I cleaned up my external hinges and re-pinned/bushed. Firstly whoever left the tip about using a dyno bolt as a way of removing the bush is a legend - cheapest tool i've ever bought from bunnings at about 70c.

The bushes all pressed in with the vice, one was definitely tighter than the others but no issues. None of the bushes had worn through they were all intact and round. All new pins and bushes seemed ok. The hinges looked ok, no pitting on mating surface and not a great deal of movement without pins

My results are that both lower hinges are pretty tight but you can move them by hand. Both top hinges are much looser, to the point that if you hold it horizontal it will move under its own weight when you let one end go - is that too loose ? Should i be looking for replacement top hinges that are as tight as the lowers ?

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1966 Mini Deluxe - “Gabby” 34 years under restoration and counting...
1970 MGBGT
1959 MGA

The hinge moving under its own weight as you describe is not an issue so long as there's no movement in the other direction. The main reason for replacing pins is to stop the door sagging under its own weight, which is probably the reason you did it. If you hold the hinge in front of you with pin vertical and imagine the door is attached there should be no movement up and down. The top hinge takes most of the weight of the door so is usually the first one to show wear.

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

I vaguely remember squashing the prongs of the front half of hinges in the vice to make them tighter..

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Yes, I was lifting both doors to close them previously. But car is in for paint so I can’t test fit them yet and the hinges will be painted so want to make sure I have them right.

Thank you both. You’ve given me some confidence that they are ok. There isn’t vertical movement, the pin is snug just free moving. I did squish 2 of the front a little just to take up any slack before I fitted the pins, but not so they made contact.

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1966 Mini Deluxe - “Gabby” 34 years under restoration and counting...
1970 MGBGT
1959 MGA

Be careful squeezing Mini door hinges, they are cast iron and can crack and break rather than bend.

My son had a head-on in his Clubby years ago, both hinges snapped in half, and the door finished up lying on the road, the so-called burstproof door latch included...
Neither hinge had been 'squeezed'.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

If you needed a tighter fit all you do is centre punch around the pin before you fit them
Allen