Door Panel repair

Big_John

Illegitimi non carborundum
FCBO Gold Member
Joined
May 21, 2013
Messages
20,416
Reaction score
30,102
Location
Marcellus, NY
The door panels in my 300 looked pretty sad. Years of sun and no plastic sheet behind them took their toll. They had been green sometime in their life too and the brown dye was wearing thin.

NCM_0158_zpsc320c434.jpg


One of the rear panels had this fix.

NCM_0500_zpsqnrnmwhu.jpg


I stripped the panels of their upholstery and made some new panels using the old as a pattern.

NCM_0522_zpstisxsg9e.jpg


The steel top of the panel presented a challenge. It was originally staked to the board around a series of holes. I couldn't get that to work so I spread hot melt glue on the steel top. I couldn't work fast enough to get them to stick together so I clamped everything and hit it with the heat gun to remelt the glue.

NCM_0739_zpsjeznb50d.jpg


NCM_0526_zpsolo0wxzx.jpg



NCM_0735_zps4hafggav.jpg
 
The color turned out to be a bit of a problem. I couldn't get a color that was close and custom matching and mixing was one answer. The issue was there was no original color for a good sample. Much of the interior had been replaced with green panels that had been painted brown. After a lot of thought and some false starts, I decided to change the color slightly and use off the shelf SEM color coat in a camel color.

The chrome trim on the front doors was in rough shape too.

NCM_1077_zpsawiwo0ub.jpg


I tried to figure out a solution and while I was fixing the chrome trim on the headrests, I discovered the trim would work on the door panels too! It's a little wider, but it actually fits better in the groove than the original stuff.

NCM_1078_zpsx5ltdic1.jpg


NCM_1075_zpswgrbv1gz.jpg


All that's left is to finish the carpet insert on the bottom (Mrs Big John will be stitching that for me) and they will be back on the car.
 
The bottom has a strip of carpet across it. This turned out to be a big challenge.

NCM_1090_zps874c3dsr.jpg


I cut a piece of chip board and glued the carpet to it. Then Mrs. Big John stitched some vinyl around the outside.

NCM_1086_zpsicvnrwrq.jpg


Glued the chip board to the panel

NCM_1091_zpsnm4jigez.jpg
 
Stretched and glued the vinyl around the edge and added clips.

NCM_1095_zpsl7fcm5ny.jpg


Finished panel. The corners of the vinyl aren't the greatest (I did those) but they look better than the pro that did it before.

NCM_1096_zpsdnypncyo.jpg
 
NCM_1099_zpshifhulrg.jpg


Rear panel. I still have to change the color on the seats.

NCM_1101_zpsl7ytlvdp.jpg


The old panels. Duct tape repairs and the black is mold. This is what happens when the plastic sheet is left off. The "pro" that did the carpet before stitched through the entire panel. One panel broke along the stitched line when I unclipped it.

NCM_1092_zpsw6arbyuf.jpg
 
Fantastic job, was the vinyl dye easy to work with? I'll have to dye the door panels on my car.
 
Fantastic job, was the vinyl dye easy to work with? I'll have to dye the door panels on my car.

I used SEM colorcoat.

You have to follow their procedure to the letter. You have to use their SEM soap, vinyl prep and adhesion promoter. There's some videos out there on how to do it. These guys are pretty good at showing you how... Actually they have a very good series of "how to". You just have to get through the first couple minutes of BS before it gets good.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Love your work John, now if someone could show us how to fix the age cracks in the vinyl and foamed top edges of door panels our lives would be complete. :)
 
Love your work John, now if someone could show us how to fix the age cracks in the vinyl and foamed top edges of door panels our lives would be complete. :)

Well.. There are a couple spots on an edge that have been repaired by someone else, somewhere in the car's past. I discovered them as I was working on the panels. I have one edge on another panel that needs to be fixed and I'm going to figure out how this was done.
 


Rear panel. I still have to change the color on the seats.



The old panels. Duct tape repairs and the black is mold. This is what happens when the plastic sheet is left off. The "pro" that did the carpet before stitched through the entire panel. One panel broke along the stitched line when I unclipped it.


Excellent work. Regarding the stitching, I have three sets of panels and they all have stitching that goes through the backing board, I always thought that was from the factory. One of the sets are cracked right at the stitching as well, more "planned obsolescence".
 
Very nice, creative work on the panels. Came out great. What I was wondering is how you fixed the door pull straps. In the "before" photos of the panel, those pull straps had some cracks in them. But the "after" photos showing the finished panel seem to show door pulls without the cracks anymore. What can you tell us about those repairs?

SMS reproduces those door panels now - all one needs to do is provide them with the metal top pieces and they send you back 4 finished panels in your choice of color. Seeing how nicely these turned out though, I am rethinking my plans to have SMS do them, and give them a try myself. SMS wants $825 for all 4 panels but without the door pull straps.........................
 
Back
Top