• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Door "Cracking"?

Dibbons

Well-Known Member
Local time
12:47 AM
Joined
Nov 29, 2014
Messages
4,733
Reaction score
5,376
Location
La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico
I found these four comments on a '71-'72 Road Runner forum and I am not even sure what they are talking about, not my experience anyway:

"Ok, I'm curious, on doors, is a crack in the metal by the mirror common? I'm guessing maybe so? Fatigue from weight of door?"
"Extremely common"
"every 71 B I've owned has had it"
"Both 71s I owned first the crack then upper door hinge came loose."
 
Fairly common I would say. I've owned a lot of these cars and only had a few with the crack.
 
My passenger's door on my 71 GTX needed a weld there. The doors are heavy.
 
Interesting.

I have my 73- no cracks

72 Charger- no cracks

71 parts car- no cracks

Doors from a 74 Charger- no cracks

One door from another 74 Charger- no cracks

Maybe I'm not looking in the right place?

Where are they in relation to the hinge?
 
My 69 coronet door had cracks around the bolt holes where the striker mechanism goes on.
 
My split was on the short curve just before the fender.
 
Got to agree with yy1 never had any with cracks!
Maybe if there from a place that gets cold and hot alot? Not sure how Mexico is on temp in fl everything is hot
 
Possibly stress fracture from hinge roller and over-center rod sticking. The roller and over-center rod on my driver's door hinge would not budge when trying to shut the door. Liberal application of lithium grease to what I could get to on the internal surface, and a finger tip of axle grease to the rod end surface and it finally let up.
 
I was one of the replys you quoted, and here's one of mine (original paint car)

crack.jpg
 
Last edited:
I can honestly say I have never seen that before in over 35 years.
 
I think it's an issue of how the sheetmetal is stretched in that area because of the curve and the fact that it probably flexes when the door is opened. My B7 car (pictured) has it on the passenger side and my butterscotch car has it on the drivers door.
 
Both my door cracked in the same spot. Had to weld them during the bodywork stage of restoration.
20181022_173902.jpg
 
Those photos in post #13 and #18 looks like the exact area that would bump into the drip rail molding when you close/slam the door.
 
Last edited:
Oddly enough, I have a 1972 Cutlass sitting in my barn with a door crack in the same place. Must be stresses from the hinge area directed in that spot.
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top