Door hinges - hold open feature

[First Buick]

I thought my door check rods would normally hold the doors open on my coupe but that mine were just not working.  Not so.  According to the 1941 Repair Manual, the hold open feature is clips mounted on the upper and lower hinges.  My hinges do not have clips.  The manual says all models have them.  Are these something that get lost/broken over time?  I learned the hard way that I have to prop my door open.  When I didn't, it slammed shut on my drop cord and cut it like a cleaver!  I haven't lived in our home for two years yet so I am not familiar with some of it's idiocyncrasies such as the fact that the GFCI protecting that outlet in the garage was upstairs in the master bath!  Talk about frustration!  Anyhow, that doesn't really have anything to do with my question re the door hold open feature on hinges.

[pont35cpe]

The "hold open" hinge spring is broken off, pretty sure buick/chev/pontiac use the same spring. Here is a set on ebay 302582073227

[pont35cpe]

You`ll need both upper and lower detent springs for each upper hinge.    https://www.chevsofthe40s.com/shop/search.lasso?vehtype=Car&year=1941&Catalog=All&search=door+hinge+detent+spring&SeachBtn=Search&dept=&cat=&new=&sale=&showcase=&searchtype=FT&method=KeywordSearch

[Roadmaster71]

Thanks First Buick for bringing this up and pont35cpe for the great answer!

I never knew my car (‘41 sedan) had this feature. I put a bumper on my tool cart for when my driver door opens too wide and frequently have to feed the drop light through a window (when I remember to). 

[First Buick]

Looking at the photo of these on the ebay offering, they appear to be rivited on.  I don't see any place on my door hinges where they might have been.  Does anyone have photos of these detent springs on their door hinges?  I can not find anything about these on Google.  Thanks.

[pont35cpe]

First.. I could be wrong, thinking the Buick hinge is similar to chev/pont. Attached picture is from my `41 Pontiac cpe door hinge, detent springs are not installed, but can see the rivet holes. All the detent springs(8) on my `41 Pontiac were broken, 2 for the top hinge hold the door wide open, and the 2 for the bottom hinge hold the door at half way open. I didn`t know about these springs until i remove the hinge and saw the remainder of the broken spring still attached. Have you had your hinge off, or just doing a visual? You should be able to see the rivets(looking in the hole with door open). The remainder of the broken spring i mentioned can only be seen once hinge is removed.

Edited April 30, 2021 by pont35cpe (see edit history)

[First Buick]

Thanks a lot.  Your pictures give me a much better understanding of these springs.  If I am correct, your top photo shows part of the spring attached and the bottom one is after it has been removed.  I have not had my hinges off.  I am just doing a visual.  I did look at mine after seeing these photos and I do see what's left of the rivets in the holes.  The bottom hinge still had a piece of the spring and it was wedged under the hinge.  I could move it around and got a hold on it with a forcep but could not get it out.  I tried to move it again with my fingers (small space) and in doing so, I dislodged it and it fell into the body cavity!  I tied to get it out with a long magnet but couldn't.  This was on the drivers side.  The car is in the garage and I didn't feel like moving it to look at the other side.  Anyhow, this seems like a lot of work just to have something hold the door open.  I will just use a piece of 2 x 4 as I have in the past.

[pont35cpe]

Yes, it can be quite a task, that`s why a lot of people just live with it and the 2x4. It`s not so bad when the door panels are off.