How can you repair a door panel?

[1978 NYB]

I have acquired several door panels for my 1978 NY'er that are excellent on the interior side but have some of the cardboard pockets (slots) that the door panel clips slide in to that are broken. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to repair the door panels?

 

[Mr C]

Take a tin can, cut it open, flatten sections, cut them out to cover/ reinforce the fibreboard...glue/ staple in place being careful that the staples aren't too long. Worked fine for my panels that had hogged out clip holes.

 

[polara71]

REALLY? I dont believe it ....... I gotta try that ...:sSig_thanks:

 

[1978 NYB]

Take a tin can, cut it open, flatten sections, cut them out to cover/ reinforce the fibreboard...glue/ staple in place being careful that the staples aren't too long. Worked fine for my panels that had hogged out clip holes.

That is an excellent idea! Do you think a coke can (aluminum) or a regular (vegetable) can for strength and durabilty??? Do you think epoxy might bond the can to the fiberboard.

 

[tbm3fan]

Now that is a tip I'll have to file away in my mind...

 

[Mr C]

That is an excellent idea! Do you think a coke can (aluminum) or a regular (vegetable) can for strength and durabilty??? Do you think epoxy might bond the can to the fiberboard.

I used an old can from stewed tomatoes as I recall...I used LePages construction glue for metal/ pretty much anything and it holds up well...after all how often are you pulling door panels?

 

[1978 NYB]

I used an old can from stewed tomatoes as I recall...I used LePages construction glue for metal/ pretty much anything and it holds up well...after all how often are you pulling door panels?

Hopefully I will never have to take the door panels off again. LOL!

 

[jcloving]

I would go with the steel of a campbells soup can. I doubt the aluminum would hold up more than...once.

Plus, I am going to get a set of those new plastic door clip pry bars. They should do a better job and not mar the paint.

 

[1978 NYB]

I ended up getting a 12"x 12" piece of 1/16" sheet metal from home depot and cutting pieces as needed.

 

[polara71]

Mr C is sparking ideas......

 

[1978 NYB]

All damn good ones too.......

 

[bnz84]

All damn good ones too.......

Just finished doing something similar to my 69 fury panels. The rear qtrs on the vert were badly warped because of moisture on the cardboard. Plus the cardboard was cracked (not completely through) plus all the mounting clip holes were unusable and soft. So I re-wet the cardboard with wet towel for 30 min. Added gorilla glue to cracks and around mounting clip holes knowing that gorilla glue expands and will dry ugly. With all that done put the trim panel vinyl side down, a plastic bag over the cardboard side, them some plywood over the bag. Then parked another car on the wood. 2 days later it was all flat as can be, all the cracks glued, and the mounting holes were a mess but after the cardboard dried again I used an exacto to cut the appropriate original square holes in the dried glue the way they used to be.


Some mounting holes still not sturdy enough so I used aluminum roof flashing (thicker than tin can) and punched a few holes in it with an awl to give it grippy teeth on one side. Glued this to the cardboard with gorilla glue and used clamps with scrap plywood. Dried nicely. Strong re-enforcement for the metal mounting clips. Some clips I had to widen to except the now fatter panel. Painted the whole ugly patchwork with semigloss black to seal and I think its done. Now just need to patch a few vinyl slices and it should be much better.

Keep in mind to put some type of moisture barrier between the door and panel or the water will slowly kill them again.

 

[1978 NYB]

You can get 18"x12" sheet metal at Home Depot or Lowe's that works pretty good. Do you have any pictures? I would be interested to see how it turned out for you.

 

[commando1]

I have been replacing these stupid things:

with these:

I "screw" in the plastic clip in the damaged hole left by the old clip and then secure it and reinforce the entire damaged area of the panel with a two part epoxy.


Using this tool:

I have always successfully removed panels previously repaired by this method without any damage what so ever.

 

[1978 NYB]

Stan, are you saying that you're using the plastic clip instead of the stupid metal one and epoxying it to the door panel and then popping the door panel on to the door?

 

[commando1]

Yes.
That style panel clip has a "screw-in" head. You "thread" the head into the opening where the old metal clip was.
It's the perfect solution. Rids panel of crappy clip with new non rusting plastic clip.
No trying to align those two little crossed legs into the hole.
AND it repairs the panel plus making the panel stronger in that area.

 

[1978 NYB]

I'll try that next time I have the door panel off. Unless I find better front lower PB3 blue door panels for a 4 door NYB.......if anyone comes across any. LOL!

 

[detmatt]

These are some darn good suggestions, you gotta love this site I don't care what Mopar you're driving!

 

[commando1]

As a group, we can fix just about anything unlike the guys who look through catalogs for their B/E bodies....

 

[1978 NYB]

We have WORLD CLASS GREAT TALENT on this forum!!!

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't learn something new!