Body panel questions
#1
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Charleston SC
Posts: 1,107
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1987 Trans Am GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: Posi 3:42
Body panel questions
door skins, any way to change just the skin? or have to change the whole door.
and
rear quarters?
who has done this before...wondering how difficult and what advice should be noted prior to that decision...
thanks
and
rear quarters?
who has done this before...wondering how difficult and what advice should be noted prior to that decision...
thanks
#2
Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Florida
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Car: 1984 F41 Camaro
Engine: LC1 V6 2.8L
Transmission: 4 Speed Auto
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: Body panel questions
I have never done this, but a body shop near me is going to cut out the bottoms of both of my doors and replace them with the replacement lower door skins that i bought from classic industries, they said both doors would probably cost less than 300 if i did the prep work(sandblasting the rust off, cleaning painting surface, etc. and let me tell you something, DO NOT WELD, use body metal adhesive, it makes an even stronger joint than a weld and is easier to work with, well that's all for my advice, good luck
#4
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Southeast VA
Posts: 538
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 91 Camaro RS T-Top
Engine: 5.0 Tbi
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Body panel questions
Dang I can get rust free straight doors from local junk yards for less than 100 a pair with glass and all. They really aren't that hard to find to wanna pay that much to reskin.
#5
Member
Re: Body panel questions
To the OP, if I remember correctly you need to grind off the edges of the skin and then get a scrapper in between the skin and the door breaking it free by tapping a hammer on the scrapper. Its a lot bigger pain than it sounds and you can really screw things up if you don't know what you doing. If you grind off too much metal you won't have enough of the door left to hammer the skin on to, if you don't know how to stop the fresh bare metal from rusting you'll have a rusted door again fast, if you don't hammer and dolly the skin on correctly you'll have dents all over the door, ect ect. Not a good do it yourself job.
#6
Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Florida
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Car: 1984 F41 Camaro
Engine: LC1 V6 2.8L
Transmission: 4 Speed Auto
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: Body panel questions
To the OP, if I remember correctly you need to grind off the edges of the skin and then get a scrapper in between the skin and the door breaking it free by tapping a hammer on the scrapper. Its a lot bigger pain than it sounds and you can really screw things up if you don't know what you doing. If you grind off too much metal you won't have enough of the door left to hammer the skin on to, if you don't know how to stop the fresh bare metal from rusting you'll have a rusted door again fast, if you don't hammer and dolly the skin on correctly you'll have dents all over the door, ect ect. Not a good do it yourself job.
#7
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Charleston SC
Posts: 1,107
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1987 Trans Am GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: Posi 3:42
Re: Body panel questions
I have looked on line at some of the videos for the older cars, 70's and later and yeah...that.s how you do it.
Although i do agree, replacing the whole door does seem like a good option if you can. if you cant, the to re-skin the door is doable, just a little more difficult.
Although i do agree, replacing the whole door does seem like a good option if you can. if you cant, the to re-skin the door is doable, just a little more difficult.
Trending Topics
#8
Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Florida
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Car: 1984 F41 Camaro
Engine: LC1 V6 2.8L
Transmission: 4 Speed Auto
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: Body panel questions
yes, but the issue with new doors is that after market products never, and i mean NEVER are as good as OEM, so your body gaps will be off, so since i only need the bottoms of my doors patched, I'm gonna do it, the guy at the body shop said less than 250 each not including the patch panels them selves. But if the rust is really bad and the whole door skin is shot, id just by new because you'll never get the body line perfect
#9
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Southeast VA
Posts: 538
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 91 Camaro RS T-Top
Engine: 5.0 Tbi
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Body panel questions
Well when we say new door we mean a new to you replacement from another car. Not brand new door. So OEM not aftermarket
#10
Supreme Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Short Summer, VT
Posts: 1,485
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Car: 1985 Trans Am T-Top
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: T-5 5 Speed
Axle/Gears: 3.42 posi 1LE 10 bolt
Re: Body panel questions
Yes, don't think you can find an actual new complete door.
Most of the used doors I see that have rust are still better than reskinning.
It's usually just the seam along the bottom. Sandblast or grind it off , then fill and paint.
There are many parts on third gens where you are much better off restoring your part or a less rusty used part than buying a new aftermarket.
Most of the used doors I see that have rust are still better than reskinning.
It's usually just the seam along the bottom. Sandblast or grind it off , then fill and paint.
There are many parts on third gens where you are much better off restoring your part or a less rusty used part than buying a new aftermarket.
#11
Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Florida
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Car: 1984 F41 Camaro
Engine: LC1 V6 2.8L
Transmission: 4 Speed Auto
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: Body panel questions
Classic Industries sells actual doors for our cars, 82-92, but they are all fiberglass sooooooo..... make sure you don't slam it too hard XD XD XD
#13
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: ANDERSON SC
Posts: 239
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 92 RS
Engine: 305
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.08
Re: Body panel questions
in my personal experience and opinion replace the door. My car had a re skinned door by the po and it was never right. Where the mirror mounts it's a tight spot and the adhesive never would hold correctly and the body lines were off. Had two different body shops look at it and they both gave me the same advice, get another door. They also told me in the long run with cost and apparence a replacement door is the best option.
#14
Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Florida
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Car: 1984 F41 Camaro
Engine: LC1 V6 2.8L
Transmission: 4 Speed Auto
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: Body panel questions
that sucks that you spent that money and it didn't even come out right, sorry to hear that dude, and why wouldn't the fiberglass doors be street legal, nobody would know except you if you had them painted, so when your car got inspected they couldn't tell... right?
#15
Supreme Member
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: MN
Posts: 2,069
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Car: 85 SC, 86 Berlinetta
Engine: V6, V8
Transmission: 700r4, 700r4
Re: Body panel questions
Track cars typically have reinforced structures, and typically a roll cage with bars in place of the one in the door.
#16
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Southeast VA
Posts: 538
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 91 Camaro RS T-Top
Engine: 5.0 Tbi
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Body panel questions
Exactly, fiberglass doors are illegal for street use because most street cars don't have a full cage to make up for the lack of strength from the steel door.
It wouldn't take much more than 5 miles and hour t bone to have a bumper in your lap.
The doors are also a crumple zone that take up some of the energy of an impact in a major collision, without that crumple zone on a car without a full cage the middle of the car is now the first place to squeeze together, and guess where the driver sits lol.
It wouldn't take much more than 5 miles and hour t bone to have a bumper in your lap.
The doors are also a crumple zone that take up some of the energy of an impact in a major collision, without that crumple zone on a car without a full cage the middle of the car is now the first place to squeeze together, and guess where the driver sits lol.
#17
Supreme Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Short Summer, VT
Posts: 1,485
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Car: 1985 Trans Am T-Top
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: T-5 5 Speed
Axle/Gears: 3.42 posi 1LE 10 bolt
Re: Body panel questions
Not to mention the fiberglass doors are meant to be used with lexan or nets, not windows. Probably don't have any place to mount interior panels or trim either.
#18
Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Florida
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Car: 1984 F41 Camaro
Engine: LC1 V6 2.8L
Transmission: 4 Speed Auto
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: Body panel questions
ohhhhhh, i see now, i didn't think anything of the reinforcements inside the doors, sorry about that..... that makes total sense
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post