A while back I heard this loud "snap noise" on my drivers door (of my 1980 T-bird) and realized that the round steel rod that is incorporated into the lower door hinge, had simply snapped in half.
My first though is you have to be kidding...it's a thick steel rod, about as round as a pencil.
The rod is somewhat shaped like a stretched out letter "S" shape. It's inserted into the lower hinge and it's job is to hold the door when its open... so that a light breeze or such doesn't allow the door to flop around. I just couldn't believe the darn thing had snapped right in half.
Today, I found a replacement online and wondered if anyone here has ever replaced that part of the lower door hinge?
I think Ford changed the design after 1983 but the part I found, shows its used on a 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 and 1983 Fairmont and Zephyr, 1980 through 1982 Granada, 1980 Monarch, and 1980 through 1982 Thunderbird and Cougar. The part number is: D8BZ-5422886-A in for anyone in the same boat.
Here is a link to a picture of it, just for reference. http://www.ebay.com/itm/360863015123?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649
Has anyone replaced on of these? I'm assuming the whole darn hinge has to come off the car and take it apart, but I'm not sure.
Anyone here have an idea on how its done?
Just a point of info.... I ended up finding a set of original hinges off an 1981 Fairmont. The Fairmont reverses the position of the lower and upper hinge (It's simply opposite of the T-bird's positioning) but the same two hinges are identical.