This weekend I finished up my "2.5LT" dash conversion. I wanted to do the piece on the door, and couldn't find anyone to re-cover my current piece for a reasonable price. Since it's not available as a separate piece from GM, I ended up buying a whole 2016 door panel for only a little more than I was quoted for just the leather work on the standalone trim piece. Now I have the red piece I need, and a whole spare door panel with switches and other parts.

Anyway, one of the threads on the forum suggests you can remove that door "spear" without taking the trim panel off the door. That is not true. It's fortunate that I bought the entire door panel, because I discovered a nut on the back of the door spear.



When I disassembled the front side of my 2014 door, I found that the spear wouldn't let go. So I went through the very difficult process of removing the entire door panel and sure enough, there was a nut on my 2014 door too.

These door panels are held on with some very tenacious fasteners. I was sure I was going to break something. Fortunately I only damaged one clip, which I was able to replace from my spare door.

When I reassembled everything, I left the nut out just in case I ever decide to put it back to stock. I can swap the part without taking the door panel off again. The door spear is still firmly attached thanks to all the other fasteners and overlapping trim pieces. I think the only reason the nut is there to begin with is to allow for quick and accurate alignment at the assembly plant. The door spear is independently adjustable so it can be lined up with the dash hood. There's 4 bolts behind the aluminum trim piece that hold it in place.

The results were worth it, but just barely. While I was at it, I installed an OEM carbon dashboard.

Before:


After:


Something else to keep in mind if you're shopping for parts. Doesn't matter what color you're swapping to. 3LT/3LZ cars had the full leather wrapped upper dash. 2LT/2LZ cars, including the 2016 and up 2LTs with the colored dash, had a harder synthetic covering. Try to get your donor parts from one car, or find someone who can give you rock solid answers on part numbers. Otherwise you may end up with a material mismatch between your dash, passenger handle and door trim. Fortunately I was able to get all my parts from the same car (2016 2LZ Z06) so everything matched.

 

Yeah, converting the doors to the color of the other pieces takes a commitment to spen a lot more $. I'm still wrestling with that decision for my spice red conversion.

Gm parts would sell more .... Parts if they didn't make the door card 1 piece. But, that probably makes production part cost lower.

 

So are you thinking of doing the whole spice red, with the entire dash and the door panels with the large red portion? Or a version with spice red accents instead of adrenaline red? Spice red accents would look nice. It'd be unique since GM never offered that.

 

Looks good Jeff. You're much more adventurous than I. I had actually wondered if taking mine to a good upholstery shop to see if dying the parts would work. But, I'm not sure how well the arm rest will hold up after some use. I know the "spear" would be fine, as I've have used dyed parts in a restoration car that have held up great.

 

One of the users here (monicatomokc?) had theirs done in person at the LeatherSeats.com workshop. I emailed them to see what they'd charge to do mine, but they said they're not doing anything besides C7 GT seats now. They're not doing any of the dash trim pieces or the competition seats.

 

Great job! You answered the question I raised on my 2.5LT PDF! As you note, one pic in a Thread said it could be removed without removing the door panel! However the company who would recover in any color (for a high price) did not know as they only recover! Another post said it had to be removed!

Just updated my PDF and used your Forum name and pic as the person who documented the "must remove the door panel" question!

I took the easy, cheap way out and happy with the <$10 solution and also added a line of red on the drivers door. See pics. You did it the right way! That is how the 2018 and 2019 2LT's are coming from GM! They copied your idea!



My solution was to add these inexpensive matching red trim strips on both sides of the black spear. Not as good as your red spear but easy and cheap!

Added one to the passenger side as well.

 

I'll do the passengers side Dash panel (the piece above the glove box). After that, the door panels but I'm not committed to the extra $1K to replace both door panels which includes the spear and door armrest? So far if done the seat covers, drivers side upper instrument panel trim pad (batwing), passenger spider lower trim, and console lid.

 

I did this with my 3LT 2015 Z51

I had to buy the 2016 3LT door panels so everything worked out as I was not willing to have the textures not match. I have stated in multiple threads you need to replace the full door panel for that spear.

Glad you took the plunge also

 

I'll probably be more open once I see what my bonus is this year. LOL

 

That's cool. I love your PDF guides. I'm honored to be referenced in one.

Thanks. Yours looks great too. It's different seeing the brown trim without the matching seats. I like it.

I wish they made that headliner with red stitching. I may eventually have to look into getting a custom one made.

 

Hey Jeff V, yes, you are correct. It's too bad because they did a really great job, and for those that haven't seen my posts or the video, here it is again. I'd be willing to bet there is some other company out there that might be interested in doing something like this.

 

" Yours looks great too. It's different seeing the brown trim without the matching seats. I like it.

I wish they made that headliner with red stitching. I may eventually have to look into getting a custom one made."

Thanks! You could always get the one I did and use a fabric marker to color the stitching red.

 

Jeff you should make your car a 2.6LT conversion and install the RED Trim Pad (above glove box) to give a little more color on the passenger's side. I had the dealer install mine(in grey) since this was a little over my pay grade.

 

I'm not doing the passenger side unless I get a matching door panel. Maybe I'll change my mind, but I actually think it's just the right amount of red now.

I love your light gray. I'm glad GM is offering so much customization on this car.

 

That's the hard part, you start to do one thing and end up doing them all. Luckily I did find the perfect fabric marker which matches the Kalahari stitching.

 

Hey, Jerry, if you are still here, what did you use to add those red "stripes" on the door panels? I too am changing the dash to a "2.5LT" by changing the black dash to Kalahari to mach my seats. But, I don't want to spend $1500 to do the doors. This might be a good compromise... if I can figure out how to do it.

 

I suspect this item was used ,Check Ebay for " Red Edge Gap Door Panel Molding Line Trim".

 

Yep, still here with C8. That worked great for me and the new owner!

This is a 9 page PDF I made with all the details:
http://netwelding.com/Red_Dash_Pad.pdf
Like all my ~50 PDFs they are mostly Pics with long captions. Can scan and read what you would like!
Just checked Amazon where I got mine and this source looks to have the most color options.

 

@JerryU , I'm intrigued! Is there some place where your ~50 PDFs can be found?
TIA,
Larry

 

Yep:
http://netwelding.com/Reports_Vette_Info.htm