gholian

Hi,

I finished my Firebird last September and have found a new project. Forgive me for asking about a non THIRDGEN but it is the same principal if someone has to replace a lower door skin on Camaro or Firebird. I just wanted to ask a few questions.
How do I lip doorkin around rest of door. Do I need a "Doorskin tool". I checked ebay and they are a crazy price. £100 in the UK which is about $140. It is just a glorified pliers. I was going to try a pliers and a piece of wood each side but don't know will that give a good fold.

How is this usually done. Is it okay to place doorskin on door as shown in picture and cut alone line or is it better to try and lip doorskin behind rest of door.

The door has rot only alone the bottom of the door so is it better to replace the bottom 1.5 inch of the door or fit the whole doorskin.

Thanks.

Yenipenny

It is much better to replace the entire skin. You run a HUGE risk of lots of ripples in the skin along the attachment line with just a partial replace. It isn't necessary to replace the upper area around the window. You can splice that.

The preferred method of attaching the new skin is to clamp it firmly in place, then use a hammer and dolly to fold the edge over. I don't think you'll be able to get a sharp, clean fold using wood blocks. Attaching door skins takes some practice/experience. You will probably get some small dents/dings on the outside edge of the skin. Just grind and apply body filler to smooth it out. Some people like to spot weld along the inner edge of the fold-over...it's good insurance. Don't forget to apply seam sealer over the inner fold.

Some people recommend bonding the skin to the door. Personally, I don't care for that method.

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iTrader: (2)

I would put the new skin over the door where it is going to be installed fit it best that you can then mark where the end of the new skin on the door then make another mark about 1" below that so you can trim off what you need then take a grinder and grind the edge and the bottom of the door up to the mark you made be sure not to grind off to much as you will the lip to install the new skin then cut across the the bottom line then you can test fit and grind off any metal that you need to to make the panel fit then weld it in
PS before you install the new skin be sure to spray a coat or two weld through primer

gholian

Thanks for your reply guys. I will give it a go. If I don't try I won't learn.

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iTrader: (2)

and I forgot you will need a door shin hammer and a dolly place the dolly on the outside of the door skin with little pressure so you dont bend the panel and hammer back and forth until you have the skin tight if you are going to bond the panel you will need to do that before you put the panel on good luck

gholian

Okay. Will look for a door skin hammer and dolly. I will not be bonding it.

Thanks.

gholian

Hi,

Just getting around to putting this door skin on now. I have a question on the seam sealer. I was thinking about putting seam sealer on each side of the door bottom and fold the door skin lip over it. It is pretty hard to get seam sealer in the lower corners of the door once the skin is on. The only thing is it will probably take me so long to put on the door skin that the sealer will have gone off and won't be able to smooth it off.

Just wondering what is the procedure for this. Do you guys try to get the seam sealer on after door skin is fitted.

Thanks.