Convertable Door Replacement.

[93 LX]

Working my my 86 that has been totaled. Have to get the body in shape to salvage the car. I pickeup up a left front fender and nose from a cherry 4 bamger 86 LX coupe. Now the hunt is on for a convertable left door.

I noticed when I removed the fender that there are 6 bolts that hold the door to the chassis. If I remove the door at this point is it a pain to align? Some one mentioned removing the door at the pins, has anyone done this? I am assuming there are bolts that hold the hinges to the door, is this the better way to go?

Can anyone give me some tips on door removal and installation?

Thanks

 

[ram360]

It's easy to align the door just have 2 people when your bolting it on. I replaced the pins w/ new ones when I had mine apart for paint and literally took 5 min go get it perfect..I don't see how you can remove the pins w/o the door being off. I noticed you said the car was totaled....umm if your frame is bent your never gonna get anything to line up. g/l

 

[93 LX]

Well the insurance company totaled it. What happend was a 5 mph hit from a semi. It hit the drivers door just behind the front fender and flattened the fender forward. The frame looks good and the car drives straight. I need to fix this so I can get it certified and back as a salvaged title.

 

[RMODEL65]

why not go back and get the door off the parts car and mod it, you will need to cut the window frame off and a few other things

 

[93 LX]

I heard it more then just cutting off the frame.. I heard its a different door inside.. doest some one out there know if this is true?

 

[stykthyn]

I know they weigh a hell of a lot more than a stock door. i wouldnt trust it to be as simple as hacking off the window frame.

 

[93 LX]

i think in the framed window the frame helps hold the door together..

 

[RMODEL65]

i think in the framed window the frame helps hold the door together..

they all started out as coupes ford never made a fox vert they were sent to a company to have their roofs removed. take a hardtop door and lay is beside a vert door cut and trim as necessary to make it work

 

[93 LX]

so the door is different. i know that the window bushing is different then the regualr door..

So does anyone out there have expreience in door removal and installation?

 

[1987stangman]

they all started out as coupes ford never made a fox vert they were sent to a company to have their roofs removed. take a hardtop door and lay is beside a vert door cut and trim as necessary to make it work

Heh, No offense, but I never heard that before and I would not think that Ford would take a hard top car off the assy. line to send it out and have it chopped. That makes no sense! The 'Vert doors are reinforced inside more than hard top's. I used to own a 92'.

 

[93 LX]

so no one has change a door in this forum?

 

[Hawkeye_306]

I do not know anything about the particulars of the ’86 convertible mustang door, but I have replaced door hinge bushings on my 1990 mustang and also a 1994 gmc yucon. Both where pretty much equivalent. In both cases I separated the door from the chassis at the hinge pivot point (without removing any bolts on the door or on the chassis – disassembled at the pivot pins).

I did not have to do any lining up, like you would, since I was using all original parts. I do not know how that plays in. I was glad that I did not have to mess with removing any of the hinge-chassis or door-hinge bolts.

I did both door hinge pin/bushing replacements on my own. The first time, I built wooden braces to hold the doors in place for the disassembly/assembly process. The second time I borrowed “door jacks” from a body repair man I knew. This made things much easier. Let me know if you have any more specific questions – but the gist of this post is: if you’re your 1986 mustang is anything like my 1990 mustang or 1994 gmc Yukon, you can separate the door from the chassis at the pins (without removing any bolts), and I recommend you plan ahead for a method to hold the door up if you are doing this on your own.

 

[93 LX]

did you do the pins with or with the fenders off? BTW I am pulling hte front clip off to look at the chassis to make sure it isnt damaged.

 

[stykthyn]

Heh, No offense, but I never heard that before and I would not think that Ford would take a hard top car off the assy. line to send it out and have it chopped. That makes no sense! The 'Vert doors are reinforced inside more than hard top's. I used to own a 92'.

believe it. it's true.

 

[slow84lx]

There are 3 different windows for Mustangs. Convertible, T-top, and coupe/hatchback.

You need either a convertible door or a t-top door with convertible door glass inside it.

If you get desperate you could make a convertible door as suggested but you should be able to find a good one and not have to go to all of that trouble. You would still have to replace the window.

 

[Hawkeye_306]

The only things I removed were the pins and bushings. If I remember, it was a tight fit to get the pins out, but they came out. That is why having the door support was so handy, I could take my time to finagle the pins out.

 

[93 LX]

The current door is just flat from where the semi decided to take my lane. The glass is good as well as the internals. I will pull out everything do not need to cut costs and allow me to carry it to the payment center.