Door Panel repair

[Big_John]

I scored some nice replacement straps.... That's how I repaired them LOL!

I have seen a couple cars that had a different strap. It looked like an aftermarket piece that they screwed to the panel and then put the chrome covers over them. They looked OK, someone familiar with the cars would pick it up, but most would not. I think I have a pic somewhere of a very nice car that had that fix. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[saylor]

where did you get the underlayment board, and how did you flex it at the top of the door sill?

thanks!

- saylor

 

[stubs300]

where did you get the underlayment board,
thanks!

- saylor

That underlayment board is the thin particle board you find in the lumber yard.
Good job on this!!! I helped my brother a few years ago do this on his Satellite and the job turned out much better than expected. Anybody else doing this? Just take your time and another set of hands doesn't hurt either. As for all the other SEM products you mentioned, all you really need is a strong sudsy ammonia solution, TSP works good., and a green scrubber pad to clean the vinyl. Good job!

 

[Big_John]

where did you get the underlayment board, and how did you flex it at the top of the door sill?

thanks!

- saylor

I used this:
http://www.perfectfit.com/15347/154532/Chipboard-Car-Panelboard/Kraft-Tan-Waterproof-Panelboard.html

It's very similar to the original, but I think it's more resistant to water. The nice thing about this is you can trim it easily with a utility knife. I also used some leather punches to make the holes.

The tops are the original sheet metal. They are glued to the new boards.

 

[Knebel]

If you would want to preserve the original chrome trim on the doorpanels, I stripped the trim of all the loose chrome and then used self adhesive aluminium tape for ac's and heater found at homedepot. Mine came out rough, but better than the worn off chrome! I can post a pic soon.

 

[Big_John]

If you would want to preserve the original chrome trim on the doorpanels, I stripped the trim of all the loose chrome and then used self adhesive aluminium tape for ac's and heater found at homedepot. Mine came out rough, but better than the worn off chrome! I can post a pic soon.

My first thought was to use the stuff they put on model cars. It's a self adhesive foil that looks just like chrome. I didn't feel the durability was there and I wasn't sure if it would look OK. If it was wrinkled where I could see it, it would drive me nuts.

My fix turned out pretty good and unless you had another 300 door panel next to it, I doubt if you could spot the difference.

 

[CanCritter]

Paul at work....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=j6hCL_LmpEk
http://www.bare-metal.com/bare-metal-foil.html
http://mounteer.ca/fury/Restoration/Paul8.html

 

[Samplingman]

Paul at work....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=j6hCL_LmpEk
http://www.bare-metal.com/bare-metal-foil.html
http://mounteer.ca/fury/Restoration/Paul8.html

Is this the guy doing the resto work on your '71?

 

[Big_John]

Yep, that's the stuff. Bare Metal Foil.

I used it on something else (can't remember what) and I got decent results. With the beat up trim that I had, replacement was a better option for me.

 

[CanCritter]

Is this the guy doing the resto work on your '71?

yes hes just starting on it...woot

 

[butchr66]

Dude those panels are gorgeous!! You totally win! Just don't rely on the hot glue though. My panels were original and completely effed so I hadda start from scratch. I got some of that panelboard stuff from home depot and cut the mounting clip slots in one then glued em together so the clips dont poke through the vinyl using 3M spray glue ( good stuff!!!!)Then I used big head rivets to nail em to the steel tops using washers and hammer n dollying them flat. Then I stretched and glued the marine grade vinyl and extra padding over it with some short staples just in case, poked the trim spikes through and folded over with a hammer n dolly with some cloth on the dolly so I dont wreck the new vinyl. Not nearly as purty as yours without all the lines but they look super nice and will hold up for a while.

 

[kellydeec]

the chrome looks good!!! where did you get it at? my pulls are getting real bad also

 

[Big_John]

the chrome looks good!!! where did you get it at? my pulls are getting real bad also

Autozone has that chrome.

 

[GJS]

Damn! That came out so nice! Awesome work, man.

 

[Big_John]

I just revisted this thread so I could link it and I see almost all my pics are gone thanks to Photobucket's new policy. For example, rght now I'm trying to solve an issue with my Ford Excursion and there was a great set of sticky threads on a Ford truck forum that was decimated by Photobucket's policy. Again... more frustration... This really annoys me, but there's nothing I can do about it.

When I post stuff like this, it's done so that maybe I can help someone else and so that I can learn from others who comment. I learned a long time ago that if you really want to learn about what you are doing, show someone else how to do it.

I can't edit my old posts, but I can at least post a link to a new album of the pictures I posted.

 

[live4theking]

John,
Thanks for continuing to think of the rest of us.

 

[Big_John]

Since I've had another request to repost the pics and I can't edit the originals, I'll just copy and paste from the original posting with Imgur pictures. Any edits, other than the pics will be in red. There are "fixes" so you can see posted photobucket images, but that doesn't always work.

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.

One of the rear panels had this fix.

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

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.

I used 3M Trim adhesive to glue the vinyl to the new boards.


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.

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. I bought this at Auto Zone

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.

 

[Big_John]

The bottom has a strip of carpet across it. This turned out to be a big challenge.

I cut a piece of chip board and glued the carpet to it using 3M trim adhesive. Then Mrs. Big John stitched some vinyl around the outside.

Glued the chip board to the panel

Stretched and glued the vinyl, using 3M Trim Adhesive, around the edge and added clips.

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.

 

[71Polara383]

Amazing work! That is the original material re fit to a new panel?

 

[Dan Scully]

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.........................

I needed a set for my wagon and SMS did a great job, I had nothing to work with so had to go that route.