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hood hinges for a 1976 Eldorado

Started by Bill Levy CLC # 25695, September 26, 2021, 04:19:38 PM

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Bill Levy CLC # 25695

Does anyone know if other GM hood hinges from the '75-76 vintage are interchangeable with the hinges on the '76 Eldo?

Your knowledge is appreciated.
B. Levy
41 61S Fastback
68 Sedan DeVille
68 Coupe DeVille
73 Fleetwood Brougham
01 Eldorado ETC
06 STS 1SG

V63

The hinges of all Cadillac 1975-6  (except Seville) interchange with 1975-78 Eldorado . I do not know about olds and Buick, but it would not surprise me.

TJ Hopland

Whats wrong with the current hinges?   Way back I spent a lot of money on NOS springs and having mine rebuilt and the corners still didn't pull down.   Read here that if the corners are not pulling down what you need to do is adjust them up.  Sounds backwards but it has worked on every car I have tried it on.   There is usually plenty of room in the 2 bolts and slots that go in sideways.  Sometimes you need some shims and or longer bolts for the ones more on the firewall that come down from the top.     
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

chrisntam

Courtesy bump for my good buddy Bill.

;)

Who's got a parts interchange list?
1970 Deville Convertible 
Dallas, Texas

MaR

On the 71-78 Eldorados and 71-76 full sized cars, the issues with the rear of the hood not closing flush is with the rivets that hold the hood hinges together. When they get worn, they allow the linkages in the hinge to flex outwards which causes slack in the hinge. Since the spring is extended when the hood is shut, the outward flex results in the rear of the hinge flexing upwards. The only way to fix this is to replace the rivets. Changing the spring will only make it worst and there is rarely enough travel in the adjustments to compensate for the slack. It's virtually impossible to tell if a hinge is bad when the spring is on since the spring will take up all the slack. When you pop the spring off though, you will see that a worn hinge will have tons of side to side and twisting slop from the worn rivets.

Big Fins

Then a good machine shop should be able to replace the rivets? Or is this a specialty job where filling in the rivet pilot holes and then re-drilling them?
Current:
1976 Eldorado Convertible in Crystal Blue FireMist with white interior and top. (Misty Blue)
1969 Fleetwood Brougham in Chalice Gold FireMist with matching interior and top. (The Old Man) SOLD!

Past and much missed:
1977 Brougham de Elegance
1976 Eldorado Convertible
1972 Fleetwood Brougham
1971 Sedan de Ville
1970 de Ville Convertible
1969 Sedan de Ville
1959 Sedan deVille

MaR

Quote from: Big Fins on September 28, 2021, 01:50:03 PM
Then a good machine shop should be able to replace the rivets? Or is this a specialty job where filling in the rivet pilot holes and then re-drilling them?
On all the ones I have taken apart, the holes were fine. I have not found a place that sells the rivets and even if you could get them, they would be difficult to install. I made some custom stainless steel bolts for mine and they seem to work fine.






Big Fins

I know that there are differing grades of stainless, but isn't it too soft a metal to handle that sort of load? Would a milled Grade 8 bolt be better being turned on a lathe to create the needed shoulder and pivot surface on the bolt itself?
Current:
1976 Eldorado Convertible in Crystal Blue FireMist with white interior and top. (Misty Blue)
1969 Fleetwood Brougham in Chalice Gold FireMist with matching interior and top. (The Old Man) SOLD!

Past and much missed:
1977 Brougham de Elegance
1976 Eldorado Convertible
1972 Fleetwood Brougham
1971 Sedan de Ville
1970 de Ville Convertible
1969 Sedan de Ville
1959 Sedan deVille

35-709

#8
There is a company in Derry, NH called SMS --- NO relation to SMS fabrics in Oregon.  They specialize in hood and door hinge rebuilding and did the hood hinges on my '73, came back as new.  Excellent work and I highly recommend them.  I would suspect any '70s vintage car that has seen some use would be a candidate for hinge overhaul.

https://www.sms-auto.com/

Bingo, using "Modify" after making the original post to post a link works.
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

MaR

Quote from: Big Fins on September 28, 2021, 05:01:32 PM
I know that there are differing grades of stainless, but isn't it too soft a metal to handle that sort of load? Would a milled Grade 8 bolt be better being turned on a lathe to create the needed shoulder and pivot surface on the bolt itself?
You want it to be a bit on the soft side. If you make them too hard, it will wear out the hinge linkages.

Big Fins

Quote from: MaR on September 28, 2021, 07:17:23 PM
You want it to be a bit on the soft side. If you make them too hard, it will wear out the hinge linkages.

Got it. So, then the pins become the sacrificial lamb.

Quote from: 35-709 on September 28, 2021, 06:49:48 PM
There is a company in Derry, NH called SMS --- NO relation to SMS fabrics in Oregon.  They specialize in hood and door hinge rebuilding and did the hood hinges on my '73, came back as new.  Excellent work and I highly recommend them.  I would suspect any '70s vintage car that has seen some use would be a candidate for hinge overhaul.

https://www.sms-auto.com/

Bingo, using "Modify" after making the original post to post a link works.

Good find Geoff.
Current:
1976 Eldorado Convertible in Crystal Blue FireMist with white interior and top. (Misty Blue)
1969 Fleetwood Brougham in Chalice Gold FireMist with matching interior and top. (The Old Man) SOLD!

Past and much missed:
1977 Brougham de Elegance
1976 Eldorado Convertible
1972 Fleetwood Brougham
1971 Sedan de Ville
1970 de Ville Convertible
1969 Sedan de Ville
1959 Sedan deVille

KOKNEYELDO

Gents:

While on that subject, I bought a pair (75' Eldo) that had allegedly been overhauled and after a year the passenger side basically just buckled, which I had replaced.

When I took it back to the same place I bought it, the guy said (before I mentioned which side) he will replace it no problem.

So why only the passenger side seem to fail?
Present cars:

1975 Cadillac Eldorado convertible
1957 Ford Thunderbird
2007 Jeep Commander Overland
2018 Audi A3

Come On You Blues!

goob

I sent the hinges from our bicentennial convertible to the place mentioned about 5 years ago. They sent me a pair of someone else's used, as in not rebuilt, hinges. After phone conversations I sent them back and received a pair of hinges with loose rivets. Received another pair which are on the car but still not right. The car sits with the rest of the collection so I'm not too worried but the next set will be repaired 'in house'...