Yes. That is correct.
Door Panel repair
- Thread starter Big_John
- Start date
Revisiting this 4 years later.
One of the things that has happened in the four years is I've had to remove the driver side door panel at least twenty times. I added the power vents and relays to the power windows, then I added power locks. Then there was the issues with the window adjustment. It took me a couple tries to get that right and then a bracket broke off the window track and lot's more "off and on" to get the adjustment right.
So... The last time off, finally, the hot melt glue broke on the top where the board fastens. Not a big deal, but I took it off and repaired it today. I reheated it with my hot air gun and melted the glue and viola, it's all stuck together again. I also ran some aluminum tape across the seam.
Then I did something else I've wanted to try... The clips are always a PITA. I took all them off and super glued some thin magnets around the edge. A couple test fits had me add more magnets (25 total). A little more fitting and I decided to use three clips. One at each lower corner and one in the center along the bottom.
This worked really well. The panel went on really easy and stays close to the door nicely.
I never liked how the carpet around the bottom came out. It was OK, and for my first foray with the HD sewing machine, it was actually good, but still, I wasn't happy. I cut a new piece of carpet and ran some vinyl edge trim along the top, then glued it to the panel, trimmed it up and put more edging around the carpet and the panel. This takes the notch out of the carpet, so it's not quite like the OE, but it's cleaner and I think it's much better than my original try. I also touched up the paint while it was off.
Before:
After:
One of the things that has happened in the four years is I've had to remove the driver side door panel at least twenty times. I added the power vents and relays to the power windows, then I added power locks. Then there was the issues with the window adjustment. It took me a couple tries to get that right and then a bracket broke off the window track and lot's more "off and on" to get the adjustment right.
So... The last time off, finally, the hot melt glue broke on the top where the board fastens. Not a big deal, but I took it off and repaired it today. I reheated it with my hot air gun and melted the glue and viola, it's all stuck together again. I also ran some aluminum tape across the seam.
Then I did something else I've wanted to try... The clips are always a PITA. I took all them off and super glued some thin magnets around the edge. A couple test fits had me add more magnets (25 total). A little more fitting and I decided to use three clips. One at each lower corner and one in the center along the bottom.
This worked really well. The panel went on really easy and stays close to the door nicely.
I never liked how the carpet around the bottom came out. It was OK, and for my first foray with the HD sewing machine, it was actually good, but still, I wasn't happy. I cut a new piece of carpet and ran some vinyl edge trim along the top, then glued it to the panel, trimmed it up and put more edging around the carpet and the panel. This takes the notch out of the carpet, so it's not quite like the OE, but it's cleaner and I think it's much better than my original try. I also touched up the paint while it was off.
Before:
After:
GJS
Senior Member
I’m pretty stoked to use some of these techniques on my panels.
My fronts are still well stretched and remarkably clean, save for this elbow wear on the drivers side
The rears both let go, presumably to moisture. The billy still feels supple enough and cleans up surprisingly well... just a matter of whether or not there’s any board left to adhere to and if I can treat it well enough to stretch it again.
Time will tell.
Great thread though. I’ve been looking at this one since the first time I saw the rear panels in my car. Thanks for the update!
My fronts are still well stretched and remarkably clean, save for this elbow wear on the drivers side
The rears both let go, presumably to moisture. The billy still feels supple enough and cleans up surprisingly well... just a matter of whether or not there’s any board left to adhere to and if I can treat it well enough to stretch it again.
Time will tell.
Great thread though. I’ve been looking at this one since the first time I saw the rear panels in my car. Thanks for the update!
This is what I did on my 78 Formal....
fury fan
Senior Member
Love the magnet idea, Big_John!!!
Good idea on using clips on the corners. The magnet's attraction to the metal must be lower than the adhesion to the doorpanel (or the doorpanel material itself) so more magnets of lower strength would be key. Looks like you found a solution there.
Good idea on the furnace tape as well.
I also like the warm-silver paint on the armrest base. I've been doing that for years (cheap and simple), and I think it looks much more appropriate than the OEM chrome. Chrome is too eye-catching on an item that shouldn't be catching the eye on a doorpanel.
Here's what I did 10+ years ago for my 300L.
Used a good donor board from another car, covered with fleece and vinyl from the fabric store, vinyl glued/stapled around the edges, with some stitches around the backside corners. Upper trim is from 66 Newport, made lower trim from aluminum, the emblem is a round puck from Mcmaster that got machined a little. Emblem inside was a graphic my wife made based on a photo-scan of an original, printed it out, cut to a circle, placed in the recess of the pocket and covered with clear table-top epoxy resin. If I had to do it again I'd reconsider - I spent at least 30 hours on all of it for all 4 -- and although it made a huge improvement I think now I'd just buy a nicer car and go driving instead! Had to stitch that funny area up by the vent window also - major PITA of the 65-66 Chrysler door. Fortunately visible only when the door is open.
Good idea on using clips on the corners. The magnet's attraction to the metal must be lower than the adhesion to the doorpanel (or the doorpanel material itself) so more magnets of lower strength would be key. Looks like you found a solution there.
Good idea on the furnace tape as well.
I also like the warm-silver paint on the armrest base. I've been doing that for years (cheap and simple), and I think it looks much more appropriate than the OEM chrome. Chrome is too eye-catching on an item that shouldn't be catching the eye on a doorpanel.
Here's what I did 10+ years ago for my 300L.
Used a good donor board from another car, covered with fleece and vinyl from the fabric store, vinyl glued/stapled around the edges, with some stitches around the backside corners. Upper trim is from 66 Newport, made lower trim from aluminum, the emblem is a round puck from Mcmaster that got machined a little. Emblem inside was a graphic my wife made based on a photo-scan of an original, printed it out, cut to a circle, placed in the recess of the pocket and covered with clear table-top epoxy resin. If I had to do it again I'd reconsider - I spent at least 30 hours on all of it for all 4 -- and although it made a huge improvement I think now I'd just buy a nicer car and go driving instead! Had to stitch that funny area up by the vent window also - major PITA of the 65-66 Chrysler door. Fortunately visible only when the door is open.
Vinyl edging I used: 3/16" x 17/32" TAN Edge Trim Vinyl PVC Camper RV Boat Seal Lock Permanent Grip | eBay
Magnets: CMS Magnetics® N45 Neodymium Magnet 3/8"x 1/16" w/ 3M Adhesive on North 50-pc | eBay
The "adhesive" was kind of a joke. I think they've sat too long on a shelf somewhere and the adhesive was shot. I had figured that I'd superglue them anyway, so it worked out fine.
Magnets: CMS Magnetics® N45 Neodymium Magnet 3/8"x 1/16" w/ 3M Adhesive on North 50-pc | eBay
The "adhesive" was kind of a joke. I think they've sat too long on a shelf somewhere and the adhesive was shot. I had figured that I'd superglue them anyway, so it worked out fine.
Dsertdog
Old man with an old guitar, and a blue note.
Soon, the time will come when my panels will need to be removed. This will be very helpful.
Thank you.
I'm guessing you put the plastic back on the doors? What did you use and how did you attach it?
Thank you.
I'm guessing you put the plastic back on the doors? What did you use and how did you attach it?
Yes, new plastic on the doors. I used a piece of heavy clear plastic I found at Home Depot. To mount it, I usually just use some weatherstrip adhesive like the 3M yellow "gorilla snot". This time, I used some rope caulk to secure it in place because I knew I would be taking it off and on a coupe times. It turned out to be more than a couple, so that worked well for me.
The plastic was missing when I got the car and I know that was the reason for the panels being bad to begin with.
fury fan
Senior Member
FWIW, I don't reinstall plastic. I clearcoat the backside of my panels with polyurethane. Have 1 car I've owned since 97, don't know when I would've poly'd the doorpanels (prob within a year or so of buying it) and the boards seem to still be holding up great. I drove it daily for the 1st 5-7 years I had it, so it saw a bit of rain, too.
But if you want to do the plastic, there's some peal-n-seal caulking that would prob work well, too. It's sticky, but pulls off easily like a rubberband.
But if you want to do the plastic, there's some peal-n-seal caulking that would prob work well, too. It's sticky, but pulls off easily like a rubberband.
I think the plastic is there to help channel the water out too. It tucks into the bottom of the door and the water runs down and out the drain on the bottom of the door.
Not saying that your way isn't working, just thinking out loud. The "peal-n-seal" is probably the same (or very similar) to the rope caulking I'm using in mine.
Mike66Chryslers
Senior Member
When I was adding sound insulation the floorpan of my Windsor, I had a lot leftover so I cut replacements for the plastic sheet out of that. It's like plastic bubble wrap sandwiched between thin layers of aluminum foil on the outside. it should protect the door panels as well as the original plastic sheet and add some noise insulation as well. Any of you guys see a downside to using that?
Joseph James
Senior Member
Looks awesome and glad to see a fix for the chrome stuff! I was wondering how to fix that.
fury fan
Senior Member
As long as it's waterproof and thin enough to not puff the doorpanel out and strain the clip-slots in the backer board, it's probably OK?
65MonacoND
Active Member
John, I am in the midst of restoring my 300 panels for my Hurst. How does the chrome trim on the door come off?
It's just glued on. I carefully peeled it off.
MacLebaron
Well-Known Member
That is nice! Very Nice indeed!
WissaMan
Well-Known Member
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I think your magnet idea is great and I'm going to try that on my door panel rebuild. I ordered ones that were a little thicker and I'm going to try and countersink them into the panel. I also might try and mount some around where the window switches are too as I notice the panels tend to bow out in that area (on the 68's anyway, maybe not on the newer cars). I know the door skeleton in that area is recessed so I'll have to stand them off somehow, maybe just by gluing a few pieces of panel material together to achieve the correct depth.
65sporty
Old Man with a Hat
How did I miss this thread before, great work John.
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