Is it simply that 65 convertible passenger door panels do not fit well or what? I have never been satisfied with the fit of this door panel. So, I thought I would give it another try. 3 hours later, Screw it. I give. The vent window regulator post and lock are too far to the rear. Even if I coukd slide it to the rear, the entire panel wants to ride Upward over that flat spot behind the window. I swear the window crank hole is cut wrong. Anyways is Al Knoch slipping. Does anyone else have these problems. I keep telling myself these cars were never perfect. The driver's side is very nice like it should be. Now at the top forward corner there is a gap too big for my liking. My vent window crank is not in line with it's concentric impression in the door panel. &(^&%^%^ DG
-
-
Re: Knoch Door panel fit, frustraion, Rant.
I agree. The repros just don't fit like the originals. You can adjust the position of lock within the slots. I even restorted to drilling out the slots and used a larger washer to get enough adjustment for the lock to fit. -
Re: Knoch Door panel fit, frustraion, Rant.
Donald: Is your car a 65? DGComment
-
Re: Knoch Door panel fit, frustraion, Rant.
Dick-----
Fundamental problem:
1) The original tooling used to manufacture the door panels was elaborate and expensive. It's cost was justified by the fact it was used to manufacture TENS OF THOUSANDS of PRODUCTION door panels and THOUSANDS of SERVICE panels;
2) The PRODUCTION tooling very likely no longer exists;
3) Tooling to manufacture the relatively small numbers of reproduction panels required by the market does not justify the cost of PRODUCTION-type tooling;
4) Inferior tooling=inferior parts. Period.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
-
Re: Knoch Door panel fit, frustraion, Rant.
Yes, it's a 65 and the door panels are Al Knoch's. It's a power window car, so I don't have the fit issue with the window crank. However, the vent crank and lock had fit issues. I even pulled out an old set of original door panels from a different car and was very surprised by the difference. The original panels fit much better.Comment
-
Re: Knoch Door panel fit, frustraion, Rant.
About 12 yrs ago, I bought a carpet set from Al Knoch for my '75. The luggage area and driver side fit like a glove, but the passenger side just didn't fit in the foot well area. I called Knoch and they were very good to deal with and asked me to send back the side that didn't fit as well as my original, which I did. They made another and sent it and my original back to me, however the new one they made fit worse than the first. I sent everything back and got a full refund without any hassle. When I needed a new carpet set for my current '66, I went with ACC and it fit great.Comment
-
Re: Knoch Door panel fit, frustraion, Rant.
Ancient History: I installed Al Knoch door panels on my '65 in 1981. I just looked at the passenger panel and it fits as it should. Al was located in Michigan back then...Comment
-
Re: Knoch Door panel fit, frustraion, Rant.
Corvette America has recently re-tooled their '65-'67 door trim panels from scratch, and early reports say they are far superior to any previous panels from either CA or Al Knoch; John McGraw has installed two sets of them, and can comment first-hand.Comment
-
Re: Knoch Door panel fit, frustraion, Rant.
John,
If by recently you mean within the last year or so, that may be the case. I have a set of CA manufactured panels that I bought for my 65 convertible about three years ago and had the same problems as described: vent window hole/lock knob hole not in correct position and fit issues at the upper corners. Indeed, to get the vent window crank to fit onto the shaft far enough for the retainer clip to engage I had to cut out a bunch of the foam filler from the back--the panel was to thick and dense.
If the new CA panels are much improved, I'll be very interested in seeing them.
GrantComment
-
Re: Knoch Door panel fit, frustraion, Rant.
BTW, a second thought comes to mind about these panels. Notwithstanding Joe Lucia's adage about cheap tooling=poor parts, I recall seeing an Al Knoch site/story somewhere showing Corvette doors used to test fit their panels. No way the CA panels I have could have passed any such test...
GrantComment
-
Re: Knoch Door panel fit, frustraion, Rant.
Installed a Corvette America '65 set of door panels recently, no drama. They fit and look good.
One of the panels (white) had dirt on the inside of the plastic/packaging and on the panel. They replaced it without question.Comment
-
Re: Knoch Door panel fit, frustraion, Rant.
I replaced my 65 convertible panels with CA panels 4 years ago. Same problems others have stated. In fact I have never installed the lock knobs because they fit so poorly.
I have removed them a couple of times to try to move the lock mechanism and it would have to move 1/4 inch to allow the knob to fit in the recess in the panel.
I keep thinking I will find a good set of used originals, but haven't yet.
George
36908Comment
-
Re: Knoch Door panel fit, frustraion, Rant.
So, for those of us that are needing a set of door panels for our restoration, would it make more sense to RESTORE the originals?
On mine, the metal trim piece that goes over the arm rest has separated from the arm rest, and there is some wear on the panel itself from arms resting on them.Chris Enstrom
North Central Chapter Judging Chairman
1967 Rally Red convertible, 327/350, 4 speed, Duntov @ Hampton in 2013, Founders @ KC in 2014, family owned since 1973
2011 Z06, red/redComment
-
Re: Knoch Door panel fit, frustraion, Rant.
Tried my old crusty door panels and they fit perfect. Talked to Al Knoch at Bloomington and he advised me to send them back. Not sure if that will help. I will probably try to have these cracked up old door panels repaired locally just in case.
DGComment
-
Re: Knoch Door panel fit, frustraion, Rant.
Chris,
If yours are restorable I would go for it, mine were pretty beat up so I didn't see any choice.
Keep in mind as I posted, my repos were purchased 4 or 5 years ago, so someone may have better fitting ones now.
You might want to measure the distance from the center of the vent window hole, to the center of the lock knob hole and ask the vendors to do the same.
Please post up the results, if someone has that dimension figured out right. the rest of the panel is pretty good.
Thank you,
GeorgeComment
Comment