Door slamming no more....

hudsonguy
hudsonguy Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Just wanted to share with everyone my experience with the door strikers on my '49 Super Six.



I recently purchased four new reproduced strikers from Gene Eshelmann, at the Nationals, and noticed that the slot that engages the rod when the door is closed was different than those on my car. The shape of the 'slot' in the originals on my '49 were basically angled ramps. The new replacements I got were evidently made from a later design, and the slot is more of a 'hook' shape.



The new strikers work beautifully, and there is no more door slamming required. Now the doors will fall closed, and sound solid doing it. I never thought I would be able to say that.



I used to be embarrased when hauling a carload of people, because of all of the second and third door slamming going on to get all of the doors closed tightly at the same time. I had ended up re-adjusting them slightly looser against the seals, so that they'd close easier.



I believe this was one of Hudsons design improvements that was made along the way, and wanted to let all of the early stepdown owners know how much of an improvement this new design is.



I know I've seen the Eshelmann's ads in the WTN for the strikers. I think they were about $8 each. They're worth every penny.

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    hudsonguy wrote:
    Just wanted to share with everyone my experience with the door strikers on my '49 Super Six.

    I recently purchased four new reproduced strikers from Gene Eshelmann, at the Nationals, and noticed that the slot that engages the rod when the door is closed was different than those on my car. The shape of the 'slot' in the originals on my '49 were basically angled ramps. The new replacements I got were evidently made from a later design, and the slot is more of a 'hook' shape.

    The new strikers work beautifully, and there is no more door slamming required. Now the doors will fall closed, and sound solid doing it. I never thought I would be able to say that.

    I used to be embarrased when hauling a carload of people, because of all of the second and third door slamming going on to get all of the doors closed tightly at the same time. I had ended up re-adjusting them slightly looser against the seals, so that they'd close easier.

    I believe this was one of Hudsons design improvements that was made along the way, and wanted to let all of the early stepdown owners know how much of an improvement this new design is.

    I know I've seen the Eshelmann's ads in the WTN for the strikers. I think they were about $8 each. They're worth every penny.

    That's interesting, I noticed the same thing on my Pace. Thought maybe it was just my car, but you had to slam the door 2-3 times for it to shut. I'm glad someone has an improvement, but, I'm going with poppers.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    jsrail wrote:
    That's interesting, I noticed the same thing on my Pace. Thought maybe it was just my car, but you had to slam the door 2-3 times for it to shut. I'm glad someone has an improvement, but, I'm going with poppers.



    What are poppers and how can I get one (or 4 I'm guessing).



    I have slamming issues on my 48 as well. Not so bad on the other 3 doors, but the driver's side I can never really adjust properly it seems.



    -Chris
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    usgrant7 wrote:
    What are poppers and how can I get one (or 4 I'm guessing).



    I have slamming issues on my 48 as well. Not so bad on the other 3 doors, but the driver's side I can never really adjust properly it seems.



    -Chris



    I tried adjusting the strikers on my Hornet, and no position worked - either you had to slam the blazes out of it, or it it wouldn't click into the second latch. In the finish I built up the inner vertical ramp of the strikers, by welding about 1/16" on to the surface, making it less curved, and hey presto, they now click into place so beautifully. Perhaps the re-designed strikers have this done to them?

    Geoff.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    The first design of door strikers for stepdowns was from 1948-1950. The second generation of strikers had a more "hooked" design and appeared in the 1951-53 models .The 1954 models had a "star wheel " design holding the doors securely. Unfortunately that is what makes the 1954 doors unique and not interchangeable with the 48-53 doors.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Got the stikers for my 53 from K-gap. The doors work perfectly now.
  • rambos_ride
    rambos_ride Senior Contributor
    jsrail wrote:
    That's interesting, I noticed the same thing on my Pace. Thought maybe it was just my car, but you had to slam the door 2-3 times for it to shut. I'm glad someone has an improvement, but, I'm going with poppers.

    I'm not into tuner stuff too much and it's much too hilly around here to have automagic door poppers so I haven't looked into the installation...You still need door latches with poppers right? All they do is kick the door out after its electrically unlatched...

    Ahh...just answered my own question they (sic poppers) have their own latch...
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Regardless on whether the door needs slammed to close properly, is door slamming a generational thing?

    When I was young I was taught by my grandfather that you could close the doors on his ’47 Commodore by just gently clicking the door shut. Same way with my old high school band director, if you shut the doors on his ’63 Corvair or ’64 Studebaker with any more than a click, you were getting a drum stick to your head.

    The baby boomer generation, however, seems to think that you have to wind up with your whole body weight and slam the door or it won’t stay shut. Everyone in the 45 to 65 age range that has been in my Jet has slammed my doors and consequently got an earful from me about how to gently shut a car door.:mad:

    Have any of the 20-45 and 65-90 year olds on this board noticed this?
  • Huddy42
    Huddy42 Senior Contributor
    To close the doors on our 1942 Hudson Two Door Brougham, you push the door to just touch the striker, and then with one finger you can push the door closed, click,click.Closed without any slamming etc.



    I have a guy who comes up to the Hudson at car shows I go to, he becons passers by to come watch how easily the doors close by the above operation. He does not own a Hudson, but just fascinated by the way the doors close. He is a guy well into his 60's.



    Les. P. Down Under.
  • MikeWA
    MikeWA Senior Contributor
    Ah, yes- my wife seems to think that a door close is unsuccessful unless you can actually make the car shudder from the impact. My driver is a '95 Lincoln, and frequently, we take our grown kids with us, as they all drive ricers that are incapable of containing even the owners + child + pet, much less any hangers-on. As we load up for our excursion, I flinch as each seemingly tries to outdo the other in the force with which he can close the door. I've pretty much given up on reprimanding anyone- keeping peace in the family is more important than the welfare of my '95 Lincoln, and it seems to be holding up pretty well under the assault. You need to pick your battles.
  • Unknown
    Unknown



    You must be talking about my wife. I'm still trying to get her to ease up on the car doors. Like you , everytime a door slams I complain. Maybe we should design some sort of anti-slam mechanism and market it.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    hudsonguy wrote:
    Just wanted to share with everyone my experience with the door strikers on my '49 Super Six.



    I recently purchased four new reproduced strikers from Gene Eshelmann, at the Nationals, and noticed that the slot that engages the rod when the door is closed was different than those on my car. The shape of the 'slot' in the originals on my '49 were basically angled ramps. The new replacements I got were evidently made from a later design, and the slot is more of a 'hook' shape.



    The new strikers work beautifully, and there is no more door slamming required. Now the doors will fall closed, and sound solid doing it. I never thought I would be able to say that.



    I used to be embarrased when hauling a carload of people, because of all of the second and third door slamming going on to get all of the doors closed tightly at the same time. I had ended up re-adjusting them slightly looser against the seals, so that they'd close easier.



    I believe this was one of Hudsons design improvements that was made along the way, and wanted to let all of the early stepdown owners know how much of an improvement this new design is.



    I know I've seen the Eshelmann's ads in the WTN for the strikers. I think they were about $8 each. They're worth every penny.







    Thanks for posting your experience... I contacted Gene and Myrna last night and have a set on the way for my sedan.



    Cheers from a "cooler" HOT
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    It's always seem ironic to me that the earlier Hudson doors just clicked shut, yet StepDown doors had to be slammed! It seems so unworthy of the otherwise-solid and beautifully engineered Step-Down that the doors didn't click shut. I had always wondered whether the problem was caused by a weatherseal that wasn't pliable enough, or a latch mechanism with an inherently faulty design.



    Anyway, it sounds like the Eshelmans have finally handled the problem. A full solution hinges on these retro-fit latches making their way quickly into the general Hudson population, so we can soon close this unhappy chapter. No longer can critics slam our wonderful cars!
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Huddy42 wrote:
    To close the doors on our 1942 Hudson Two Door Brougham, you push the door to just touch the striker, and then with one finger you can push the door closed, click,click.Closed without any slamming etc.



    I have a guy who comes up to the Hudson at car shows I go to, he becons passers by to come watch how easily the doors close by the above operation. He does not own a Hudson, but just fascinated by the way the doors close. He is a guy well into his 60's.



    Les. P. Down Under.



    THE DOOR LATCHES ON THE 47 AND BACK SHOULD HAVE BEEN RETAINED IN THE STEPDOWN.. THE INFO GIVEN IS CORRECT, THE HOOKED STRIKERS WORK MUCH BETTER. THE PRE STEPDOWNS REAR DOORS WILL SHUT THEMSELVES. JUST LET GO FROM A 3/4 OPEN POSITION AND THE CLOSE THEMSELVES AND LATCH. ONE COMMENT ABOUT 54 STAR LATCHES IS UP TO A QUESTION. I HAVE 54 LATCHES ON MY ONE 53 CONV. THESE WERE INSTALLED BY WALT CHAPMAN THE ORIG OWNER. SO IT CAN BE DONE
  • Aaron D. IL
    Aaron D. IL Senior Contributor
    bill a wrote:
    THE DOOR LATCHES ON THE 47 AND BACK SHOULD HAVE BEEN RETAINED IN THE STEPDOWN.. THE INFO GIVEN IS CORRECT, THE HOOKED STRIKERS WORK MUCH BETTER. THE PRE STEPDOWNS REAR DOORS WILL SHUT THEMSELVES. JUST LET GO FROM A 3/4 OPEN POSITION AND THE CLOSE THEMSELVES AND LATCH. ONE COMMENT ABOUT 54 STAR LATCHES IS UP TO A QUESTION. I HAVE 54 LATCHES ON MY ONE 53 CONV. THESE WERE INSTALLED BY WALT CHAPMAN THE ORIG OWNER. SO IT CAN BE DONE



    The latches on my '47 C8 sedan are great!!! The door closes and seals like a refrigerator door! so much so I didn't take off the door when I did my frame off restoration on the car I was afraid to throw off the alignment

    My step-down the doors are a pain!!!! I might give those strikers a shot.
  • rambos_ride
    rambos_ride Senior Contributor
    hudsonguy wrote:
    Just wanted to share with everyone my experience with the door strikers on my '49 Super Six.

    I recently purchased four new reproduced strikers from Gene Eshelmann, at the Nationals, and noticed that the slot that engages the rod when the door is closed was different than those on my car. The shape of the 'slot' in the originals on my '49 were basically angled ramps. The new replacements I got were evidently made from a later design, and the slot is more of a 'hook' shape.

    The new strikers work beautifully, and there is no more door slamming required. Now the doors will fall closed, and sound solid doing it. I never thought I would be able to say that.

    I used to be embarrased when hauling a carload of people, because of all of the second and third door slamming going on to get all of the doors closed tightly at the same time. I had ended up re-adjusting them slightly looser against the seals, so that they'd close easier.

    I believe this was one of Hudsons design improvements that was made along the way, and wanted to let all of the early stepdown owners know how much of an improvement this new design is.

    I know I've seen the Eshelmann's ads in the WTN for the strikers. I think they were about $8 each. They're worth every penny.

    I thought the biggest problem (besides the stikers wearing out) is that the stepdowns have a 2 position latch 1st click is the safety latch and the second is the full close position.

    I thought I read somewhere that if the stikers are worn or the first position adjustment is off the doors will close hard otherwise it should be a simple light close without slamming
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Yes alignment of the striker is very important. Once you work with it to make sure its aligned with the door properly you do not have to slam the doors. I got new strikers from Gene for mine a couple of years ago set them up following the advice from someone on the board here sorry I forget who and presto chango you can let go of the door and it will click shut. One mistake is pushing the striker too far back thinking that will make the door shut tighter it doesn't just means you have to slam it to get it to catch.

    Done right you do not have to slam. Fronts shut like the back on the sedan as the backs always seemed to shut with little effort.
  • Walt-LA
    Walt-LA Senior Contributor
    hudsonguy wrote:
    I think that the seal between the front and rear doors is on the front edge of the rear door (!?!). That would mean that the hinge adjustment of the rear door also affects the front door's adjustment. There must be a certain sequence one must use to properly adjust a Hudson four door sedan.



    The channel which holds the weather stripping for the rear of the front door is on the leading edge of the rear door, and hinge alignment could have an effect. THANKS, for the thought, that could be part of the problem. The rear doors shut easily enough, but then, I'm now using a Home Depot weather stripping which crushes more easily. Automotive grade stripping that I've tried doesn't hold well- I think because the mounting sfc is not square/plumb. After some use, the stripping begins to creep off the edge, towards the door opening. Original Hudson weather stripping contained a flat metal strip, which attached to the body. This missing inner strip is sorely needed, in several trim pieces, but I expect too expensive to justify in today's market. I've tried a number of adhesives in addition to 3-M recommended with the automotive grade stripping. Without any luck. Home Depot stripping works- no leaks, but does not look anything like OEM material. Goes without saying that Louisiana is not the best environment for adhesives with both high temperatures and humidity. Walt-LA
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