Restoring Door Panels - My Before & After

[Machlovin]

My interior restoration is dragging on... however, I'd rather do it right than to rush things.

With a deluxe blue interior, its hard to come by original replacement parts (either used or NOS). I'm trying to keep my car as original as possible, so I'm trying to refrain from using reproduction parts.

My door panels were a HUGE sore point. Someone had wrapped them in vinyl (which was now sagging), the carpet trim was faded and stained, and they were screwed into the door (clip mounts torn off).

When I took them off, I decided that I would re-wrap them.... however to my surprise (an joy) only the arm rest area was torn and the rest of the panel was fine. So using the old vinyl I cut a piece that fit over the torn area (the color is a 99% match). I hid one side under the wooden trim piece, and the other side follows the design of the grooves... so when immediately looking at the panel, it looks perfect. I replaced the lower carpet piece with a new one from the same company that made my carpet. The dimples in the panels left by the screws I managed to fix by gently heating the panel with a heat gun, and I epoxied in the clip mounts into the torn mount slots.

Overall, I think it turned out quite well.

 

[Widowmaker00]

Looks pretty great to me!

 

[OLE PONY]

That's a big improvement!

 

[imusa76]

I think it looks good, where did you get the right color vinyl?

before replacing my door panels with new ones, by brother filled all of the cracks and missing chunks with fiberglass/Body filler, and then painted the panels for me, it heldup for 6 yrs.

 

[goodnigh]

Good Job! The vinyl is a difficult match

as is the carpet.

mike

 

[Machlovin]

I think it looks good, where did you get the right color vinyl?

The vinyl was already on the door, someone originally wrapped the entire door panels with it. The biggest PITA was removing all the glue/adhesive left behind. I used varsol, it didn't damage the vinyl, but slowly dissolved the adhesive. I tried acetone as well, and that was way too strong and damaged the vinyl (luckily I tested in an inconspicuous spot first).

The carpet trim wasn't original either. I replaced it with what is supposed to be the correct color (the same company that made my carpet makes these trim panels).


Here's what my interior looks like thus far

It's snowing here AGAIN... as soon as it warms up its going back into the car.

 

[mach1000]

A trick I found that works well is at first sign of any cracks in your door panels or seat seams I mix a little clear two part epoxy and "seal" the crack before it splits further. Has worked great so for. My seat bottom was splitting at the seam in about a 1/2" spot. Put the epoxy on it and its held up and not split further for almost 10 years. Same with the door panel. Since its clear you can hardly tell at all its there.

 

[pegasus]

Well done and good onya for giving it a go, It's bloody hard to find blue interia parts...

 

[Knoxferatu]

You did a very nice job. Way to go.