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Is there any reason I would not be able to use the door panel clips used on the pre-1978 C3s to keep my 1980 door panels flush at the edges? Mine are the reproductions from the 1990s (I believe) which have large gaps between the panel and the actual door.
Is there any reason I would not be able to use the door panel clips used on the pre-1978 C3s to keep my 1980 door panels flush at the edges? Mine are the reproductions from the 1990s (I believe) which have large gaps between the panel and the actual door.
There isn't a provision on the 1978-1982 panels that would allow you to use the clips. I suppose you could fabricate something but the original screws should pull the panel in snug as the reproductions. The rear screw, 9 in the picture below should be enough to pull the panel into place........ unless the hole is stripped... We never have any issues with the reproduction panels on the 78-82 cars... So I wonder if you might be missing some of the screws that pull it inward..... IMHO... Willcox.
Make sure you have all the screws in place and you shouldn't have any issue.
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; 03-20-2019 at 06:53 PM.
This is what I'm dealing with. All screws are in, fitment is horrible, I may need a new panel but am trying to salvage this one first. Someone had used a white putty to get it to stick to the frame previously.
White putty was factory applied to seal up the clear plastic water shields. You need water shields to protect the door interior door panels from water damage. LOTS of them get tossed in the trash during service by owners that have no clue. You can make your own.
Thanks for the info. I may make my own with some clear Polly. I assume that those gaps are not supposed to be that large, even with what ever barrier should be there.
This is what I'm dealing with. All screws are in, fitment is horrible, I may need a new panel but am trying to salvage this one first. Someone had used a white putty to get it to stick to the frame previously.
The panels were made in the 90's... a ton has changed in door panel quality since the 90's. I don't know who made the panels, but there used to be a company in Michigan that made interior items... and they flat out sucked!!!
I wonder if that's where these came from? But the panels could have come from either of the other two manufacturers and still had problems in the 90's... Like I said, a ton has changed quality wise in the last 20 years.
You could probably sneak a screw in the carpet at the back of the panel and try to pull it inward would be my only suggestion.
As mentioned above he white stuff was a sealant used to hold the inside plastic liner in place.
Willcox
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; 03-21-2019 at 05:24 PM.
The panels were made in the 90's... a ton has changed in door panel quality since the 90's. I don't know who made the panels, but there used to be a company in Michigan that made interior items... and they flat out sucked!!!
I wonder if that's where these came from? But the panels could have come from either of the other two manufacturers and still had problems in the 90's... Like I said, a ton has changed quality wise in the last 20 years.
You could probably sneak a screw in the carpet at the back of the panel and try to pull it inward would be my only suggestion.
As mentioned above he white stuff was a sealant used to hold the inside plastic liner in place.
Willcox
thanks Willcox. I’ll probably just get a new set in the near future.
03-20-2019, 05:41 PM
'80 door panel fitment
