Anyone know why the panel right under the windows crack?

**JehalinTA** · 01-27-2006, 11:52 AM

I have seen on many other trans ams where the paneling crack in this specific place right under the driver and passengerside window... on both side mine has done it and even on ebay I have seen cars that have the same crack in the same place. Any ideas why?

**YoMommasTA** · 01-28-2006, 07:47 AM

That crack was built into the door panels by gm to prove its a REAL fbody.If you don't have the cracks then you probably have a honda.A little crack never hurt nobody.They all do unfortuneatly.Best to fergit about it.Buying new panels will only waste your money.My momma always says gm cars are like a box of chocolates...never know what you are gonna get.

**TommySS** · 01-29-2006, 04:30 AM

Mine are fine - never seen one w/the problem. Will have to check other guys' cars

**socialdbob** · 01-29-2006, 05:54 PM

my driver side has the same problem... i'm guessing it is cause of the door being so long and it being closed hard... and after time it just cracks. I'm sure cold weather doesn't help it much either

**YoMommasTA** · 01-29-2006, 06:02 PM

i never seen a ta that wasn't cracked

**JehalinTA** · 01-30-2006, 07:37 AM

Well I Wasnt going to buy a new door panel... but I might fill it it with something... it is cracked all the way down to the leather on my driver side. It wasn't that noticable before but now that it got bigger it is.. not a big deal but still.. any ideas on what to fill it with?

**LS1WTA** · 01-30-2006, 01:16 PM

i have a 99 t/a mine are cracked on both driver and passenger side in the same spot.

**gnomee** · 01-30-2006, 01:57 PM

Is there maybe a difference between the leather or cloth interior maybe? Althought I have a 96 t/a with leather and a 98 forumla with cloth and neither are cracked. Guess I got the special chocolate

**LS1Z28** · 01-30-2006, 02:00 PM

It has a lot to do with you guys pushing on the glass to shut the doors.

**TommySS** · 01-30-2006, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by LS1Z28

It has a lot to do with you guys pushing on the glass to shut the doors.

Must be true - I never touch the glass when closing the door.

**LS1Z28** · 01-30-2006, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by TommySS

Must be true - I never touch the glass when closing the door.

That's what GM claims.

**YoMommasTA** · 01-30-2006, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by LS1Z28

That's what GM claims.

next they won't want you to touch the steering wheel to steer the car.....can't touch the glass to close the door

**YoMommasTA** · 01-30-2006, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by LS1Z28

It has a lot to do with you guys pushing on the glass to shut the doors.

what is that F1 camaro all about?

**JehalinTA** · 01-31-2006, 10:07 PM

next they won't want you to touch the steering wheel to steer the car.....can't touch the glass to close the door

Ditto

**MdFormula350** · 02-09-2006, 05:21 PM

my drivers side panel has a crack the car only has 12k miles, who knows what its from, but i plan to take both off and try to do something to support that area better.

**MarkuzLS1** · 02-09-2006, 06:11 PM

Mine's got 'em on both sides.

**TommySS** · 02-09-2006, 08:19 PM

Like I said, I don't touch the glass to close the doors and I don't have any cracks.

You're right that you should be able to close the door any way you want w/o breaking somethin, but that is one big (and heavy) piece of glass. Not having a window "frame" doesn't help either.

If mine do it, I'll get new panels and figure out how to provide extra support.

As an aside...
A long time ago on another planet, the Dodge Mirada had the same problem, but they were splitting on the showroom floor w/no miles on 'em.

**MarkuzLS1** · 02-10-2006, 03:18 PM

My passenger side door sometimes gets closed with the glass (damn stupid passengers), but my drivers side never does. I've got cracks in both of them.

**TommySS** · 02-11-2006, 04:02 AM

Dag. There goes the GM theory...

**Fastcar** · 02-11-2006, 04:23 AM

No cracks in my 2000 T/A yet (84K miles, knock on wood) and I don't push on the glass either to close the door. GM had to come up with some lame ass excuse to cover their cheap construction and poor engineering. I love my car, but I don't think for a second that GM wouldn't try to cut a corner where they thought you might never see it. To reinforce a new panel what if you laid glass cloth or carbon fiber mat on the inside of the door panel sealing it in with resin? Lightweight, you can cut the cloth to shape, just be careful handling the fiberglass material. You can buy fiberglass repair kits with the fabric and resin; just reinforce the high stress area to about 12 inches on either side of the crack area, no need to do the whole panel.