door panels

[TerryH]

Hi guys..I have a 69 bonneville convertable in need of interior work and a couple of places I went cannot do my door panels mainly because they are molded .I seen where I can get the door panel but are black and can get them dyed.My question is will a 4 door  panel fit my convertible?  thanks

[Frosty]

I hate to sound like a broken record, but the '69 B-C cars have a lot of one-year wonder parts on them. Gas tanks, interior parts, etc. It's a shame but that is the sad reality. 

Typically a 4-door front driver door is smaller than a 2-door front driver door to accommodate the size of the rear passenger (as the overall wheel base length of the car seldom changes between a 4-door and a 2-door), so I would not expect them to be the same size. Also, a 2-door door is often longer to allow passengers easier access to the back seat.

[TerryH]

Thanks Frosty just hoping iy would fit.Always thought a convertable was a longer car. 

[Frosty]

Overall vehicle length doesn't really change. However door and quarter panel length does change between the 2-door and 4-door models, and that is the problem.

The best suggestion I can give you is the most expensive one. If you need interior panel work done, have a reputable automotive interior shop near you make some new custom panels.

I know it's not cheap, but unless you want to call virtually every vintage GM salvage yard from east coast to west coast, scrounge thru eBay, Craigslist and Kijiji (Canada) looking for possible used panels (in good condition), it's about your only option. Also a custom interior is pretty cool, depending on what you decide to do (and not do).

How bad are your original panels?

Edited November 27, 2019 by Frosty

[TerryH]

Hi Frosty that is basically what I thought.Just to look around and find someone to do it.Last spring went to one even brought him the panel and told if they can't be recovered how going with a custom job and then match the carpet and seats.He had them for around 2 months then told he was to busy.Pretty sure al they do re cover seats and such.So this winter will try a few more people in my area.They are kind of bad mainly the plastic is cracked seats are getting worn.Did find a decent dask pad and going to see about getting it dyed.Have a great Turkey Day.

[Frosty]

HI Terry. A company called Just Dashes will re-do your dash. It ain't cheap though. But it will be an amazing job if it is bad enough and you can't find a replacement or repair it any other way.

I've had some seats re-done for not a ton of money. A whole interior, different story. I guess depending on how bad things are and how shallow your wallet is, are there things you can live with (for now) until you can afford to have it re-done. Can you have the interior done piece meal? A good shop will take the existing seat covers as pattern to make the new covers. Not sure what was up your first shop owner's butt to refuse your job unless he has more work than he can handle (which probably means he's not hungry enough for your business). Two months is a lot of time to set and wait and then refuse. Time to move on to someone else.

Call around, ask questions, talk to local car guys, talk to folks at car shows who have cars with interior work you like and see who they recommend and ask them how much they paid for the work. Car guys are an honest bunch.

[TerryH]

Hi Frosty yea tried Just Dashes last year just for the dash pad it 1500 plus shipping.Have started to look around more and have found a few places that I can talk to them about it.Pretty sure you are right they were hungry enough in March then not so much as they got busy.Yes car guys are pretty nice and honest and most enjoy to help others.

[Frosty]

Hang in there pal. Don't be afraid to find reputable shops outside your local community either. Indoor car show season will be starting soon. The Cincinnati and Detroit Autorama shows will happen in January and late February, respectively. Assuming you can get to one or both shows or other indoor shows in your area, you might be able to find some interior folks at these shows to talk to as well.

Your price from Just Dashes does not surprise me. They are a vendor of last resort in my book. As I said, I knew they were not cheap. However, when no one else re-pops stuff for these unpopular dashes, who else are you going to call ? Definitely not the ghostbusters - LOL! 

I am fortunate that I have found a top notch interior guy near me He's done my convertible top, my seats, and door panels on my convertible, as well as re-done a Recaro seat for my '86 Trans Am. I found him by talking to car guys. I recommend him to all my friends as well.

Once you find "your guy", I am sure you will do the same.

 

According to YELP, these are the top auto upholstery shops (based on limited reviews) in the Cleveland area. Obviously I am not sure if one of them is the shop you took your panel to either.

 

1. DuraMend

(216) 398-9009

9449 Brookpark Rd

Cascade Crossing

 

2. Jason's Custom Trim

(216) 973-8700

745 Marks Rd

 

3. Clover Car Center

(440) 951-2022

35550 Lakeland Blvd

 

[TerryH]

Hi Frosty  hoping your having a good holiday. Did take the panels to Clover and they had them all that time.Have found a couple od of other that I am going to check out.But have found some panels but my question can the molded panels be dyed or even painted??

[Frosty]

Terry - Thank you for the holiday wishes. I hope you have a great one as well.

Yes, they can be painted or dyed. I would recommend cleaning them thoroughly with TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) and water along a red Scotch bright pad. This is to get all the oil, silica (like Armor All), and other contaminants off the panels and very lightly rough up the surface to give the paint or dye some mechanical adhesion (called "tooth"). Wear gloves to prevent getting your fingerprints/oil getting back on the freshly cleaned panels.

SEM makes a good line of dye products in a wide range of OEM colors. They have plastic adhesion promoter too, which I do recommend.

Edited December 30, 2019 by Frosty

[TerryH]

Great thanks Frosty looked at the SEM sight and looks like I can even get a repair kit if I can't find someone that will do it might give it a shot myself over the winter

[Frosty]

Sounds like a plan Terry. I've had really good luck with SEM products so long as you prep the plastic properly.

I will be re-doing some door panel trim on my '94 Roadmaster with SEM dye in the spring. It's getting tougher to find the plastic fit trim for these cars too. Just like your car, no one re-pops parts for these cars. So I have to rely on eBay, Craigslist and junkyards.

[TerryH]

Hey Frosty how ya doing.. having a guy who os going to look at panels.. but was wondering .I am going to put new door strikers on the doors and is there a nut behind or onw that is spot welded so when I un screw them is doesn't fall down and lose them?

[Frosty]

HI Terry. Are you talking about the striker on the fender/B pillar or within the door? Both should be able to be removable.

I can't promise you that when you take things apart that little things won't fall to the bottom of the door. That's what magnets on the end of extensions or screwdrivers are for!

[TerryH]

Hey frosty just an up found some really good panels at Franks Pontiac and then new panel carpet at Ames gonna have a guy dye them along with the dash pad I got ..

[Frosty]

Awesome news bud! Glad to see you are making progress. I just did the Roadmaster panel myself this past weekend.

Here is what I started with. The plastic panel was busted and I spent a year searching eBay and Craigslist for one. Finally had to purchase the whole door panel to get the part I needed.

Here is the major piece I needed - plus I used the simulated wood grain trim that's about the pull strap.

Here is the finished product.

The challenge for me on the Roadmaster was this car is a Roadmaster Limited, so the door panels are not the same as a base Roadmaster. The base Roadmaster is interchangeable with the Chevy Impala - but I couldn't use either. I had to find a Buick Limited or an Estate Wagon for these parts. It was tough. So I appreciate what you are going through with the Bonneville.

I"m glad you found what you needed at Frank's Pontiac Parts. What was your experience with them like?

[TerryH]

They were really good and helpful.I seen them on their site and they said to e-mail for an enlarged pic and sure enough a hrs later got it.They detailed everything right and wrong with them and told me anything can be dyed or painted.Went a head and ordered them and they were sent the same day got them and packaged nice.Have only one small tear aonf the side of one but can fix that with some epoxy 

[Frosty]

That's great news bud. Pictures please!!! Show us your progress when you start getting into it!

[Ringo64]

What Frosty said! We ♥ pics!

[TerryH]

Just took the panels to have the carpet on the bottoms replaced.Surpized how good they came out after being painted.Am now repplace the felt strips but the problem is I can'r lower the window enough.I thought the bolt was the one where it is slotted so loosened and even took it out but the window didn't go any farther..Is a bolt on the botton of the door the one?U tube keeps showing the slotted hole.. 

[Frosty]

Terry I am not quite following your description. What window do you need to lower? Is this to get the old door panel off? Or the new one on?

[TerryH]

door panels are off and waiting to have new carpet put on them so replacing the window felts.. and can't get the window to lower enough to get to the screws.On u tube they keep showing the bolt in the center od the door that is slotted and to just either loosen or take it off and the window will go down farther to get to them.But when I did it wouldn't go any more then waht it did before.I reached inside and there isn't any stop seems like it more of an adjustment slot.Felt around more and can't seem find where it might be located.I figure on U tube they are showing a different door then from a B body ..Looked and yep they are showing a G body.

[Frosty]

Hi Terry - I'm trying to figure out how to upload the pages from my electronic copy of the '72 Fisher Body Service Manual on this. It may or may not be relevant for your '69.

[TerryH]

I tried to feel all over and just can't find it.. have found the stop at the top of the door but not the bottom ..

[Frosty]

There should be a stop at the bottom too. Hopefully I will find an illustration along with the instructions in my body shop manual.