New guy with new (to me) '49 Dodge. And a question.

[49DodgeClubCoupe]

Hello everyone,

I discovered this board when I started doing research on the '49  Dodge Coronet that I ended up purchasing. I am new to things pre 1960s-1970s and would sure appreciate any help I can gather. First I'll go over the car

1949 Dodge Coronet Club Coupe. 230 flathead with fluid drive three speed manual. Last registered in 1976 and appears it was used as someone's college transportation. Lots of Mississippi university stickers and a fraternity front plate haha. Car is complete and, to my surprise, we drove it onto the trailer with a coffee can "gas tank" hanging from the hood. Has some rust. Holes in front floor boards etc. but right now I'll just be fixing things to get it running, driving, stopping, etc.

Now some stuff about me. I live in the Detroit Metro area and work as an engineer. I grew up with 1960s muscle cars but have grown a little "bored". Fear not, I have no dreams of hemi swaps or front clip conversions etc for this car. It will stay as original as possible. I'll probably even go with some new bias plys. I want to get an experience of how these cars drive. Not how the latest hot rod show thinks it should drive. 

Now that that's out of the way I have my first question and it's related to doors. I ordered a shop manual from faxon but it hasn't arrived yet. Has anyone experienced sagging doors and what is a good fix? I have to lift the door to shut. Do these have conventional hinge pins? Can't seem to find them online. Also the drivers door does not open from the outside. I suspect a linkage issue. 

Thanks for any help and I look forward to asking many more questions haha!

[casper50]

Welcome.  Check the hinge screws to make sure that they are tight.  If they are, most likely culprit is metal fatigue.  The door where the hinge screws into might be bent.  Have to check all around the hinges to find out what's wrong.

[Plymouthy Adams]

inspect your hinge pins closely....this is not the best era body by Briggs......they notorious for serious rot in the front cowl/rocker/floor joints.  If you hinges look good....a easy check is to jack the rocker full length with a heavy angle iron on a 2 x 4 for full length support...if this cures some of your ails, well the rest is going to be an invasive but much needed fix.  

As for the door latch not working from outside but from the inside...inspect the square shaft of the internal collar it is inserted into.

[49DodgeClubCoupe]

Thanks for the tips guys. I will take a look at those areas first. when winter comes around I'll be taking apart the interior and start really assessing what the bones look like.

[DonaldSmith]

The front doors are locked on the inside by pushing the interior handle forward, and outside by key.  Some cars did not have key locks both sides, but that's another story.  

So, try pulling the interior door handle back.  That would be too simple.  It that's what it is, it'll get you somewhere else. 

[greg g]

Welcome!  This is a farmyard hack for hinge pin.  Not an engineers fix but think of it as a diagnostic. Open the door, with a block of wood to protect it jack it up enough to take some of the weight off, after using some penetrating oil see if you can tap the hinge pins up a bit with hammer and punch, a quarter inch will do.  Now with vice grips see if you can rotate the pins 180°.  This should rotate the worn part if the pins away from the moveable part of the hinge, and move unworn metal into alignmemt.  Tap them back down. If after releasing the jack you find you don't need to lift as much to close the door you know you need new pins, and maybe not so extensive pillar, rocker repair.  I replaced the pins on the driver's door, and did the twist the pins and left them on the passenger side.  Been OK for 15 years.  I lube them twice a year.

[medium_jon]

2 hours ago, greg g said:

Welcome!  This is a farmyard hack for hinge pin.  Not an engineers fix but think of it as a diagnostic. Open the door, with a block of wood to protect it jack it up enough to take some of the weight off, after using some penetrating oil see if you can tap the hinge pins up a bit with hammer and punch, a quarter inch will do.  Now with vice grips see if you can rotate the pins 180°.  This should rotate the worn part if the pins away from the moveable part of the hinge, and move unworn metal into alignmemt.  Tap them back down. If after releasing the jack you find you don't need to lift as much to close the door you know you need new pins, and maybe not so extensive pillar, rocker repair.  I replaced the pins on the driver's door, and did the twist the pins and left them on the passenger side.  Been OK for 15 years.  I lube them twice a year.

I need to try that on my passenger side. Thanks @greg g