Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

I'm getting ready to paint the car and want to remove doors. I have the door panels off. Does if anyone out there have in input as to the best way to remove the bundle of wires used for the power windows.

Windows have a solid one piece loom so unless you want to cut and then try to splice or add some kind of inline connectors or plug in the kickpanel space you are going to need to disconnect the wires at the switch and motor, loosen or remove the inner door clamps and then pull the rubber conduit and wires out of the door. To get the wires out of the way when painting you could remove the clamp behind the kickpanel and pull the rubber conduit and the two or three feet of wire all the way into the kickpanel space.

You can remove the bolts inside the door and leave the hinges attached at the jamb but if you do that, before loosening anything in the door I would strongly suggest looking for any previous holes or drilling a couple of new 1/8 holes thru the hinge bar and the door backing plates suitable for a small roll pin or a nail to stick thru. If it has been done before there may already be a roll pin or a sheetmetal screw used for locating purpose. With some locating guides you can precisely get the hinge back to the original position.

There was a suggestion by Packard in the SM and I believe in a service article that in order to easily get doors back in original alignment or at least to minimize time spent in readjusting doors the mechanic should remove the screws at the jamb side of the hinge and leave the part inside the door untouched. That may be easier said than done if the screws are rusted.

If the screws are not terribly rusted maybe worth trying to remove them. The hinges have 3 or 4 visible Phillips head screws plus one hidden inside the hinge center that can only be seen and accessed with the door almost wide open. It takes a good healthy and proper sized screwdriver or a Phillips bit for your ratchet wrench to break them free and avoid damaging the slots. If rusted it may even need an impact screwdriver. You might also use some penetrating fluid on the threads a day or two before by having a spray can with a long nozzle that can reach in the kickspace area and hit the captive retaining nuts and threads.

I concur with removing the hinges on the car side for the simple reason that they are countersunk screws; the adjustment side is instead on the door side.

You should get an actual Phillips #3 bit for your impact. A normal Phillips #2 will likely tear them up.

My personal input on this matter was influenced by problem I found on driver's side door on Randy's door
While trying to adjust door would get it correct then it would move. The problem was two of the door lower hinge bolts were very loose threads
My cure was to get longer bolts and install nuts and lock washer on backside which is relatively easy \except for sharp edges on door hole punch
outs . My fix cured my adjustment problem just my experience. I did make another change addition added plastic to door metal with duct tape to keep water from getting to card and leather interior trim. Overkill as my old cars do not spend much time in rain..Water staining more problem with cloth trim