Door Skin Replacement Help

[EJL]

I'm getting ready to replace the drivers side door skin on my 70 Coronet and I'm curious of the best method. I've seen videos of this done with the door off the car, but others have told me it's best to do it with the door mounted on the car to ensure body lines match up with quarter.

I haven't removed the original skin yet to see how much play is between the inner door frame and the new skin. If there is significant clearance between the two I guess this is why one would want it mounted to the car. Having the inner mounted to the car makes me think it would create ergo issues with doing the attachment work.

Please offer any advice you may have. Thanks in advance.

 

['73bird]

I have always seen it done off car. You adjust the location of the hinges and such to match body lines.

 

[Pistol Pete]

It depends on how you plan to secure the skin to the frame. If you're going to plug weld it, there is a bit of adjustment to be had in regards to the skin moving around on the frame. If you're going to use panel bond adhesive, you have a limited amount of time and taking time to mount the door and deciding where you want the skin to stay eats into that. If the adhesive sets up before you have it where you want it, well, you'll wish you had bought a new door.

I prefer to do them off of the car and plug weld the edges. If you take a DA with 80 grit to the edge before you start folding them over, it goes a little easier. Just don't go nuts and thin the metal out too much, you're just looking to skin it slightly in order to define the fold better.

Also, one of these will help you.
http://www.tptools.com/Rubber-Heel-Dolly,927.html

Try not to kill it with the hammer otherwise you'll end up with a whole bunch of flat spots on a curved edge.

 

[EJL]

I prefer to do them off of the car and plug weld the edges.

How many plug welds do you make? I'm assuming you are drilling small holes on the fold over and welding through to the frame, right?

 

[Pistol Pete]

Every couple of inches. Bear in mind they're small holes because of the small lip you're dealing with. You don't want to build a lot of heat either, which will just create more hammer and dolly work for you.

After the welds are done and dressed, I like to stand the door on end, brush a heavy coat of epoxy primer where the fold contacts the frame so that it "floods the seam" with epoxy and give it a quick wipe with a reducer soaked rag to remove the excess from the outside. Let it set up, flip the door on the other end and do the same and again for the bottom. This will seal it from the elements quite well.

 

[Dreamcatcher]

There is a tool that works well stecks I thing is the maker. Autobody tool mart sells them. They remove the skin as well as crimp the new one. Haven't used one but have seen one used. Seemed to work well.

 

[EJL]

Just looked it up, Steck Skin Zipper. Looks like a slick tool for this job.

 

[eldubb440]

ok....... thank me later

do the job off the car, but do not tack weld anything, just fold the lips over and dolly them nice.
they do make a tool that works in an air chisel that neatly folds the lips, works great, but not necessary.

hang the door on the car, it will easily "flex" a couple different ways because it isn't yet welded. Flex it to its happiest spot and tack it there in a couple different spots. It will stay....... once happy, you can finish tacking every few inches

failure to follow this will result in you trying to "bend" your door into the proper shape because one of your corners is sticking out.......... you will curse and pull your hair out

 

[malex]

I've done quite a few skin replacements. I do them off the car. I use lead on the bottom side as a dolly because it's soft when folding the lip over. An old bodyman showed me that trick. Before welding though I recommend you mount the door to the car. That way you'll be able to twist the door around to match the quarter and then without it moving do a tach and check it. If you weld it up beforehand it likely will not line up and you likely won't be able to twist it into shape cause the welds are holding it. Good luck.

 

[moparpoor]

I've been a collision tech 27 years. I still swing a hammer to put skins on. It's still in my opinion the best option for the experienced. You have full control. Best tool are a cheap hockey puck for a dolley and two nice hammers. I use a curved skinning hammer and a finishing hammer for touch ups. Please don't tack weld anything. This is 2016 glue it on with 3M 8116. Has a long work time and is an epoxy which is naturally a rust inhibitor. You must remove the door to do it correctly period. Fit the door after the skin is installed and make adjustments. You can fit the door and skin before rolling the hem flanged to adjust alignment. I'm going to tell you with any old mopar you will be making some adjustments no matter how much time you spend fitting it. Cars of that era are just to sloppy to fit well enough without some fudging.

 

[EngineerDoug]

Hello,

I don't mean to hijack the thread but I will be painting some new door shells and wonder about the best way to rustproof the innards. These doors are coated with EDP, which I am told should be scuffed before painting. The problem is all the nooks inside the door that I cannot reach. I can manage to spray these one way or another, but I can't scuff them. What is the best way to coat/spray the interior of the shell?

Thanks!