I remained silent on posting results until after week of having this "fix" in place. It worked well on mine. I dropped $1.70 at the local Ace Hardware to get the spring washers. However, mine did NOT have plain old spring washers, but locking conical washers. Same diff, really, but they have a "star washer" pattern cut on the ouside edge. I would have cost half as much, but I bought 4 washers so I could have replacements on hand, or hand them off to the invariable friend that will have the same problem.
"Check yer hinge bolts dude - and put these in..."
The small end of the "cone" should face the hinge, the star shaped/broader cone side should cup around the head of the bolt itself. This will take the clearance right out and give you a solid, silent ride. Mine sounded like a bad shock or worn front end parts with a rattle coming from the driver's side dash, and a pronounced and very loud "clunk" on the passenger side that you could feel from your feet when they were flat on the floorboards.
It would seem that no amount of tightening would help this, but those bastardized locking cone washers did the trick for me. Again, mucho thank-you's on a sleuthing job well-done!