Door Panel Repair
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 41
Likes: 2
Door Panel Repair
The upper right screw on my door panel has pulled through. The Deluxe panel is otherwise in very good shape. I imagine it is fairly common. Do you guys have a trick that will prevent me from having to spend $400 on a new panel? Probably 2 to match.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,850
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
The other issue when you use this is that when vinyl splits, it tends to curve upward... So there are other tricks you need to use to do this repair. Number 1 is to cut any upward vinyl away, number 2 is that if there is missing foam under the vinyl you want to fill it with silicone... the next trick is to spread the silicone you want to use an ice cube...... An ice cube will spread the silicone smoothly and not stick to the cube. Once you have the voided area filled with silicone, then apply the Permatex repair compound.. If you use the ice cube trick you'll be surprised at how smooth the patch will turn out.
IMHO,
Willcox
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,114
From: Crossville TN
There are several options:
1. Install a larger washer under the screw;
2. Patch the damaged vinyl (keep in mind that the screw pulled thru the vinyl already...so it will do so, again....eventually);
3. Fill the empty area behind the surface vinyl with JB Weld epoxy (stick type that sets quickly), then drill a new hole for the screw);
4. Buy a new door panel (
).
With any of these options, you should NOT tighten that screw as much in the future.
P.S. When the C3's were first produced, that screw did not have a fitted washer under it. It was added later, just because of the problem you are experiencing. Even if your car should not have one (as it was initially made), you should add a fitted washer to prevent it from happening in the future.
1. Install a larger washer under the screw;
2. Patch the damaged vinyl (keep in mind that the screw pulled thru the vinyl already...so it will do so, again....eventually);
3. Fill the empty area behind the surface vinyl with JB Weld epoxy (stick type that sets quickly), then drill a new hole for the screw);
4. Buy a new door panel (
).With any of these options, you should NOT tighten that screw as much in the future.
P.S. When the C3's were first produced, that screw did not have a fitted washer under it. It was added later, just because of the problem you are experiencing. Even if your car should not have one (as it was initially made), you should add a fitted washer to prevent it from happening in the future.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,747
Likes: 713
From: Lafayette Louisiana
All good suggestions above, thanks. Also you might try one more too, I have repaired these pull throughs by taking a length of small hose with the hose ID the size of the screw OD. Then cut the hose length the thickness of the door panel and insert and glue with GOOP. The screw head with a cupped washer underneath that 7T1 describes, will mostly cover the hose or if not, you could use the Wilcox vinyl repair on the exposed surface.
Hope this might help.
Hope this might help.
Last edited by 20mercury; Jul 23, 2018 at 11:59 AM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,850
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
lol...
Yes that's a very old time tested trick. In the old days when all you could do was re-skin your panels we'd use this over and over again.... You just cut out the old bad raised area's, remove any defunct foam, put silicone in there, smooth it out and then re-skin.... When using skins... (and I highly advise against it these days they are just to labor intense)... if you don't repair the damaged areas below the skin eventually they will show. The old ice trick has worked wonders over the years.
:
Ernie
Yes that's a very old time tested trick. In the old days when all you could do was re-skin your panels we'd use this over and over again.... You just cut out the old bad raised area's, remove any defunct foam, put silicone in there, smooth it out and then re-skin.... When using skins... (and I highly advise against it these days they are just to labor intense)... if you don't repair the damaged areas below the skin eventually they will show. The old ice trick has worked wonders over the years.
: Ernie
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Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 41
Likes: 2
lol...
Yes that's a very old time tested trick. In the old days when all you could do was re-skin your panels we'd use this over and over again.... You just cut out the old bad raised area's, remove any defunct foam, put silicone in there, smooth it out and then re-skin.... When using skins... (and I highly advise against it these days they are just to labor intense)... if you don't repair the damaged areas below the skin eventually they will show. The old ice trick has worked wonders over the years.
:
Ernie
Yes that's a very old time tested trick. In the old days when all you could do was re-skin your panels we'd use this over and over again.... You just cut out the old bad raised area's, remove any defunct foam, put silicone in there, smooth it out and then re-skin.... When using skins... (and I highly advise against it these days they are just to labor intense)... if you don't repair the damaged areas below the skin eventually they will show. The old ice trick has worked wonders over the years.
:Ernie
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,114
From: Crossville TN
The core of an original door is basically cardboard. Not much strength there to support much. I've messed with original door panels a lot (yeah, I'm one of those guys that actually re-skinned my door panels ....never again). Several repair methods have been suggested and all are reasonable; but the epoxy-filled hole and re-drill is more permanent, IMO.
Good luck with whatever route you take. I'm sure that you can reach a solution that looks good and saves your panel.
....never again). Several repair methods have been suggested and all are reasonable; but the epoxy-filled hole and re-drill is more permanent, IMO.Good luck with whatever route you take. I'm sure that you can reach a solution that looks good and saves your panel.