ckathens

Did a search already on this and didn't come up w/ much so please forgive me if this has already been discussed recently..

Next step of my restoration is getting in new door panels - PO had started changing interior from the not-so-attractive brown to the prettier black. I have two black door panels which look nice from the outside but are structurally a little flimsy..... The door panels for the 944's seem flimsy even when new! So what can be done to strengthen these up a bit? My father in law suggested a little epoxy resin... Another post here seemed to suggest that as well.

Also, it seems the armrests/handle are a little loose on the panel - is it wise to take this off and reinforce the area where it screws in with some sort of strengthening compound? I don't want to try to close my door one day and have the armrest/handle rip off.

Suggestions?

Manning

I used resin to repair mine, seems to work fine.

You don't need to reinforce the armrest at all since it actually hangs off the interior of the door, not the door card. If you flip over the door card with the armrest attached you should see a metal tab attached to the backside. This tab hangs the armrest off the door, and 3 more screws secure the actual flat "rest" section to the door itself. Does that make any sense?

ckathens

Thanks for the quick reply! I'll check out the resin and see what I can do... And yes, your bit about the door makes sense -- i haven't taken that close of a look at it so i'm sure you're right... SO what's the basic process with the resin? Apply over the whole back very lightly or put it only one places where it seems most flimsy?

Manning

Only on the flimsy places, which will most likely be along the bottom edge of the door where it usually gets wet. You may want to pull out the staples that hold on the vinyl and pull that back so you can expose more of the card itself. Once the resin has cured you can glue the vinyl back with contact cement instead of trying to use staples. I used a brand called Barge cement that is used for glueing on shoe soles (strong). Just make sure you understand how to use contact cement or the bond won't be secure.

Dan in Pasadena

Maybe I am missing something. The armrests bolt to the door itself through the door panel so there is NO danger of them being "ripped off" as you were concerned.

My door panels are 18 years old (have never been removed) and they are fine, no damamge of any kind. They are screwed directly to a solid metal door.....so what's the concern about "flimsiness"? Handling while they are off the car? Who cares? Once they are installed properly there is no issue that I can think of. Am I missing something? This resin reinforcement idea sounds like work that doesn't neeed to be done. Put your energies into something else that actually is broken of needs restoraton. Again, not flaming just trying to understand what needs doing here.

Manning

On the door panels I am installing (manual window to replace power window) the lower portion is kind of soft from water getting on them and the plastic fasteners that hold the door card panel to the door itself can easily be pulled out. As a result the door card can tend to pop loose and kind of flap around or just kind of hang there loose. By repairing the fiberboard that the cards are made out of with resin there isn't much chance of the plastic fasteners pulling out as easily, thus preventing door panel damage from a loose edge getting caught on something (like my foot).

SoCal Driver

Get six wood screws (the kind used in kitchen cabinet door hinges) and six flat washers that fit them. Think they may be #6 size.

When you take a hard look at the back of the door panels you will see a small hole or two that are directly behind the door arm rest/handle. Go through these holes with the wood screw and flat washer and into the door handle. Three screws each should be enough. Now when you put the door panel on the door arm rest will not be flopping about trying to tear itself out of the panel where the flat metal hook is.

I use an awl to line up the holes for the large screws that hole the arm rest and panel to the door before I use the wood screws.

ckathens

Thanks for the good suggestions guys..... I'll check it all out when I get home tonight and probably post some pics.... And some "after" pics in a week or two when i'm finished.

goingboeing737

I reinforced mine with kind of a paper mache / decoupage. I used strips of newspaper soaked in elmers glue. Applied to all the areas i thought were weak, especially the bottoms and around the holes where the plastic fasteners go. Then gave it a light coat of clear spray laquer to seal them.

Very nice and stiff.

I was going to do the fiberglass/resin thing, but was worried about residual odor.

F18Rep

CK...if you're going to have the panels off and you asked for suggestions, might want to check the weld for the aft window channel. A weak weld turns into a window that won't go up. Naturally, the weld will break when its raining and a hundred miles from home. Its one of several 944 initiation fees - almost a classic problem.



Here is an indicator from the outside of the car...



Oh and dealing with that plastic liner is so much fun...
...Bruce

Manning

I've got that too. Kind of a bummer to discover that weld had cracked and was the cause of the crack on the outside of the door (lower picture). Hasn't kept my window from going up and down yet.

EDIT Gotta say it always makes me laugh when I think about the cracked and rattling door on my car and then see folks comment about the sold bank vault sound the doors on our cars make.

Manning

Elmer's glue? Really?

Not too much in the way of residual smell that I notice with the polyester resin.

inactiveuser92616

as long as the resin has fully cured there is no residual. Might want to heat cure it (hot sun would do for getting the scent out) and then scrub it with some mild solvent.

goingboeing737

Yep,,

I figured the door panel is basically cardboard, so I tried it. Cheap and I had it around the house.

Plus my car is now kind of a time capsule,,,newspaper articles from 2003...I will have to add that to my ebay auction description if I ever sell it