Opening doors

[1971Hans]

I'm restoring a diecast Corgi car.

I stripped and removed the paint. But when reinstalling the doors, they are hanging loose, they don't keep opened or closed. It must have something to do with that coil spring, shaped as an iron wire. But I can't figure it out...

Someone ??

[1971Hans]

[stitchdup]

have you tried the base on it? it might hold the bottom of the doors so they feel tighter. the wear on the right side hinge looks like it could be that way when you zoom in to it

[1971Hans]

30 minutes ago, stitchdup said:

have you tried the base on it? it might hold the bottom of the doors so they feel tighter. the wear on the right side hinge looks like it could be that way when you zoom in to it

Yes, I know what you mean. I did try, no difference...

[NOBLNG]

If the wire is not crimped in place tightly, try rotating it 180 degrees.

[peteski]

Not familiar with that model, but the spring wire is crimped to the body, so I suspect that when you reinstalled the doors, you didn't put everything the way it was originally.  You don't remember how the spring wire and door hinges were original aligned?  Maybe you have another similar Corgi model you can take apart and check on the proper door installation?

[NOBLNG]

Too late now maybe, but I have found that it helps to take lots of detail pictures of anything I intend to disassemble before and during the process.?

[Vintage AMT]

Have you tried rotating the wire so that it puts more tension on the door hinge? It looks like it has a curve to it??

[1971Hans]

Solved !!! The wire was slightly bend, causing loss of tension on the doors. The wire should be perfectly right. It took some time, and care not to cause metal fatigue, but finally it gives the right tension to keep the doors closed, or to get them opened easily. British precision in the seventies...

Thanks for the reactions !