Bandit54

I'm trying confirm the production date of the doors that came on my 68. The car was in the process of being set up as a race car the doors were changed to later doors because of the bracing used in later production. Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks

69Vett

after 69 they added the bracing inside the doors.

Alan 71

Hi B,
There were no door reinforcement beams in the doors through the 71 model year production.
It's easy to determine if a door has the beam. You can see just the very end of it in the rear end of the door frame.
Regards,
Alan.

The door weatherstrip, depending on how it's installed may hide it to some degree.

Bandit54

The doors have the reinforcement beams it is visible from the top side of glass opening. The previous owner said the doors were changed for safety reasons I was trying to find out what year in case of part replacement in the future. My intention is to continue in the direction started the car has L88 flairs, front spoiler. Origional a big block 4 speed so it will be fun I'm going for a motion look like, completely different to my other '68.

Alan 71

Hi B,
Here's a door bj opened up.
You can see the location of the beam, snug against the fiberglass door skin.
I just read that perhaps the beam began with 73 production?
Regards,
Alan

Dino_'72

Probably almost impossible to retrofit a beam without re painting or other major door work, but if some kit was offered I sure would buy it. I've seen the inside of the my doors on my '72 with the panels off, pretty noticeable that there is no safety protection at all. Yikes.

Bandit54

Thanks, Alan
That's the beams that are in both of my doors, they were changed by a previous owner for safety reasons. He planed on racing the car so he was going all out for safety he had not got around to the roll bar yet which is good I very likely will not go that direction.

MelWff

I believe the Feds started it with the 1971 production year

https://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/co...h-Timeline.pdf

Bandit54

Final ruling was October 30, 1970 on the side-impact protection. The question is how long did they give the manufactures to implement the requirement. My doors would have to be '71 or later
Thanks
There is a sticker on the drivers door with a BG and a number 334428 maybe someone can cross that with a sticker on there door.

Tooch1

The extra protection side beam started with the '73 corvette. It was another one of the many
firsts for 73. Here is a couple photos from my friend's '73 disassembled door. He took them apart for a total restoration. Looks exactly like the one the OP posted.
Hope this helps,
Tooch

Alan 71

Hi Tooch,
NICE!
Good information AND good photo!!!
Regards,
Alan

I was unsure if the beam made it's appearance in 72 or 73 cars.

Tooch1

Thanks Alan,
Just added another picture. He's a fellow NCRS member doing a total body off resto on a '73 BB Convertible. He actually removed the skins on both doors to make them perfect. I can't take the credit for the photos. He took them and sent them to me because he knows I like this stuff for documentation. They also added extra sound deadening in the doors and in other areas of the '73 to improve driver comfort, by helping to reduce cabin noise.

Tooch

Alan 71

Hi Tooch,
Well….. if he's going that FAR that's going to be a pretty NICE car!!!!
I hope to see it some day.
The beam question doesn't seem to come up often but those are good photos to have of a part that's rarely exposed
Regards,
Alan

redvetracr

no one would want doors with side beam protection for a race car...too heavy