Drivers side door needs fixing!!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 306
Likes: 0
From: New Hampshire
Drivers side door needs fixing!!
Last night while I was in a store, someone backed into my 1986 Corvette drivers side door. (Of course he left the scene without so much as leaving a note) The door has a dent and a horizontal tear about a foot long.
Would it be easier finding a complete door or replacing the outer skin? If the skin, how difficult is it to replace?
Would it be easier finding a complete door or replacing the outer skin? If the skin, how difficult is it to replace?
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,845
Likes: 30
Last night while I was in a store, someone backed into my 1986 Corvette drivers side door. (Of course he left the scene without so much as leaving a note) The door has a dent and a horizontal tear about a foot long.
Would it be easier finding a complete door or replacing the outer skin? If the skin, how difficult is it to replace?
Would it be easier finding a complete door or replacing the outer skin? If the skin, how difficult is it to replace?
..buy the entire door from a forum member or ebay and replace and repaint..save the parts from old door as spares...
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
That's what I was planning on doing. Unfortunately you lose your door vin tag though in the process. I don't think you want to mess with replacing the door skin. They cost more than a used door and may take just as much work if not more.
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Race Director
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Bergen County, NJ
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 794
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From: Allentown Pa.
Patch the door.
Geez fellas, as far as auto body repairs go that is not alot of work. In my humble opinion that can easily be repaired. Now I know other forum members will tell me I am nuts but I would figure a way to patch that up with fiberglass. O.K. not everyone would, but this is the way I say it is the least expensive and quickest method of repair. Allentown Ernie.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 306
Likes: 0
From: New Hampshire
Allentown Ernie, I agree it would be the cheapest way out, and I was thinking of doing that, except there is a dent above the gash, extending up to the mirror area, and while I have pulled out dents with hammer and dolly or dent puller in sheet metal, the glass looks like it would crack more trying to take the dent out. Anyone know of a way to remove dents from fiberglass with breaking it even more?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 306
Likes: 0
From: New Hampshire
Race Director
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 14,924
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From: Merritt Ils Fl
My first reaction was the same as Ernies but it looks like the door is not only gashed and dented but sprung out of alignment. If so I suspect you would spend more time screwing around with it than it is worth.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 306
Likes: 0
From: New Hampshire
it is sprung slightly. I will be getting another door but in meantime I will repair this one until I get a new (used) door and have it painted. Even though it happened a few days ago, I am still VERY PISSED!!!
I ground down the damaged area and will attempt the repair, as for the dent, still not sure how to take care of that.
I ground down the damaged area and will attempt the repair, as for the dent, still not sure how to take care of that.