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How do you recover door panels?; I can't see how they come apart
Topic Started: Jan 4 2011, 08:52 AM (2,475 Views)
jonathan180iq
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Not Really All That Smart

So, like the title of the thread suggests, I'm thinking about recovering my door panels.

I've seen plenty of pictures of people who have recovered their doors but for the life of me I can't see how they come apart without breaking them.

I can usually eyeball anything and figure out how it works but these door panels look like one piece and I don't want to go to the trouble of removing them if I'm going to have to break them or something.

Can someone who has done this before give me a tip?

I have a '91 vert.
Like this...

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bogs
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Duct tape heals all wounds

Remove the inside door handle bezel and gently pull from door trim.
Remove screws from armrest handle garnish.
Remove plastic screw covers from door armrest.
Remove screws and armrest from door.
Remove regulator handle using a cloth to remove snapring.
Gently pry door panel away from door, disengaging retaining clips.
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Memphis metro


Following the above steps from bogs, start prying the door panel loose at the bottom and work up both sides then once all the clips are loose the panel lifts up off the window track to remove. It takes a screwdriver to pry the panel loose from the door. It is just held by little plastic retainers that pry off and push back on when gonig back together.The window crank handles are the hardest part. You have to push in on the door panel and you will see a small cclip looking clip that has to be removed from the door handle for the handle to be removed.
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jonathan180iq
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Not Really All That Smart

I know how to remove the panel.

What I'm talking about is the part where it looks like there are two separate sections. Like, where the plastic meets the cloth that was originally installed. I have seen plenty of pictures where people recover that cloth section and I'm wondering how it is done, because the door panel itself apprears to be one piece.

Does it separate? Does it come undone? I don't see how.

I'm used to recovering things by taking them apart, sticking a layer of material down and stapling it in the back. Is this how you do our door panels as well?


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bogs
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Duct tape heals all wounds

Sorry for the mis-understanding the question on my part.
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jonathan180iq
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Not Really All That Smart

No. It's OK.
I'm not always the clearest exaplainerer of thing-a-ma-roos. :)
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Lil red metro


Hey man! Put some like thick shag carpet on them. :stoner That would be like totally awesome man. Like wow. Do it all shag inside.
Edited by Lil red metro, Jan 4 2011, 01:40 PM.
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jonathan180iq
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Not Really All That Smart

Like, totally bodacious "thank you" for being so radically helpful... gnarly!
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Jim-Bob
Junkyard Engineer

I am not 100% certain on this as I would need to see a better picture of the back of a panel than I have. However, I think the armrest section should unbolt from the backer board section by unscrewing the little round pressed steel nuts using a pair of pliers. I did this to change the wood grain panel on my Cutlass Supreme Brougham and it worked just fine. As for upholstering it, you will need material, some thin padding, and some 3M general purpose upholstery glue. You will want to trim the foam to the size of the panel board and then glue the foam to the back of the material you intend to use for the upholstery. Make sure to leave an inch or two of the material outside the edge of the foam as this will be needed to wrap around the back side of the board. If you want to sew a pattern in the face of the panel, now would be the time to do it as the foam will make a bold relief in it. Once you are done with that, it is time to mate the material with the board. Once again, you will need your contact cement to do this. Place the upholstery foam side up and spray it with the glue. Do the same for the board. Wait the appropriate amount of time for it to set up and mate the board to the foam/material . You may wish to use some thin slats to keep the material off the board until you get to the point where you can remove them ( you don't want the two pieces to touch all at once as once they stick, they're stuck). I can't really explain it well, but it's sort of like laminating a counter top. Next, flip it upside down and glue the edges of the back of the board. Now, wrap the excess material around the back and it should be done. Reassemble the parts and you now have a newly upholstered panel!

I may actually end up doing many of these steps to my $250 Metro in a few weeks, so check in to my build thread every now and then. The driver's door panel has a deteriorated backer board and the bottom sort of hangs loose and I will be fixing it when I get past my interior rough in. I have to dye the arm rests anyhow but I want to wait until I have my Neon console, Escort door pockets/Speaker grilles and a few other things finished first so I can color them to match the factory dark blue all at once.
Edited by Jim-Bob, Jan 5 2011, 10:20 AM.
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jonathan180iq
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Not Really All That Smart

That sounds like a good plan for your interior. I guess I'm just going to have to remove the door panel and figure out how the parts are held together.

I haven't heard about the Escort speaker and grill mod. Got any info on that?
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Jim-Bob
Junkyard Engineer

The only info I have on the door speaker grille mod is that I came up with it two nights ago. I had a brainstorm the other night when trying to find a solution to a clean speaker install when I remembered the set of grilles I had in the attic of my garage. I had pulled them from a junkyard about 15-20 years ago for my AMC Spirit and never used them. I will post a pic in my build thread today or tomorrow as I have them sitting in the car right now. it's not a perfect solution because it hits one of the lines in the stock vinyl, but should be a bolt in affair. This car is a 4 door, but I bet if i tried it in my 2 door they would fit without looking out of place.
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Potter
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Col. Potter

easy the plastic pieces and the armrest should come off with Philips head screws, then the fabric is held on the backer board by staples, if you have any fabric on any plastic pieces then they should come off by using a hair dryer or heat gun and heating it till the glue softens and you pull it off... remember to get that plush look if you go with anything other than carpet you may need to use scrim foam in behind the fabric. (not too keen on the mk2s ill go check taylor out to be sure... if im wrong i'll re-post with pics but im pretty shure thats how its held together)
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Bad Bent
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Facetious Educated Donkey

I suspect some of the vinyl and carpet may be glued on, along with Potter's staple idea. :dunno

Could do it all in shag like Lil Red Metro suggested.

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Potter
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Col. Potter

:gp

BB is correct about the glue.

SHAG would be Epic as well lol

that was a funny movie as well :popcorn
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Jim-Bob
Junkyard Engineer

Here is one of the Escort door pockets held up to the door in my 1991 4 door.

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