Lower Door Skin

[scenario]

Has anybody out there ever had to replace a lower door skin on their SVO. Mine are a bit rusty underneath. No holes but I dont like the way they look. I am thinking about replacing them before I have it painted. Is it very difficult. I have a TIG and MIG welder but never did this kind of body work before. I can weld thin stuff successfully but just wondering if this is difficult.

If it is something I need to have a PRO do, what kind of cost could I figure to replace the skn on an SVO door. The only skins I see are the lower part like the lower third of the door. I am guessing it gets welded along the door molding???

[Bob Holmes]

Just go out to the junkyard a pick up a couple of doors. The interior appointments are what make it an SVO, not the door itself. Now its different if you're talking fenders or hatch.

[scenario]

I guess I could look at the JY but I am up in the Northeast and things rust here. I guess I could get lucky.

[Bob Holmes]

Good Point!! I'm in California and can go get something rust free.

[MAPSVO]

I bought two of those lower door skins from one of the vendors either CJ pony or 5.0 resto. I forget. I am working on a 84 Turbo GT. They work pretty well mainly because the joint where it meets the top part of the door is under the moulding. As you know the regular Gt moulding is wide and it hides the seam. a SVO with the thin moulding would be more of a challenge, but still doable. I was real happy with the fit. I have one on but have diverted to another project, but don't anticipate any problems.

[scenario]

Thanks. That was what I was thinking about (the seam under the thin SVO molding). I would guess if it was TIG welded there would not be much of bead where the seam is.

I am not sure if it is a job I would tackle myself. I am NOT worried about the weld, I am more concerned about folding the edge over along bottom and sides. Folding is the way it attaches along bottom and sides....correct???

[MAPSVO]

Yes, folded over. I borrowed a "door skin folding tool" from a friend. I am not sure who makes it. If I can find it I'll take a picture and post it. Also instead of tack welding the skin on the door I used some of that structrual epoxy adhesive that they put quarter panels on with and glued the sucker to the door on the front side, that stuff sticks like death. I think with no heat spots from tack welding I will be better off in the corrosion dept. in the long run.

At the top seam I left a small gap between the lower skin and the upper part and stitch welded it for about 1 inch and skipped a inch. I used a MIG welder, a TIG would probably enable you to weld solid along that seam. I am using seam sealer on the inside to close the open gaps and then covering the whole thing with the moulding. A SVO would be quite a bit harder to do the seam I bet.

The lower skin is made of thicker metal than the original, and was not painted/treated, it is bare metal.

For me the folding over was the easy part and the seam was the hard part. That tool made it easier. I'll look for that, but I might have returned it, stand by.

[dagenham]

You can buy the door skin tools a lot of places. Check with Eastwood, I am positive they have them.

[MAPSVO]

Not sure where this came from, but it works well.