Has any tried fitting a replacement interior door trim skin, instead of buying the whole panel? I can get them from Willcox for $75 each instead of $250 for the panel and it would be a lot easier to ship abroad, but how successful are they, and how easy to fit? It's a '69 manual 350 with manual windows.Thanks.

 

Hi,
From the reports I've seen the results aren't worth the money saved. Thy can be very difficult to install well. The real problem is that the reproduction door panels don't always fit well either.
Perhaps some others will pipe up.
Regards,
Alan

 

I have only seen a few doors done with these, listen to Alan and save for the real thing or those $500 door panels will likely end up costing $650 plus shipping, taxes and hours of frustration. I have read on here that a few have had decent results but the time and frustration just didn't seem worth the potential savings.
Who makes the door panels for Wilcox - are they any better/worse than those from Al Knoch or Corvette America??

 

I agree with Alan and GDH; consider passing on the skins. Eckler's discontinued them way, way back following customer complaints of difficulty of installation and poor results.

 

Ok.. Chevy.. I may make this even easier for you to decide! We are working on the site diligently right now! Updates are being loaded on the twin side, pictures, part number changes and so on.. but one thing that I'm highly considering pulling the skins from the site for good!

Take it from someone that has been there and done that! Installation of door panel skins are not an easy job! In fact I would have to say that unless you've done this a few times you will really struggle with it!

All cracks and missing foam must be replaced, all defects must be repaired before you do the installation. You must get the vinyl for the armrest molding in the perfect place and then make sure you get the edges in the perfect place.. It sounds easy and it is not!

For years and before door panels were an option all we could do was re-skin the old panels... and this was not something we relished! To be honest it was something that was next to impossible to get perfect, regardless of how many times I did them.

Save your money and then just bet the bare panels. They will save you money and headache over the long run.

Willcox

 

Thanks to Alan, GDH, Easy Mike and Willcox - you have all emphatically convinced me not to bother with the door skins! I'll go for two new panels.

 

I got my reproduction panels from willcox (Corvette America piece if memory serves me right) and they fit pretty darn good.

 

Good advice.

 

Hey Chevy... I didn't know until Yesterday that you can take off all the old HW from your panels you have now and install it on the basic new panel, Thanks to Wilcox i now know how much money i can save... While i was ordering my carpet from them yesterday the guy took his time to give me lots of details on how to remove the HW from my deluxe panels and gave me some great tips on how to install them on the new basic panels i have.. Thanks again Wilcox

 

No problem Mark!