Door panel differences
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
From: Williston Florida
Door panel differences
Specifically, what will interchange among 68-77 door panels? Some vendors, (Ecklers) show panels for 70-75. Others seem to have the same panel for 70-76 (Paragon) while others show 70-77. Will the '68 panel fit on a '73? Thanks in advance.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,642
Likes: 3,103
From: Shamong, NJ
The basic shape of all 68-77 panels is the same. As such, a 68 panel should mount on a 73 door, but the 68 panel won't have provision for the 73 door pulls, as 68 didn't use them.
68 panels have a cup "hidden" near the top of the panel that you put your fingers up inside to pull the door closed. It didn't work all that well, so later in the year, GM added a long, horizontal pull from a Camaro door, to the 68 Corvette door panel.
69 panels are the first to use the angled pulls on the panel, that continued to be used through 77. The 69 had a padded "Comfort Weave" trim panel installed on the door panel.
70-76 panels are virtually identical, except for the colors.
77 panels are identical in every way to 70-76 panels, except that the "French Seam" molded into the top of the panels was eliminated from the 77 panels.
You can use the 68 panels on the 73, but I think a 69-77 panel would be a better choice because of the door pulls.
68 panels have a cup "hidden" near the top of the panel that you put your fingers up inside to pull the door closed. It didn't work all that well, so later in the year, GM added a long, horizontal pull from a Camaro door, to the 68 Corvette door panel.
69 panels are the first to use the angled pulls on the panel, that continued to be used through 77. The 69 had a padded "Comfort Weave" trim panel installed on the door panel.
70-76 panels are virtually identical, except for the colors.
77 panels are identical in every way to 70-76 panels, except that the "French Seam" molded into the top of the panels was eliminated from the 77 panels.
You can use the 68 panels on the 73, but I think a 69-77 panel would be a better choice because of the door pulls.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
I agree with gbvette62; all 68-77 panels will swap. 68 panels and panel trim are one year only and could be more expensive than 69-77 panels. Unless you run across a super deal on a pair of 68 panels, go with 69 up for your car.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
From: Williston Florida
partial solution
Thanks again for your help. So, here are the in-progress results. I started with this:
I could have recovered but check out the back side:
After your input, I snagged a pair of '69 panels off ebay:
They needed some tweaking:
And then some masking:
So that the back could be protected from further damage. Yes, that's glass (1 oz), partially sanded.
Sprayed with one coat of paint:
A few hours of work, but MUCH improved over what I had! More to come.
I could have recovered but check out the back side:
After your input, I snagged a pair of '69 panels off ebay:
They needed some tweaking:
And then some masking:
So that the back could be protected from further damage. Yes, that's glass (1 oz), partially sanded.
Sprayed with one coat of paint:
A few hours of work, but MUCH improved over what I had! More to come.
