door panel

**edrvsqz1980** · 02-07-2010, 05:08 PM

Does anyone know how much a passenger door panel would cost? im gluing mine with jb weld, but i think my crack was to big and it is not going to come out right.l

**neophytal** · 02-07-2010, 05:26 PM

don't think they are too cheap

I was having the cracked door panel problems before I sold, can't believe they would have such poor design.

**justinmc978** · 02-07-2010, 07:55 PM

pay around 50-100 bucks

again craigslist is magical, got two like new panels for $25

**Smokaholik** · 02-07-2010, 08:33 PM

What actually makes them crack? the sun? I'm afraid mine might be starting to crack.

**justinmc978** · 02-07-2010, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by Smokaholik

What actually makes them crack? the sun? I'm afraid mine might be starting to crack.

its a contributer, theres a steel strip that is screwed into the plastic for the windowfelt, as the plastic warps ever so slightly the steel wont give so CRAAACK, uncrewing the steel and letting the plastic go its own way will keep them from cracking forever

**Smokaholik** · 02-07-2010, 08:49 PM

Hmmm... well thats going to require taking off the door panel. dont really wanna do that. think i'll just wait it out. Thx!!!

**99blkWS6** · 02-07-2010, 08:51 PM

Ouch. Sorry to hear that. Luckily I browsed this site very
closely and found the staple misalignment/warping problem
before it was visible.

**justinmc978** · 02-08-2010, 06:12 AM

Originally Posted by Smokaholik

Hmmm... well thats going to require taking off the door panel. dont really wanna do that. think i'll just wait it out. Thx!!!

its really not hard, but just keep your bird in the shade and you wont have to worry about it

**LSCyaL8R** · 02-08-2010, 10:25 AM

heat cycling is the issue here. Mine is a garaged bird and so the sun is pretty much a non issue..... yet once the cold of the winter of 09-10 hit.... CRACK!!! sigh......

**justinmc978** · 02-08-2010, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by LSCyaL8R

heat cycling is the issue here. Mine is a garaged bird and so the sun is pretty much a non issue..... yet once the cold of the winter of 09-10 hit.... CRACK!!! sigh......

wow good to know

**speedyWS6** · 02-08-2010, 10:54 AM

Hi Guys...,

Don't want to teach you all to suck eggs if you already know but this thread
is spot on and a huge help!!

http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86198

Hope it is a help, and taking the door panel off is really not that big a deal.

Trev...

**Smokaholik** · 02-08-2010, 02:45 PM

Sweet!!! Thx Speedy guess i'll suck it up and fix it before it becomes a problem, when it gets a bit warmer of course...

**godless-phoenix** · 02-08-2010, 03:56 PM

you might get lucky on ebay (like me) and find a door panel with no cracks...my passenger side panel was cracked when i bought the car, then i replaced it with the one i got off ebay, then i did the door panel fix on both sides where you take the staples off the weather stripping, and re install the strip with screws in a more relaxed position for the door...its pretty easy, and ive had no cracks or problems with the door panels since...i forgot where i got the instructions to do it, but if you "google" trans am door panel fix, im sure youll find it no problemo...

**gnomee** · 02-08-2010, 05:16 PM

You know I have never had an issue with this crack thing on my 98 or 96. Guess they have been well shaded...

**Cutlass** · 02-08-2010, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by edrvsqz1980

Does anyone know how much a passenger door panel would cost?

Last time I checked, GM still has some (depending on color) but they were $500+

**edrvsqz1980** · 02-09-2010, 07:45 AM

cool, im trying to find a used one that is not crack, but no luck. i have checked ebay, craigslist with no luck. anyone have any recommendations.

**godless-phoenix** · 02-09-2010, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by edrvsqz1980

cool, im trying to find a used one that is not crack, but no luck. i have checked ebay, craigslist with no luck. anyone have any recommendations.

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trk...All-Categories
found sum on ebay...

**tbaum** · 02-11-2010, 09:12 AM

There are many thing that will make our panels crack. The most obvious is sunlight. Other things are racing. This activity results in twisting of the frame thereby producing stress on the interior panels. My Passenger Side panel used to pop off every time I raced. To fix it you can invest in a good plastic welding kit or you can get a set of Pasco plastic filler. I used to run a cart parts warehouse and we used it on out rubber bumper covers. Use it as directed and only your barber will know the difference..LOL

**justinmc978** · 02-11-2010, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by tbaum

There are many thing that will make our panels crack. The most obvious is sunlight. Other things are racing. This activity results in twisting of the frame thereby producing stress on the interior panels. My Passenger Side panel used to pop off every time I raced. To fix it you can invest in a good plastic welding kit or you can get a set of Pasco plastic filler. I used to run a cart parts warehouse and we used it on out rubber bumper covers. Use it as directed and only your barber will know the difference..LOL

really dont think it would make the fiberglass doors flex... and even if it did, it would bend the clips that hold the panel on, but i doubt even that

**LSCyaL8R** · 02-11-2010, 01:42 PM

It's fairly well documented that the problem is heat cycling. The metal vs plastic expansion rates. Hence why mine cracked even though I hadn't driven it in a month and it hadn't seen any snow.... It did see extreme cold in the garage.