A pillar nether regions

[Bazzalucas]

When I got my 58 2-door, I noticed that there was a bolt missing from the upper door hinge on the driver's side. I finally got around to trying to replace it, and found upon inspection that it had a broken-off drill bit in the hole. After much unpleasantness, I was able to drive the stuck chunk of bit (bit of bit?) through and into the never to-be-seen-again recesses of the A pillar. I am left with a completely stripped-out captive nut in the plate. It's the upper outboard hole, so bears quite a load and as you all know, the material to which everything is bolted is a little flimsy.
Anyway, here's my question before I start tearing things apart: is there access to the plate where I can get a nut behind it? Or am I looking at having to create an access where Pressed Steel Corp never envisioned one?

[bmcecosse]

There is no access.....but I wouldn't worry - 3 out of 4 is surely good enough for the door. If there is enough metal left - you could try to tap a thread and then screw in a stub - which you would then drill and tap for the hinge retaining screw. It's a bit of work.......

[les]

You could use a 'helicoil' to retain the original thread, depends on how far you want to go.

[kennatt]

been running mine with a broken bolt for 15 years,still in place,bit over engineered ,in the first place.

[PaulTubby]

wouldnt worry to much, it wont go anywhere....

[Bazzalucas]

Hmmm, well the only reason I paid any attention to it is because the door has started to sag, and lifting the end reveals a noticeable flex on the hinge side of things.

[stag36587]

Hmmm, well the only reason I paid any attention to it is because the door has started to sag, and lifting the end reveals a noticeable flex on the hinge side of things.

I guess that could be due more to worn hinge pins

[Bazzalucas]

I will check that out. Are the pins replaceable or is it time for a new hinge?

[stag36587]

Yes main suppliers sell replacement pins and the right size drill bit too. I've not done it myself yet but will need to on one side at least.

[Bazzalucas]

Maybe I'll just start getting in and out on the passenger side...

[les]

The flexing sounds like a weak A panel, rather than the hinge moving, as 3 bolts would prevent that.

[Bazzalucas]

Here's what I ended up doing: (the faint of heart/purists should look away now)- the flex was in the A pillar itself (plus a little pin wear). I tried tapping a new, larger hole, but no dice (Olde American Measurement). I finally drilled all the way through to the mudguard, then used a hole saw to open the hole in the mudguard up enough to get a socket through. I then got a 8mm bolt about 4" long (threaded the entire length so I guess it's really a machine screw) and using a deep well socket tightened a nut on the other side of it, drawing the hinge, A pillar and the, well, other A pillar together. I had enough bolt sticking through the hole in the mudguard to put a big fender washer on it and another nut. Tightened that, undersealed the whole thing and Bob's your uncle- which by the way, we don't really say here. Flex is all gone now.