Who has put door skins on their Chevelle, I have no other choice on my drivers side door on my 66, Who sells the Best repros? and what am I getting into?

Frank
66 SS 396

I got one for my 70 from NPD.Looks good has a few waves in it but nothing a good blocking won't fix.Its not that hard.MartinSr has a good description on how to do it on here somewhere just search for it.
Here i was bored http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/Forum3/HTML/005225.html http://www.chevelles.com/forum/Forum3/HTML/005122.html

[This message has been edited by boomhauer (edited 06-22-2002).]

[This message has been edited by boomhauer (edited 06-22-2002).]

My "Basics of Basics" was not in that thread so here it is. I do highly recommend reading that whole thread, some really great inside into the procedure was posted by a number of guys.

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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.

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.



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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

MartinSr you are the best, a very nice description on the door skin install!, I can now attack this with a bit more confidence! My printer has been working a lot on your posts! Thanks again for your posts guys.

Frank
66 SS 396.

Frank I put a pair of goodmark skins on my 70, nice looking skins and they fit and mathced the rest of the car as in the body lines. Ive seen the 66-67 skins from goodmark and they too look nice...Eric

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1970 chevelle
1970 chevelle SS455 not a typo its a buick baby
1949 and 1972 chevy trucks
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/sevt_chevelles

If you don't wanna go through all that hassle, and you're made of money....check this. Got the new NPD catalog this week and they have 66-67 door SHELLS "including the inner structure, not just a skin." $379.95 This is news to me. I didn't know anyone was making complete door shells for Chevelles, although I've seen 'em for first Generation Camaros. I'm now optimistic they'll eventually make 'em for my '68.

Again thanks for the replys, I also saw the complete door shells in new NPD catalog. Big money.

Frank
66 SS 396