Patent ID: 7156441

Claim:
A hinge assembly for removably mounting a closure member between spaced apart body side panels of a vehicle body for movement about a pivotal axis between open, closed and removal positions comprising: a pair of bushings secured at opposite ends of the closure member, said pair of bushings having an axis that is coincident with the pivotal axis; a vehicle body hinge pin for mounting on each of the spaced apart body side panels and configured to rotatably support each of said pair of bushings thereon; at least one of said pair of bushings including a slot that permits the one of said pair of bushings to engage at least a portion of said vehicle body hinge pin when the closure member is in the removal position; a linear torque rod having a first end that is rotationally fixed relative to the spaced apart body side panels and a second end that is rotationally fixed relative to one of said pair of bushings, and said linear torque rod being twisted when the closure member is pivoted away from the removal position to produce a bias toward the removal position; and a securing member that secures said linear torque rod to the closure member to rotationally fix said second end of said linear torque rod relative to said one of said pair of bushings.