Technical EXPOSED DOOR HINGES. PAINT OR CHROME?

Ya I know chrome don't chip but then you have to live with 2 sore thumbs per side. I haven't chipped the paint on my Chevy PU. No chipped paint on the 28 I built for my B F F's 28. Exposed hinges. Suicide doors. PS: Installed the wiper motors below the windshield. Didn't want them sticking out the roof.

 

Paint

Dave

 

Paint x2

..

 

I like them painted they just beam to disappear and not stick out like a sore thumb

 

paint times 3

 

I always paint them. I don't want hinges chromed to make them stand out.

 

And another vote for the paint option - assuming they will be the same colour as the rest of the body. Do not laugh, I have seen the odd (very odd) car with contrasting coloured hinges, and its not as pretty thing

 

Pfffft! We now pause for a contrary opinion.
Chrome hinges on my PU (doors and tailgate)

and on my 34

 

Completely depends on the vehicle IMO.

 

My 57 doesn't have exposed hinges but I think they look good either way.

 

“PAINT”

 

Chrome don't get you home and paint won't make you a saint. If you are painting the hinges and have them off the car, it helps to bevel slightly each mating surface between the two hinge pieces that tend to chip.

 

Personally if given the option chrome

 

Removing the hinges is a pain. Drilling out rivets and tapping threads just for some bling is a tough route and not for everyone. I was at a swap meet and sourced the trucks hinges that were already chromed or I may have eschewed all of the labor to add them. I don't regret all of the work for a second.

 

Paint

 

Paint

 

I thought on these old cars you adjusted the door gap by beating on the hinge. Well by the looks of the witness marks on a few of my hinges that’s what it looks like. If it’s true better to have them painted so you can just repaint them if you need to beat them a little at final assembly.
If I am totally off please let me know because I am working on my doors now.

 

I would go with paint, but chrome does not look bad.

I think chrome hinges would look good on a post war car where they are hidden when the door is closed

 

It is refreshing, especially in an election year such as this when the US seems more divided than ever, for the HAMB to agree on such a sensitive issue. Clearly there are several thousand more posts in favor of chrome hinges. At last, we all finally can agree on something and demonstrate our solidarity and effective decision making to the world. Very proud. Chrome or go home! Make America Shiny Again.

 

Billy, I absolutely love your 34! I have enjoyed every picture I have seen of it over the years. To be honest yesterday was the first time I ever noticed the chrome hinges, but I like them on your car. I think it depends on the car (truck) . My car will be dark blue with very little chrome. Chrome hinges probably would not look good on my car.

 

Ain't no such thing as too much chrome!!

 

Paint if you want to hide, chrome if you want it to be a feature.

I painted mine off the car and with the pin removed. Dressed the contact surfaces to remove Paint and assembled with grease.

No chips.

 

One chrome and one painted on each door.

 

You can always use a phone book to align the doors hinges no need to beat on them I have used that trick for close to 65 years. Frank

 

Paint for sure.
When chromed they are a distraction not an enhancement to the overall appearance of the car.
It's like having a "gold" front tooth.

 

Gold front tooth with a symbol carved in it.

 

What's a phone book?

 

You put the phone book in the door jam by the lower hinge and carefully close the door and apply pressure to move the bottom of the door back and up you can also put the book between the latch and jam and apply pressure to move it forward. I prefer the older ones that are really thick. The idea with the phone book is that it doesn’t leave marks like a hard object and conforms to the shape of the opening. You can do the same thing with a 2x4 but it leaves marks. We always used the expression calling the door up. They have door bars now , but I have more control with the phone book.

 

Thank you for the compliment. It depends on the car, I can't imagine having mine painted but on other's cars they are probably best left painted. I like polished headlights over painted, same on taillights. The 37 tail lights on my roadster had to be plated to match the shiny headlights IMO. I had dinner with Boyd Coddington once, he and I were on different ends of the spectrum when it came to shiny bits on a car. To each their own.

I'm bad, I'm nationwide.