66 door panel repair

[Dan M.]

Need some advice guys
Has anyone successfully repaired an original door panel where the vinyl has become unglued? In my case the passenger side door vinyl near the arm rest has separated and is pretty unsightly. I've taken off all the trim pieces including the upper inner door trim, which needs to be replaced and the vinyl is otherwise in excellent shape. No tears at all. It needs to be dyed black as well as it's a bit faded.
They fit perfect on the door and from what I've read replacement panels may not fit very well.
The driver side is better but same issue.
I normally like to fix all these things myself but this one looks like it requires a real pro. Or I give it up and buy replacement panels. Would be a shame as they are otherwise really nice.
Additionally one of the areas on the fiber board where the attachment clip locks into needs some better support. I might try to fiberglass something there to give it some more support. If anyone has had this issue I'd be curious as to how you repaired the fibre board clip support.
As always tks for any advice.
Dan

[James G.]

Re: 66 door panel repair

I have used a needle on a syringe and injected epoxy from the back.
before injecting your glue, you need to make sure that the "bubbles" are flexible enough to be pushed back in.

To heat vinyl I have used a rheostat on a low setting controlling a halogen lamp maybe 18" from the area. - you could probably use a hair dryer.
The other issue is making an "anvil" to hold down the area, I have used a block of EPS foam carved to fit/ Or perhaps lay a piece of plastic on the door panel and use the canned window/door gap foam to make an anvil to press the area down.

You will need some type of frame in order to hold down on the areas to be glued.
something like this one I made one for holding the inner frame of a mid year hood back to the hood skin.
IMG_0982.jpg

[Dan M.]

Re: 66 door panel repair

Tks James that gives me some encouragement and a few ideas on building a jig and a form to press in there. Did you open up the back by drilling a few holes in the fibre board? How did you manage that.

[James G.]

Re: 66 door panel repair

As far asthe press frame, you could use an old bed frame or something similar.

I used 2 pieces of the metal track, one top one bottom and then opposite of one another with a wood block on each side separating the two pieces of track (one rod pushing down and on the opposite side the same pushing back up).

I used a needle which I had put into an exacto knife handle.
Although a pin drill would probably work well.
The main thing with gluing down is: when you press down the door panel vinyl if you leave an impression from a clamp it will probably not come out which is why I suggested shaping something to conform.

When you go to dye the panels make sure that they are SQUEAKY CLEAN and then use some Bulldog or similar adhesion promoter prior to applying dye.

[Dan M.]

Re: 66 door panel repair

I agree. If I don't get the perfect shape for pressing that vinyl down it probably will look worse so I'll spend considerable time on that.
Hope to get at this in the next mth.
Tks for the help