Door hinges, Original door hinges… Painted? Options

[wonkipop]

@wonkipop Impressive research (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

So most years there was a break in production in July and startup of next year's production around mid August it seems. Sounds like there were some anomalies, especially in the 70–71 transition.

I think that makes some sense as things were a lot less standardized in many ways at that point. And why there may be some anomalies in door hinge paint during that time as well.

Thinking about door pins, it seems to me (my best analysis of the process) that doors would have been fit to the car before paint and adjusted for position. Then they were taken off at the pin for paint (door and car)— to better access the jambs (and possibly to install some of the internals like the stay mechanism at this point?). They would then be put back on with the pin. It really does seem the most logical explanation for why most pins are not painted and also seems like just a good way to have done it.

exactly.

its the like rear trunk lid. that was on before painting as bolts tell the story there.
but the front trunk lid was off and painted separately, bolts tell the story there.
not sure, but think engine lid also looks to have been off during painting.

the front trunk lid being off is self explanatory. fuel tank install etc.

they might have left the doors off to ease interior installation.
dashboard etc.
i've never seen photos of 914 body shell at stage of raw delivery to the assembly hall so its hard to know.
as you say had to be test fitted on and then taken off again and reinstalled later.
no other way to do it and leave those painted hinge plates alone.