Door Panels
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 793
Likes: 10
From: Grafton MA
Door Panels
I'm going to get a new set of door panels (mine are cracked) and have a question about transferring hardware from old to new. The price difference between buying bare door panels and ones with the hardware installed is pretty significant. The hardware on my old ones are fine, so I'm inclined to buy the bare door panels. Question -- before i go taking the doors apart -- what is involved in moving over the hardware? (ie. chrome armrest trim etc). Interested in hearing from someone who has done it.
Thanks,
Paul
Thanks,
Paul
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,189
Likes: 111
From: Tolland CT
If your old panels are originals you may have trouble getting the trim around the arm rest off. I think they're staked much like rivets. I've seen some reproductions which use screws instead.
It may be possible to remove them, drill and tap a hole to accept a screw to reattach? I don't know if there's enough material there.
Did you check with Willcox? I heard something about some documentation being posted on this topic. Think it may have been Willcox but I'm not certain.
It may be possible to remove them, drill and tap a hole to accept a screw to reattach? I don't know if there's enough material there.
Did you check with Willcox? I heard something about some documentation being posted on this topic. Think it may have been Willcox but I'm not certain.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,114
From: Crossville TN
OK. You are making a wise choice, if your existing hardware is in good condition. You will also need to buy two of the plastic washers that fit under the "lock" ****, as these are usually "toast" when you remove them.
The lock plates are 'swedged' onto the door panel when assembled. You can just use a Dremel to grind off the (4) swedged heads to remove that plate. Then, to reassemble it, you can drill a small hole into each of those (4) posts and tap for small screws or use some JB Weld (knead-type) stick putty epoxy to form new heads to retain the plate, making sure you force some of the epoxy down into those drilled holes so it gets a good 'bite' on the posts.
To position other items...like the thin molding pieces, you need to carefully un-bend the 'spikes' on the backside so that they are straight and vertical before removing them. Then, when you remove them, you will not alter the position or size of the hole the 'spike' went through. Now, you can use a fine-tipped marker to place a mark in exactly the same spots in the mounting groove on the new panel so that the molding will fit in exactly the same way on the new panel. Sounds like excess work, but it is worth it for proper look on the new panels.
Even the "basic" panels will have the upper seal trip installed, so you don't need to worry about that. {That IS a real difficult disassembly/reassembly if you ever have to do it.}
Make certain that the new panel is not mis-shapen or warped before you install it to the car. If it is, you need to warm it up (sun or some heat lamps over the backside of the panel...not too close) so that it will bend a little and bolt up properly. Be careful on this, as the plastic body of the new panels can be brittle and snap if you bend on it too much.
The lock plates are 'swedged' onto the door panel when assembled. You can just use a Dremel to grind off the (4) swedged heads to remove that plate. Then, to reassemble it, you can drill a small hole into each of those (4) posts and tap for small screws or use some JB Weld (knead-type) stick putty epoxy to form new heads to retain the plate, making sure you force some of the epoxy down into those drilled holes so it gets a good 'bite' on the posts.
To position other items...like the thin molding pieces, you need to carefully un-bend the 'spikes' on the backside so that they are straight and vertical before removing them. Then, when you remove them, you will not alter the position or size of the hole the 'spike' went through. Now, you can use a fine-tipped marker to place a mark in exactly the same spots in the mounting groove on the new panel so that the molding will fit in exactly the same way on the new panel. Sounds like excess work, but it is worth it for proper look on the new panels.
Even the "basic" panels will have the upper seal trip installed, so you don't need to worry about that. {That IS a real difficult disassembly/reassembly if you ever have to do it.}
Make certain that the new panel is not mis-shapen or warped before you install it to the car. If it is, you need to warm it up (sun or some heat lamps over the backside of the panel...not too close) so that it will bend a little and bolt up properly. Be careful on this, as the plastic body of the new panels can be brittle and snap if you bend on it too much.
Last edited by 7T1vette; Dec 14, 2010 at 11:41 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,977
Likes: 19
From: Canboro Ontario
OK. You are making a wise choice, if your existing hardware is in good condition. You will also need to buy two of the plastic washers that fit under the "lock" ****, as these are usually "toast" when you remove them.
The lock plates are 'swedged' onto the door panel when assembled. You can just use a Dremel to grind off the (4) swedged heads to remove that plate. Then, to reassemble it, you can drill a small hole into each of those (4) posts and tap for small screws or use some JB Weld (knead-type) stick putty epoxy to form new heads to retain the plate, making sure you force some of the epoxy down into those drilled holes so it gets a good 'bite' on the posts.
To position other items...like the thin molding pieces, you need to carefully un-bend the 'spikes' on the backside so that they are straight and vertical before removing them. Then, when you remove them, you will not alter the position or size of the hole the 'spike' went through. Now, you can use a fine-tipped marker to place a mark in exactly the same spots in the mounting groove on the new panel so that the molding will fit in exactly the same way on the new panel. Sounds like excess work, but it is worth it for proper look on the new panels.
Even the "basic" panels will have the upper seal trip installed, so you don't need to worry about that. {That IS a real difficult disassembly/reassembly if you ever have to do it.}
Make certain that the new panel is not mis-shapen or warped before you install it to the car. If it is, you need to warm it up (sun or some heat lamps over the backside of the panel...not too close) so that it will bend a little and bolt up properly. Be careful on this, as the plastic body of the new panels can be brittle and snap if you bend on it too much.
The lock plates are 'swedged' onto the door panel when assembled. You can just use a Dremel to grind off the (4) swedged heads to remove that plate. Then, to reassemble it, you can drill a small hole into each of those (4) posts and tap for small screws or use some JB Weld (knead-type) stick putty epoxy to form new heads to retain the plate, making sure you force some of the epoxy down into those drilled holes so it gets a good 'bite' on the posts.
To position other items...like the thin molding pieces, you need to carefully un-bend the 'spikes' on the backside so that they are straight and vertical before removing them. Then, when you remove them, you will not alter the position or size of the hole the 'spike' went through. Now, you can use a fine-tipped marker to place a mark in exactly the same spots in the mounting groove on the new panel so that the molding will fit in exactly the same way on the new panel. Sounds like excess work, but it is worth it for proper look on the new panels.
Even the "basic" panels will have the upper seal trip installed, so you don't need to worry about that. {That IS a real difficult disassembly/reassembly if you ever have to do it.}
Make certain that the new panel is not mis-shapen or warped before you install it to the car. If it is, you need to warm it up (sun or some heat lamps over the backside of the panel...not too close) so that it will bend a little and bolt up properly. Be careful on this, as the plastic body of the new panels can be brittle and snap if you bend on it too much.
Excellent advice, I could not have said it better, good job !!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,520
Likes: 11
From: Hinckley OH
I've never done it but if it were me, I would try to remove the trim before I ordered the panels. That way if you run into problems with the removal, you can just order panels with the trim already attached.
