RESTORATION
DOOR AND HATCH RATTLE REPAIR
Turns out the solutions to the hard-to-close hatch and aggravating
vibration are two of our favorite things: cheap and easy story and photography by Jason Smith
A
t some point, just about every Fox Mustang has had doors and/or
a hatchback that were difficult to fully close and rattled like crazy.
Usually we learned to live with it and carry on. With my ’82 GT
having optional rear louvers, I just attributed it to the extra weight. Then
I got an ’83 GT, and its rattling hatch became really annoying. It was
nearly impossible to close compared to the one on my ’82, and the doors
were pretty stubborn, too. The search for a fix was on, and with the help
of a fellow Fox Saleen owner, the solution was obvious, and the fix was
quite simple.
Many people will start by making adjustments to the latch or striker
bolt, or even lubricating or replacing the latches. But the majority of the
time, the problem lies in the disappearance of the hard plastic bushing
from the bolt. These bushings make a world of difference in how your
doors and hatch close, and are also the difference in your Fox sounding
new and solid or like a 100,000-mile rattle trap. Take a look at the striker
bolts on your car now and compare them to the pictures shown.
As you’ll see, the fix is quite simple and can be achieved with new
strikers (bushings included) or by replacing the bushings on your existing
striker bolts. Complete, new reproduction strikers are available from all
of the usual online sites and your local parts store for about $12 apiece,
and pairs of bushings can be purchased for around $7.
A quick word about the striker bolts. Retailers say that there are two types
— one for the ’79-’82 strikers, and one for the ’83-’93. But I have found no
evidence that these can’t be interchanged. From 1979 to 1986 they used a
simple bolt striker. In 1987 they added a hook/guard running behind the
bolt toward the cabin. I’ve heard theories as to why, but so far, no evidence
about why the “guard” was added. If you’re into concours correctness, you
may want to purchase the bolt-only style for your four-eyed Mustang.
If you’re buying the bushings only, be aware that in most cases the thick
washer that is mated to the striker bolt will not come off. Therefore you’ll
have to cut the bushing to slip it on. I made a simple side cut, followed by
a bead of Super Glue to the seam to bond it to the striker. I’ve also read
that a spiral cut is good practice for getting the bushing on the strikers
with captive washers. Some may question the longevity of the bushing
with this method, but so far mine have held nicely. Plus, with this method
(in addition to the cost savings), you don’t have to remove the striker bolt,
meaning no alignment adjustments are necessary.
Once the strikers and/or bushings are replaced, you will immediately
notice how quietly and effortlessly the doors and hatch will close. Now
take your car out for a cruise on the bumpiest of roads and enjoy the
rattle-free ride. Suddenly the loose change and other junk in your console
seem so loud.
Mustang owners rejoice — there’s a simple fix
for those rattle-ridden, hard-to-close doors and
hatchbacks. Who would have thought the simple fix
could be found with just a piece of plastic?
68 FOXMustangMagazine.com