srohde

Just don't know how it fits..Can some one send some pictures ,door panels are Al knock flex Chanel are Long Island corvette. Out side looks good can't figure how to install inside to look correct Thanks

Frankie the Fink

I don't know what you're talking about - what is a flex channel ??
Are you talking about the transition of the window channel/garnish at the lower rear to the door panel upper rear ?

If so, I have the exact same parts from the exact same vendors and the short answer is, "...unless Al Knoch has changed their 63 coupe door panels, you won't get that inside tube element of the garnish in the original position".

First, these pics are of a forum member and top restorer's personal split window, original coupe, as you can see - the inboard small "tube" goes inside the door panel; a smooth transition because the original panels are tight to the interior door face:



Here is the best I could do with the AK panels:


Even after bending the upper steel panel reinforcement a bit the tube would have to make two sharp right angle turns to go under the panel as original.....any more bending on the door panel on my part would have ruined it. The picture just above is my compromise...I bent the tube back out of the way to be less unsightly.

As I said, unless AK has modified their panels you're stuck - Corvette America panels may be better - I can't say...never used them.

If you have more courage than me you can try bending the upper rearward "ear" of the door panel inboard enough to make the garnish piece fit properly - if you blow it and kink the metal reinforcement at the top - you're all done...and the panel may not fit vertically down the rest of the door (might have a crease) and the bent ear will look odd IMO - not worth it.



This is how much you'd have to do a compound bend of the metal reinforcement to get the original transition without screwing up the panel...

Frankie the Fink

The fit at the front is nearly as bad on the AK panels...

The bottom line is that the bend along the horizontal length of the metal reinforcement is incorrect.

All of which is why folks with original panels will send AK the factory steel reinforcement support and have new panels built around them...