Door Panel Install

[Don G.]

I took the door panel off my 1959 in 1985, and decided it was time to put it back on the car. Fortunately I labeled all the parts, so that's not an issue. I have two questions. 1. Some of the holes in the door are too large for the trim screws that the door panel is attached with. What product should I use to repair or fill? 2. What is the lubricant of choice to lubricate the window regulator? Thanks.

[Mike M.]

Re: Door Panel Install

enlarged holes in door fiberglas a very common problem. i sand the backside of the hole then lay up a couple layers of fiberglass cloth and resin. let it set the drill a pilot hole smaller than the trim screws. i like lithium aerosol lubricant. mike

[Don G.]

Re: Door Panel Install

enlarged holes in door fiberglas a very common problem. i sand the backside of the hole then lay up a couple layers of fiberglass cloth and resin. let it set the drill a pilot hole smaller than the trim screws. i like lithium aerosol lubricant. mike

Mike, thanks for the good advice, and thanks for not mentioning the fact that I haven't put the door panel back for almost 35 years.

[Bruce W.]

Re: Door Panel Install

Don, you can also buy a repair kit. Small metal plates that you rivet to the door. The screw then does into the plate. You wn't have any more problems with this. I think Corvette Central sells the kits.
Bruce

[Don G.]

Re: Door Panel Install

Don, you can also buy a repair kit. Small metal plates that you rivet to the door. The screw then does into the plate. You wn't have any more problems with this. I think Corvette Central sells the kits.
Bruce

Thanks Bruce, will check that out as well.

[Terry D.]

Re: Door Panel Install

I use small plastic screw inserts, find them on ebay or most vendors that have body screws, you need a very small file to make the hole square, snap the insert in and remove as many times as you like.

[Don G.]

Re: Door Panel Install

Thanks Terry, sounds like an easy fix.

[Richard G.]

Re: Door Panel Install

They also make oversized screws with the small head and larger body.
I didn't know about these till my upholstery guy showed them to me.
Its like a #8 screw with the threads of a #10.
Thanks everyone for the great ideas! I really like the Terry's idea using the plastic screw inserts.

I bet you could find the clips here:
clipsandfasteners.com
They have a lot of parts and they are inexpensive.
Here is an example.


That's roughly $.18 each without shipping.
Rick

[Don G.]

Re: Door Panel Install

Thanks for the info Richard

[Keith R.]

Re: Door Panel Install

In Tom Howey/Bob Baird's 58-60 Corvette Restoration Book, they used well nuts which can commonly be found at any hardware store. In my case, my body guy placed metal at each screw position on the rear side of the panel so that I could drill holes into them at the exact location and not worry about the holes becoming enlarged. Just installed my panels.

[Don G.]

Re: Door Panel Install

Thanks for the response Keith.