Hi everyone, I have a few bubble's on my door panels and looking at a Chevelle catalog, I saw door skins. What are door skins?I know nothing about auto body work, please tell me what I should do in this situation.
I have a 1972 Chevelle Malibu Convertible.
Thanks..........qqnick :confused:

qqnick, a door skin is the outer sheet of metal that you see on the outside when the door is shut. It is a single sheet of metal with lips about that are about 7/16 inch folded on the front, rear, and bottom of the skin. These lips are folded at a 90 degree angle to the skin. You attach the skin first removing the skin that is on the door and then laying this new skin over the shell that is left after removing the skin. That lip I mentioned is then bent over the edge of the shell and flattened out. If you go out to your car and open the door you will see this lip that is on the edge of the door. It is folded over and then sealed.

Is it easy? to some it is very easy, even first timers. But I have to tell you, there are many seasoned bodymen that have a heck of a time with them. Below you will see my "Basics of Basics" on door skins. If you feel this is something you can do, go for it.

Just because there is some flaws in the door doesn't mean you need to replace the skin. Many things including rust (which is what those bubbles sound like) are easier to fix than replacing the skin. But if it requires a lot of work, the skin is a great way to go.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>First off, to remove the old skin, take a grinder and grind the edge door where the skin folds around onto the door shell. On the spot welds you can drill them or grind them, sometimes both. By grind I mean a die grinder with a cut off wheel, just set the spinning wheel on the weld moving it back and forth till yo have cut though eliminating the weld.
As preparation, sand with 120 grit on a DA the OUTER edge of the fold in the new skin a LITTLE bit so it will "want" to fold easier.
If you don’t plan on bonding the skin on, I highly recommend it. It is a corrosion fighter like non other. With the door sitting on it's back (the interior side down) clean the edge where the panel will bond with an abrasive disc to bare metal. Don't use a grinder, it removes metal. Then you will put a small ribbon of panel adheasive, NOT door skin adheasive but the Panel adheasive, it has a higher strength and longer working time. Spread out the adheasive with a plastic spreader so ALL the bare metal is covered. Then apply another thin ribbon on the inside edge of shell where it folds down towards the interior.
I don't know what primer you will find on the new skin, if you can be assured it is good quality and has bonded well, leave it. If it is questionable, then sand it out and apply a good epoxy primer.
After you have a good primer (or left alone) you need to simply scuff it with a red scuff pad down in the area that will be bonding. And believe me DON'T over do it with the bonding! It WILL go around the other side of the fold without even trying and get on your dolly and hammer!
Lay the skin down on the door and position it. Clamp it down at the top where you won't mess up the outer skin. I used a rubber dolly, if you don't have one take a flat dolly and tape a rag or something on it to provide a little cush. Hold the dolly on the top surface right over where you are going to fold the lip, strike up on the fold with your hammer while pushing down on the dolly, strike it at an angle so the metal "wants" to hold and NOT lift the skin off the door.
THE TRICK!...... Don't fold it very much at a time, I mean VERY LITTLE, about an 1/8" MAX, maybe even 1/16". Go around the WHOLE door before folding more. Go around and around untill you have it folded down almost flat, about 1/16" from touching.
Turn the door over, being particularly carefull not to rest the door in a way that will bend your new skin! Now strike down with the hammer while you are still supporting with the dolly to close up the fold a bit more.
ANOTHER TIP!....DON'T smash it down!!!! Two reasons, one you will distort the outside and two you need to leave the bonding in there for it to work.
STILL ANOTHER TIP!.... Use a number of hammers that closely match the shape of the door, if you are in the rounded area at the top of the door, use a domed hammer.

After all folding is done, fine tune the edge so that there are no high or low spots. You can run a vexin file over these areas to spot highs and lows and cut a LITTLE if you need off of high spots. Then using a DA on grinder mode with a 120 disc you "block" the panel around the edge to perfection.

You can spray a weld thru primer on a couple of inches or so at the corners so you can then weld there and not burn the adheasive. But be ready to trial fit the door and twist it if need be be for your weld it. You should always tril fit the door before the adheasive cures and “massage” the door to fit well then weld the corners on the back side so the door can’t twist while the adhesive cures.


If you have any fears of not being able to get the door skin on and folded in the working time of the adhesive, don’t use it! Just go ahead and prime all the hidden areas and after the skin is on, put a seam sealer on the folded seam and spray a cavity wax or underseal around the seam from the inside.


Read the recommendations on the adhesive you are using, some want the metal bare while other want it to be primed, read the tech sheets.

Martinsr, thank you for the expert description
on door shins. It sure looks and sounds like a lot of work. I'm planning to drive my 72 until the rust, bubbles or whatever it is, either fall out or break away....then, I will look into skins
or replacement doors. thanks again.......qqnick

I just bought a new passenger side skin for $119! The very cheapest I've seen them. The name of the place exscapes me, it will be here tuesday and new door.

If you have small dent and such, it would be better to fix what you have. In my situation, the top front part of the door on my 69 was hit pretty bad and has lots of bondo so the body line looks horrible. In this sitiuation, I think it's best to replace.