1982 - 1992 Chevy Camaro - Open & Shut Case

The abrasive material included in the repair kit is used to clean the surface around the hinge bushing bores. According to our expert, these bushings mustn't be forced into their bores if they are to properly fit the pins. If they don't slip right in, a small sanding wheel can be used to dress the bore.

Once the bores are prepared, the bushings get a coat of the red Loctite included in the kit. The bushings should be rotated to distribute the Loctite-if you can see it seeping out around the edge of the bushing, you got the right amount.

We're jumping ahead a bit here, but we're sure you'll get the idea. After the door holes are aligned with the hinge holes, the top pin is installed (grease fitting facing down) and its nut placed on finger-tight. Similarly, the lower pin goes in from the top (grease fitting facing up). The pin is tapered, so it won't fully seat on the bushing until the nuts are tightened...which is the next step.

By the way, you probably noticed we mentioned grease fittings. Although Classic Industries sells a "Standard" Hinge Repair Kit that's a bit less expensive, the "Greaseable" upper hinge pins are clearly the hot ticket. When a little lube shows around the pin, you've got it right. Grease it once a year and you'll be good to go.

It's only been a couple of hours, but we've got better-than-new hinges on our Z28's driver's door. Once the weatherstripping we unfastened is put back in place, this door is ready for reinstallation...

...which is a snap, since the hinges bolt to the car in their original positions, eliminating almost all fitting concerns.

The last item on our agenda was replacing the door strikers. When doing so, be sure to remove the small grille above the striker so that you can reach inside and hold its retainer, or the day will turn bad. The wear pattern on this striker was acceptable, but they're cheap, so we replaced it anyway.

Andy transferred the washer pack, including the plastic washer, from the old striker to the new. This is the passenger-side striker, and our visiting professor of Camarology didn't like what he saw, namely the small mark on the top of the striker.

This was easy enough to fix with this door-alignment tool from Mac Tools. All it took was a small pry up to get the passenger door in line, with the latch hitting the striker on its sides.

The driver's door, on the other hand, swung right into place, no adjustment necessary. Seemingly little fixes can make a surprisingly big difference, and that's the case here. With properly working doors on tight hinges, this Z28 is much more enjoyable to drive.