In my first e-mail to this guy(Basecar)He thought I was talking about the struts.I then e-mail him back and explained to him that if the work he has planned for this winter does not include removing the rear window then don't do it just for us to use your hinges.I'm still waiting for an email back from him.He is supposed to be getting with that guy he knows who is parting an 82CE out.I did post this in the wrong section so feel free to move it.I have got ahold of a parts guy at the GM dealership here in Savannah and gave him the part #'s.I have to get back with him today sometime but I'm not expecting much.The search continues but if we stay on top of it we will get this done.I really want to be able to use my hatch bad enough to see this through.It might take awhile but I'm not giving up.

Crap,forgot to log in!!

The origonal manufactuer of the "hatch" and related components was cars & concepts (I think based out of Michigan) I have heard through the rumor mill that there is a vette restoration shop in Mizzouri that has a complete package complete and the dude wants 4 grand for it . I would be willing to talk to people about it but my people skills leave a lot to be desired ,I usually end up making them mad. So I have suggested others do the interfacing end of it.Hard to believe that there isn't someone, somewhere that cant come up with something on this,just a matter of connections/willingness!!!!

Mac, whats funny about this, "WE" are the ones that will have to make something happen, I really don't think there is anyone else looking or working on this problem.....



Johnny, I have never finished the CAD drawings, I will get to work on it this weekend, and see if I can get at least a 3 view of it done to email to you. If you get the chance to talk to him again, Please ask him if he has a "File Format" prefence...
Here's a list of the file formats I can easily save it in:
.CAD
.DC2
.IGS
.WMF
.DWG
.POR
.DXF
.C3D
.PLX
.HOM


Also, one other thing, and I think this will help determine what materiel to make the hinges out of, we need to find the weight of the glass, and also how much force is exerted by a new set of struts. I should have weighed my glass when it was off but I wasn't thinking ahead. And I will measure the force of the "not correct" struts I have, if someone has a new "correct" set, we need to see how much pressure they exert...
Can someone tell me if pushing one against a scale would give me a usable number (pounds exerted???)

Dawg,
A few months ago I was e-mailing a fellow in California who sells struts that have less force than the originals.If memory serves I think he had the pressure (force) specs. Give me a couple days to search for his e-mail address. Even if I don't find it he occasionally sells parts on e-bay and I will recognize his sign-in name.
By the way,I ended up buying the struts and they open slowly,and smoothly and he claims they don't stretch the hinges as quickly. They seem to operate as he claims.
Jules

Update. E-mail has been sent,and waiting for reply. I will also ask him to join our forum as he has owned a couple of Collectors for quite a while.
Jules

Should have my hands on a slightly used set shortly. How do we want to get this process started once I have them in my hands? Stephen

I will try to contact the guy who is gonna try an make the hinges out of stainless and ask him what format he wants the CAD drawing. I do know that he wants it on a disk.

The hinges can be sent to me and I'll take responsibility for getting them returned to the owner.

Looks like we are making progress!! Go team! On Dasher, on Prancer etc.

Thanks,

_________________
JohnnyB
The 82

Johnny, I can still email them to you, if you can put them on a disk and hand it to him....It would save the snail mail time.

Jules, I have never heard of these other struts, please get all the info you can for us...

I will be first in line to buy a new set of hinges! This past summer, all of a sudden, my pegs weren't lining up properly and as a result, the hatch would not open up on its own.

Prior to the misalignment cropping up, the old hatch pistons were quite "gentle" and only opened the glass half way. Well, I took a gamble thinking the pistons were pooping out (they have never been replaced) and I installed new ones that I purchased from Eckler's (at $200 a set, OUCH! Dawg, don't beat me up over this!) The new pistons now shoot the hatch open like a rocket (it goes as high as what I have seen in 82CE sales brochures). I've heard that this is way too much pressure on my hatch glass? I'm afraid I'm going to hear glass shattering over the winter storage months because of this pistons exterting too much pressure? Why would Eckler's sell hatch pistons with this much pressure? YIKES. I hope this isn't true? Let me know your feedback.

You guys are really on to something when considering the type of material in which to make the hinges out of because there is quite a bit of torque in the hatch pistons that I have installed! Let me know if you need any metallurgy input, I work at a forging plant and we have an in house metalurgist who would be happy to help us.

We are getting there team!

I found a new right side hinge today!!!

Dawg is emailing the CAD drawings and I am giving them to the man who is going to attempt to reproduce a set of hinges. The material will probably be stainless steel. If someone has the metalurgy expertise to determine the stress on the metal hinge, then please do so, and cut down on all of the needed reasearch. Who knows, stainless steel may not be the best stuff to use! So, what are the other options?

I beleive someone has a set of hinges to send to me. Email me and I will give you the shipping address. They will be used as a model for accurate measurement and will be returned to the original owner.

Thanks to everyone for working so hard and dilligently. As we all know,
Persistance Pays!

_________________
JohnnyB
The 82

Hey everyone,
As far as the force of the pistons go,I contacted CorvettePete and he joined our website.He listed the force of the pistons under "Parts for sale".He has owned three Collector Edition vettes and is a welcome addition to our forum.Give him a welcome if you can.
Thanks everyone,
Jules

Maybe Mr. Pete can help us out with the manufacturing of the hinges as he has done on the struts!!!! Sounds like he has what it takes!

To All-
Sorry I haven't been yakin' back lately, but it seems like I've been going non-stop to & fro from NC to NashVegas with 18-wheeler loads of $$$$-furniture for the royalty of country music to plop their collective butts on! It has its benefits though. Made a delivery to Alan Jackson's mgt. co. 'cause My rig couldn't fit up the drive to his house. I made mention of an article I read @ his wife searching & locating his '57 T-bird he had when he came Nashville seeking his fame & fortune; had it restored for his B-day & added it to his collection which I really had hoped to see that day. The next week, I received a message from the management co. from Alan saying I had an open invite to come to his home when we both are in town & he would give me a personal tour of his collection! How 'bout them apples? It hasn't worked out yet, but it will!
Sorry, I'm bragging, but dang! I can't wait!

I'll check with Gerald Johns in Tenn. @ the hatch set he has & see if he got the measurement on his & see how it compares with D-dawg's CAD drawing.

Thanks to all for letting me ramble.....MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!

Bigdaddy

Big Daddy!

Call me when you get to Nashville/Murfreesboro. We can take the CE to Alan Jackson's together. My wife will put on her autographed hat and drive you over, I will have to follow in the Sliverado! She is an A. J. groupie or something close! Maybe he would autograph the big concert poster she has. Let's do it! Call us! I think I have already given you my cell phone number but email me if you need it again!

Merry Christmas!

_________________
JohnnyB
The 82