BluePrint Engines

Visit our community sponsor

Thanks Thanks:  0
Likes Likes:  0
Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: why not

  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Shawnee KS< KC Burb
    Posts
    844
    Post Thanks / Like

    Better trunk hinges

    I saw a pair of these on another brand of 33 replica and it looked like a big improvement over the Hoopdie hinges on our kits.

    Since I have already moved my gas tank to the back down low I have a decent trunk space up high except for those big hinges
    still taking up a lot of space up high where my tank used to be. I never was a fan of prop rods either so this was a win win.

    thr1.jpgthr3.jpg


    DB
    Last edited by myjones; 07-31-2014 at 04:49 PM.

  2. #2
    Senior Member billjr212's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Frankfort, IL
    Posts
    734
    Post Thanks / Like
    Looks good. Nice find. Can you share the brand/original application or site where you picked them up?

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Shawnee KS< KC Burb
    Posts
    844
    Post Thanks / Like

    hinges

    Quote Originally Posted by billjr212 View Post
    Looks good. Nice find. Can you share the brand/original application or site where you picked them up?
    I saw them on an American Speed33 at the Mecum auction in kc.
    They are used on any 03-08 Mazda 6 and Mazdaspeed

    Got mine in a salvage yard from an 04 M6 for $18
    I will buy new lift supports rather than trust the 10 year old OEM's

    HTH
    DB

  4. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    117
    Post Thanks / Like
    That's a neat, compact design. Will it neat a plinth on the underside of the trunk-lid to mount on?

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Shawnee KS< KC Burb
    Posts
    844
    Post Thanks / Like
    Quote Originally Posted by MT-ED View Post
    That's a neat, compact design. Will it neat a plinth on the underside of the trunk-lid to mount on?
    Martin
    The trunk lids need a rolled piece of square tube near each edge anyway to correct the shape of the radius to better match the body.
    Several people have already done that in a few different ways. That new tube will need a plate on it to mount the hinges to since
    mine are slightly further outboard on purpose. The bigger issue for others is to move the fuel fill which lands right where one hinge should be.

    My tank is already moved and the fill will come through the body elsewhere since I don't want it in the trunk anyway.
    Last edited by myjones; 07-22-2014 at 06:12 PM.

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Shawnee KS< KC Burb
    Posts
    844
    Post Thanks / Like

    moving along

    Bent some square tubes today for the side frames to mount the hinge plates to.
    Found a guy on the web that said it can be done at home so I gave it a shot. Pictures to follow.

    He was right, it's not that hard to make a 3' radius on 1" square tube and it came out real
    nice on my first try. It was so easy I'm going to make another set of them from 3/4" square tubes tomorrow
    and then decide which size works best. This method also lets me re-arc the trunk lid to match it to the body.

    My trunk lid was a good bit high in the middle of each edge when compared to the body. If it was the
    other way the latch would have pulled it down to match but this direction would have meant building
    the body up quite a bit on each side so I decided to pull the trunk lid back down instead. I cut some slots
    in the edge of the ribs on the trunk and made three clips for each side. I will epoxy those clips in then they
    just bolt to the side of my curved tubes allowing me to adjust the shape of the lid as I go.
    DB

  7. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Shawnee KS< KC Burb
    Posts
    844
    Post Thanks / Like
    Got the pictures loaded in my album on the gallery page and here's a few shots of the finished product. Bending the square tubes was fun, I found the method on MetalGeek.com along with a few fun comments about how to safely bend square tubing at home by hand. My first time doing this and they came out fine. I bent the 1" first and tested it for stiffness and decided to bend some 3/4 and see if it was strong enough. It was and the smaller tube looks better so that is what I used. The hinges work great and the gas lift supports make a nice addition. The steel frame let me re-shape the fiberglass lid to match the body by adding spacers under it anywhere I need to make the trunk lid shape better match the body.
    DB
    thcliprs1.JPGthframeliftrs1.JPGthframers1.JPG

  8. #8
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Shawnee KS< KC Burb
    Posts
    844
    Post Thanks / Like
    Forgot the bending picture.
    Warning be sure you have a well mounted bench to do this on. I braced mine to the wall while hand bending the 1" tubing.
    DB
    th1rs.JPG
    Last edited by myjones; 07-31-2014 at 04:50 PM. Reason: safety

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Shawnee KS< KC Burb
    Posts
    844
    Post Thanks / Like
    Quote Originally Posted by myjones View Post
    I saw a pair of these on another brand of 33 replica and it looked like a big improvement over the Hoopdie hinges on our kits.
    thr1.jpgthr3.jpg
    DB
    These might work for the frunk on an 818 as well

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Replica Parts

Visit our community sponsor