The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Rear barn doors 55 - 59

Hi,

Looking to covert from clamshell to barn door as a alternative to getting the clamshell parts I'm missing. Beside the hinges, are there any door stops and also are there any striker plates where one of the barn doors latch into (the one that doesn't have the door handle).

Pictures of the rear door opening showing the details would be really nice, dont' want to spend a fortune and then still have parts missing...

Thanks in advance
Dyna

upper "hold-opens" will be hard to find, been a number of folks over time here looking for them - need the covers for your top hinges too, where the check arm mounts ....

there's a small striker at the top for the driverside door, which has a latch mechanism that sticks out the top, and another striker at the bottom for the handled door ...

the main door handle and and it's latch are available new, they're the same as the pass side door [well, close enough] and the striker for that is mounted on the other door edge ....

also a unique license holder/light you won't find

I don't much like the clamshell rear myself, but I think you should keep searching for what you need for yours and skip different frustrations also the center stop light you have on it is a very desireable rare piece if it's complete and functional

Bill

Wow super post Bill.. Still think it will be easier to switch. Searching the internet and it looks like 9 of 10 are barn door type and things should be easier to get for them.

I looked at one door that has that unique license holder/light.. so maybe things aren't too hopeless.

I like the barn door type better too, I'm short so it's #$#@$ to lift things over the tailgate. Beside it looks better too. Just as a start I thought it would be easier to get things for the tailgate but I think its not now after searching... Anyways super thanks for a really good post..

Burbly Dyna

Start collecting the necessary pieces by looking at suburbans/panels for sale and taking pics or at car shows or in the gallery here. Then you will know what the parts look like. It may take a year or more to find parts for sale or you may get lucky. If you give up on finding all the parts, sell the ones you have, they will go up in value. Ebay is by far your best bet, then "wanted" forums like we have here. I'll keep my eye open for you. Like you said , some of the doors will have much of what you need, maybe even the checks. My experience is that you have to sometimes buy more than you need to get the parts, then sell back the unused stuff. You may buy 3 or 4 doors to get it all then sell the doors. It takes a lot of work to build a Suburban or panel and get the stuff behind the front doors! Be advised that Suburban and Panel Checks ARE NOT THE SAME. Everything else back there is the same. When your done, selling your clamshell stuff will help get some of your maney back. A good "swing light" can be a 75-$100 or more. All Suburban/panel specific parts are getting harder and harder to find. I don't know what year you have but the rear door light that Squeeze showed you is 57 58 59, the 55-56 is different and goes back to 50? about. AS far as rear fender lights, the lens everyone has are "stepped". These are called 57 lenses and are the only ones available in the aftermarket. 55-56 red lenses were not stepped. I have the only known pair of NOS non-stepped lenses in the universe.

Thanks for the info Bartamos. The swing light is not that bad, but not great either. Car shows are nice only problem is that aren't many panels or burbs here in the UK or Europe for that matter. Been looking at the gallery and even searched flicker and it's like.. Guess I need to do a lot of reading in the forums too .

Burbly Dyna

Didn't realize you were in Jolly ole'. Welcome here, we are multi national as u c. I will email you pics of the door checks that are correct, if you PM me your email address.

The arms that hold the upper clam shell in the up position were called "Stop Hinges" and I belive are still available from Union City Body. They build the "Step Van" model Bread Truck you see all over.

Bartamos - PM sent re a guy in the Uk who has aset of barn doors.

Thanks for the tip. I did a search for it but I come up empty handed. Do you have some link?

Burbly Dyna

I used to have access to a catalog that showed lots of door hardware, that catalog was back in a post i held in the USAF another life time ago. there are simular gagets used in carpenty and cabinetry, keep looking! I kept mine for a LONG time; don't remember trashing them, I may have given them to the guy that bought my truck, way off in Alaska.

I have two trucks and only need one set. Also the drawings.