If you own an early Model Corvair, you know have likely experienced the glovebox blues. The interior is perfect… except for that bow at the bottom of the glovebox door. Find a NOS or nearly perfect replacement? Best of luck. Repop? Unfortunately, no.
Today, we wanted to share with you this tech tip by Fran Schmit of Corvair Minnesota originally posted in the March 2026 issue of their newsletter, “The Leaky Seel”. Enjoy!
The Early Glove box door developed a couple problems as the years went by.
One of those problems was: it was easy enough to close the door but almost impossible to open it, as the pressure from your finger (to release the latch) was more than sufficient to hold the door in the closed position. It took more pressure to push the release button than it did to close the door…so, as soon as you released the latch (and tried to let the door open) the latch would function and the door would still be closed!….and there was no way to grab hold of the door to pull it open.
Another related problem was the bend in the chrome trim that went around the door. It was not obvious that the two problems were related.
I have sketched a breakdown of the Glove box Door assembly so we can talk about these problems.
At the bottom of the door there is a spring. The spring opens the door by pushing down on a tab that is cast into the chrome-plated trim of the door. With age and experience that tab is bent away from its original position. The rivets that secure the trim piece to the steel back of the door – break off — allowing the trim piece to bend even more. The result of the bent trim is that it relaxes the pressure from the spring – that is supposed to open the door. So, if your latch works but the door won’t follow your finger back – look at the trim straight below the latch – if it has an unsightly swoop to it you know how to fix the problem, as soon as you follow this suggestion.
First remove the door from the vehicle. The hardest part is pulling out the hinge pin – it is simply a foot long wire shoved in from the end – some resist mightily when you try to pull them out, others seem to fall out. You have to get it out so you can modify the way the spring pushes on the door, so keep at it till you have your first success.
Here’s a photo (above) of the disassembled door spring mechanism. See how the long hinge pin also secures the spring to push on the cast-in bump. Here’s an additional view (below) of that same area showing the factory cut-out where the spring passes by the steel door so it can access the cast-in bump. This is the area that needs to be fixed.
Secure a two inch long piece of wire, similar to the hinge-pin or a piece of a clothes hanger.
Place the new 2”er across the factory cut-out and secure it in place with some glue or epoxy – use something that you can finesse at a later date to smooth over (hide) your modification and even paint, for pretty. Once the new short guy is installed, slide the old hinge pin half way across the hinge and position the spring so it will push down on both the new pin on the door and the stationary part of the hinge….finish sliding in the hinge-pin for a final success. See final photo.
The broken rivets can be replaced by carefully drilling /screwing with very small screws (#s 2 and 4 come to mind) or using discreet dabs of epoxy. The function of the rivets is now only to hold the shiny trim on to the door as the spring’s function has been eliminated.
After re-installing the glove box door you will find a satisfactory increase in the spring force pushing the door open….against your latch-releasing finger.
And your trim will look good, too!
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