Door Removal procedure

Hello Everyone,
What is the best way to remove the door on a 92 Cap[rice Wagon. Is it best to remove the door from the hinges or remove the door with the hinges? It looks like I can remove the door from the hinges with an ordinary wrench. I dont see any way to get the hinges off with the door unless I have some specialty wrench.

Does the door have to come off to get the fender off. Looks like the torx head screws for fender cant be reached with the door in place.

One final thought, Northeast cars stink. rusted bolts and twisting clips. Ugh! They can be very unpleasant.

Thanks,
Nick in Rusty PA

2 1A2 Caprices, One 92 CC and my kid with a 92 Caprice Wagon.
1965 Good Humor Ice Cream Truck

Dont forget the Tommy Boy method. "Whatchu do?"

You can remove the door with the fender in place. with the nuts on the hinges. You do not have to remove the door to get the fender off, but you do have to remove the fender to get the door hinges off. When installing the parts, put your door on before removing the fender if the top of the door alignment is still intact. It will facilitate alignment of the fender. Remember to remove any wiring from the door, and pull the boot off of the door side. Save any good internal parts of the damaged door for future use. You should install new rollers in the window tracks before putting the door on as well, and change your lock cylinder to the donor door. If your donor door has a better detent roller, swap the lower hinge after removing the fender.

If you removed the donor fender with the support, you can bolt it back on without removing the torx screws. If your donor fender does not have the support, you must remove your original fender and support to install the support on the donor fender. You can remove the fender and wheelhouse as one unit if you remove the correct bolts. Remove the wheel opening trim, bottom trim, headlight bracket, screw under the fender, two bolts in the door jam, one bolt under the foam at the end of the rear hood seal, triangulation bolt, hood hinge support bolts (2), hood bolts (3 support the hood), strut, wheelhouse to firewall bolts (2 behind the tire), relay bracket and AC bracket (5?), heater hose bracket, loosen the antilock connector from the wheelhouse, red junction box (2), overflow tank (2 bolts and hose), open clip for cable, battery tray (3), wheelhouse extension (2 nuts, 5 screws), fender to wheelhouse behind the battery tray, vertical core support (2), top core support (3), fender to bumper cover (2). You should be able to remove the fender and wheelhouse as a unit at this point. Save your shims and mark where they came from. It is a good starting point for reassembly. You may need additional or fewer shims with the donor fender. I think I got all of them.

I would suggest that you get all new speed nuts, and bolts for the fender, wheelhouse, firewall, and a couple at the core support. You may have to grind off the bolts at the battery tray, and other places as necessary. If the speed nuts break, grinding off the bolt heads is the easiest way to separate the parts.

By removing the fender and wheelhouse as one piece, you avoid having to remove the fender to wheelhouse bolts along the lip of the opening, and along the top of the wheelhouse to brace. These are notoriously rusty, and the speed nuts will often break, causing a headache removing them.

If you need a battery tray, I have a few good ones from $35-50.

You may want to prep your panels and paint them before installing them, to avoid some of the future rust.

BTW, you have one of about 4300 92 OCCs made. Take car of it.

Darn Fred, That is quite the detail. Thanks for that. You sound like a man that has removed a few fenders. Those darn speed nuts did cause quite the headache, Ill have to pick some up. The door took a hit on the front window frame denting it in. When that happened the rear side of the window frame flexed out so now there is a gap around the seal. Ill try persuading it back into position. If I can then the door will be kept.

With regards to my CC, Its my second one. I have driven in a 92 CC from Florida to Canada and as far west as Wyoming. Its a sickness that I suffer from. The 2 Service Wagons are even more uncommon. Less than a 1000 over the 6 year run. One is an old NYPD wagon, The other a Philly car. I think the Philly car was a district Attorneys office wagon because I found a business card wedged in the dash, All I can find on that one is that it was owned by the City and that business card.
I had a third one that was really rusty and went to a new home. I saw it was resold and actually listed in this forum by a third owner since I owned it. That one was owned by the Atlantic Highlands Fire Dept in NJ. I love the working wagons,

I appreciate the help,
Nick in PA

Ill consider the Tommy Boy method as a second option or if Im running short on time.

I've removed a couple doors, and fenders over the past 8 years. I had the whole front end off down to the firewall to install the 454 in my 91 OCC.

Nick in PA wrote:

Ill consider the Tommy Boy method as a second option or if Im running short on time.

Its tested,tried and true.

Do you fellows know if the rear wheel trim on a 92 Sedan is the same as a 92 Wagon?
I was at a yard today and saw one available on a sedan and it sure looks the same to me.
I tried to get it off with the tools I had but those darn tiny screw would not have it.
I have to go back for a door so I can grab it next time.
Have a good night,
Nick

The trim can be used, but the screw holes may be placed differently. I usually grab the screw by the point and head with a channel lock pliers, and rock it back and forth a couple of times. That usually breaks the rust, and allows the screw to be turned easily.