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I have been doing repairs, off and on, to the side brackets, both front and back (both doors), for a long time. Every couple of winters they seem to need attention after the driving season. As you can see they're starting to get to a point where my fixes are not holding up. I've tried glue, silicone, and metal brackets over the years. I'm looking to see if anyone has a better mouse trap for this fix short of buying new panels. They're expensive!!
Any better ideas??
"U" shaped bracket I made up. It seems to work if there is meat to screw into.
I would try peeling back the upholstery and laying in some fiberglass mat and resin, maybe sandwich some sheet metal in there to screw to, and glue the upholstery back in place. Saturating the substrate with resin and hardener might also help.
Good luck
Wow! Lots of looks but no replies. Guess I'm the only one who has this particular problem. ��
Thanks for looking anyway.
You get few answers cuz few have found answers. Many looks cuz we all NEED answers. Since new panels are as you say expensive, and don't fit well and color-match worse. So keep at it and find us answers!
Last edited by derekderek; Jan 26, 2019 at 10:08 AM.
I would try peeling back the upholstery and laying in some fiberglass mat and resin, maybe sandwich some sheet metal in there to screw to, and glue the upholstery back in place. Saturating the substrate with resin and hardener might also help.
Good luck
I'm recovering my door panels- the aftermarket ones suck and are expensive. I mixed up some resin and brushed it on. After a couple coats- then added fiberglass mat to areas in need of repair. Panel is so much stronger and waterproof!!!
Here's another idea that will work-
A company called Magdaddy- I've used several of their fasteners- super strong- here's the link- lots of ways to do it if you don't want to mess with fiberglass.
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
All of the above are good suggestions but in my case, the panels had warped so much at the top rear that I purchased new ones.
The new panels have a lip that slips over the top of the door frame so you don't need the top front and top rear screws.
I thought I took pictures of my corrections....
I pulled the staples out for about 6" either side of the area, pulled the vinyl back used a razor to separate the board from the foam 2" either side of the clip and inserted a 1/8" thick plastic strip...NEXT I used a heat gun a slowly heated the vinyl and stretched it back over the area and stapled it down using 1/2" long staples, this secured the vinyl to the fiber to the plastic in a sandwhich... then after splaying the clip a little to fit the increased thickness reinstalling was a breeze and they no longer move around,,, until seeing this thread I had totally forgotten I had even done it the repair works so well.
Interior Door Panel Repairs
