed to cut down on squeaks and rattles in the convertible. They mate each time the door is closed. For the driver's side especially, that's a whole bunch over the years.

Not sure when they began using them. My '68 doesn't have them. My fiancee's '71 does.

jim2527

My '70 does..one more post and we should know!!!!

LYLE

The pins I have seen the chrome was pitted so they are replaced. The other half has a brass sleeve that would wear out from use and it was mounted in rubber that got old and needed replaced.

seventysixvette

I'll buy that.

I'm a little sheepish. If I'd have done just a little more research I wouldn't have needed this thread.

The re-pops are made out of cast aluminum, some of the originals were pot metal.
(it'd be interesting to know how many a magnet would stick to, don't you think?)
I assumed 'cause the receivers were so beefy that the dowels were chromed steel. They might stop the door squeaks, but they're sure not establishing any sort of added integrity around the interior.

Would make sense if some of the gennies were in fact pot metal. You know how bad that stuff pits after a few years.

I think I'm dropping this problem and moving along to the next one. (trying to find those deck lid alignment pin receivers) I just don't see the return being worth the trouble of installation in this case.
Thanks...
John

MonzaRedConvert

My 69 vert does NOT have them. Looks like 70 was the year!

theandies

I don't know the answer you your question but I have small stress cracks all over the body so it may be excessive flex. I'll take care of all that if I ever decide to take the body off. I would be curious if I did get the receivers would the pins line up properly.

1970 Dave

My 1970 convertible has them--it also has the extra reinforcing rod behind the passenger side dash pad that my old 70 coupe did not have. Again to add some stiff because of no top.

SEMPER FI--1970 Dave

toddalin

I had them on my 1st day production Donnybrook '70 roadster. Steve LuVisi confirms your theory that they were to help keep the doors from flying open in the event of a crash or rollover.

markdtn

68-69 have small brass wedges, so coupe and vert doors are the same as coupe. 70-75 use the male and female wedges.

zone69

Not on my 69......do we have a winner