rayluka

Has anyone had a good experience installing aftermarket door panels. I had a heck of a time and its still not nice. Grippers are new and dont hold, panel is not formed well. I wont name the vendor until I allow them to address this.

danh77

I replaced mine on my 77, purchased from corvette America. Not sure your situation but I bought the base panel and transferred my trim. Only issue I experienced was that the u shape trim was a small bit to long and I had to trim the ends down. As far as fit it is flush to the door. Not sure if it made any difference but I let the panel get good and warm before I attatched everything. In my head atleast it seemed a lot more plyable than when it was stone cold fresh out of the box

SB64

Correct, the suggestion is to take the ABS door panel backing and make it more pliable. Sun works, hair dryer the best is a heat gun on low and paying attention so you don't heat too much.
Good Luck!
RVZIO

croaker

Doing mine right now. Have same problem danh77 had. The aftermarket parts suck. The vinyl covering seems really thin to. You would think for what they cost the quailty would be better.Compartment door pulls I bought looked like they were sewed by a blind man one pulled apart about the 3rd pull.

rayluka

It was 90 degrees today. Panel sat for 30 minutes in hot sun. as I also had to trim the detail parts to fit.Nothing lines up. To install pulls I had to search with a drill bit and then fish. Had to pull teeth. Its terrible. I wonder if Al Knoch is better. I spent a ton of bucks and did the trim crap...etc etc...Its not the money. I want my stuff looking good...At this point I need some 4 inch self tapping screws with interior button heads to lock it down.

rayluka

This weekend is gonna be hot. When the doors are closed it forces all the gaps out. (traps and squeezes in place where it belongs. Since its gonna be a hot one...... 100 plus. I will let it sit outside this weekend. Will also monitor inside temps with IR just because I am able to. Will contact vendor and report back.

SB64

Your situation reminds me of when I first started my 69 restore. I thought WOW you can get all the parts you need new and they will fit like a glove. Wrong almost anything you purchase has the possibility of not fitting. Yea some things fit great others not so much. Get used to it or stop while your ahead. Complaining to the vendors doesn't work for the most part. Oh yes they ought to charge for the way things fit. Instead they want top dollar. I feel your pain!
Just saying!
RVZIO

rayluka

Well I don't believe there's anything I can do. Vendor wanted to check stock but it sounds my case is no different

ddawson

Per Richards suggestion I bought these to replace the Velcro.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/tnl-97602-4

Waiting from them to arrive.

Richard454

I got my other ones today- as they were BO

Um- your not the only one- and this guy "Denpo" -I would just have to guess- a pretty patient guy as he's done some incredible work.

Read this post if you want to feel any better...as he broke his!!!

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1592323703

rayluka

Lemme know how that goes. Otherwise I'm gonna be searching the earth for long azz button head screws. If I could get 3 more for each panel that are 4 inches long, I could anchor everything and be happy. Just want it to look normal. Try and find a 4 inch button head
Ps the vendor is popular and I don't believe its a vendor specific problem so I wont name them.. Just no one can make a really good NOS part. I have talked to people who have bought Al Knoch parts which are supposed to be top notch and they have the same issues. Just hard to replicate the original product I guess. Thanks guys for your comments..and if anyone knows where to get interior screws 4 inches long...give me a holler....

croaker

I was just cussin mine yesterday. I thought it was just the car fighting me. I looked all over my side of the world for those screws no luck. Also the holes in the panel for the upper front screw not even close to where my old one was. My first Vette a 74 didn't have that screw and it was the factory panel.Maybe those were a GM fix.

Rotonda

Lemme know how that goes. Otherwise I'm gonna be searching the earth for long azz button head screws. If I could get 3 more for each panel that are 4 inches long, I could anchor everything and be happy. Just want it to look normal. Try and find a 4 inch button head



Google ALBANY COUNTY FASTENERS. They have #10 stainless sheet metal screws (SMS) in panhead, 4 inch. They polish up nicely. May also have other sizes/styles. GOOD LUCK!!!