Who makes the best deluxe interior door panels?
Just installed a set of TMI deluxe door panels and a NOS driver side arm rest and was very happy with how it turned out.
Two items to be aware when installing are follows:
1.) If you are using new shield, they are slightly larger than originals. Be sure to fit and trim down as required. as they will show at the front of the door
2.) BE SURE to relieve the door panel backer board at the washer head Phillips screws that hold window mechanism. There is one screw on each door
panel that is in direct alignment with the top of the door panel. If the backer board on the door panel is not relieved / ground for clearance, the door
panel will be pushed out about a 1/16". See photos.
Other than that, I'm very happy with the quality of the deluxe door panels.
Don
gt350bp
I have installed on my driver door a new panel from Distinctive Industries. This panel is made such that the nut for the remote mirror can not be screwed all the way onto the controller with the metal backing plate installed on the back side of the door panel. As a result the wand hits the nut and the assembly doe not operate properly. The attached photo shows the exposed threads.
Do you have this problem with the TMI panels?
I thought that this is a good place to mention that the repro panels are typically the only alternative so make the best of it. The vast majority of NOS panels I have ever seen had the chrome plastic trim detail degrading. Unfortunately trim that the chrome is degrading will not pass scrutiny even though original and NOS.
Possible manufactures are
(1) Scott Drake,
(2) TMI,
(3) Distinctive Industries
RSOHC
Does not look like a correct mirror bezel to me. My bezel is rounded with indentations that I assume are used to help grip and tighten onto the threaded portion in the door. No issues with my mirror operation.
Bought the TMI panels from NPD and I think they look good. Hope the chrome hold up half as well as the originals did!
Don
gt350bp
Here are some photos of the parts
My old door panel has a punched hole for the assembly and the nut can be fully tightened without any issues
Attached is photo of the bezel on my car. It is a July 23rd 1968 build date. Not sure if there are differences on 1967 to early / late 1968's? Hopefully one of the experts I depend on will advise.
You probably will need to increase the size of the mirror hole in the door panel backer board to allow the bezel to fit better.
Don
gt350bp
Is your bezel on reversed? The Scott Drake repo mirrors have a chrome bezel w/o any ribs and I believe the mirror knob fits into the tapered side of the bezel.
Don
gt350bp
I bought the reproduction nut from West Coast Cougar. Here are the words they have written about this part.
"Replaces the original Ford part that features a # C7SB-17B732-A casting number. Basically correct for 1967 but works just as well on 1968 mirrors. These nuts are are not 100% correct for a 67 or 68, kind of a mixture of both.Very nice chrome quality at a reasonable price.
*NOTE* While our mirror nut removal tool work / fit perfectly with the original mirror nuts, you will find the tool will need to be filed a little to fit this reproduction nut properly. We still highly suggest you purchase our mirror nut tool as the originals are often very difficult to remove and damage to your door panel will often be a result of trying to remove the nut with the wrong tool."
The nut with backing plate work just fine with the old door panel.
Photo 2388 shows the back side of the old door panel with the metal backing plate.
Photo 2385 shows the old door panel with the reproduction nut and backing plate installed.
Photo 2382 shows the punched hole in the old door panel and the reproduction nut.
Tomorrow I will take the new door panel off the car and measure the size of the hole and enlarge it if necessary. I did increase the diameter of the hole before the new door panel was installed.
I think it looks pretty good from what I can tell from the photos! Might just need to remove a bit of the backer board slightly smaller than the bezel to allow the threads to grab and gain a bit more clearance for the adjusting knob?
Good luck and keep us posted.
Don
gt350bp
I have removed my new door panel from the car and found it to have a thickness of 0.250 inches.
The old door panel measures 0.180 inches.
The difference in thickness of 0.070 inches is roughly equivalent to the number of threads that are not engaged when using the new door panel.
I have ordered a set of TMI door panels.
We have probably installed 2-3 dozen sets of reproduction 68 door panels. While they are not perfect there are a few tips to make them better. As mentioned can be relieved around door pull wafer screw for better fit. On the mirror nut relieve a little of the backer so metal washer fits flush with panel. Above all make sure your clips are lined up straight and true. Any angle will telegraph to outside surface.
One last thing if using repo door handles check fit before installing door panel to confirm top of handle is horizontal and not pointing up or down as the spline clocking is slightly off on repos.
The TMI door panels have arrived and measure 0.250 inches in thickness. I have ordered a pair of Scott Drake door panels to see it they are thinner.
slightly off topic. My original panels are mint except the chrome trim has peeled. Any ideas how to solve this issue? I want to use them but it is an eye sore. Thanks
Quote from: hurlbird on January 07, 2021, 07:11:26 AM
slightly off topic. My original panels are mint except the chrome trim has peeled. Any ideas how to solve this issue? I want to use them but it is an eye sore. Thanks
Im in the same boat.I stripped the old chrome off with fine steel wool and bought a liquid chrome pen, figured i had nothing to lose by giving it a shot but havn't got around to putting the "chrome" on yet.
Quote from: hurlbird on January 07, 2021, 07:11:26 AM
slightly off topic. My original panels are mint except the chrome trim has peeled. Any ideas how to solve this issue? I want to use them but it is an eye sore. Thanks
It depends on your expectations. If you want them to look similar to new then different panels. If you do not have that high of expectations then you might try some of the chrome paint products that do not rub off. I wish that there was a easy button for this but no such luck that I am aware of.
thanks i was hoping someone has a trick. ill try paint and go from there.
Here is a summary of thicknesses for the door panels I have received.
(1) Original in car is 0.180 inches
(2) Distinctive Industries dated Aug 2011 is 0.250 inches
(3) Recent TMI is 0.225 inches
(4) Recent Distinctive Industries 0.210 inches
For the recent Distinctive Industries piece, it is noted that there is an indention in the upholstery forward of the area where the adjuster hole for the remote mirror is located.
I am installing my original door panel since it is the only door panel that allows the remote for the mirror to operate correctly.
It seems like relieving the backer board .060" to .070" at the mirror will get you the additional threads for the bezel as well as clearance for mirror operation. I really like the TMI panels that I installed and believe they are MCA approved.
Don
gt350bp
Quote from: gt350bp on March 21, 2021, 07:50:07 PM
It seems like relieving the backer board .060" to .070" at the mirror will get you the additional threads for the bezel as well as clearance for mirror operation. I really like the TMI panels that I installed and believe they are MCA approved.
Don
gt350bp
FYI MCA hasn't approved restoration parts for more then a decade .
Did not realize that!
I guess I should say that the NPD deluxe door panels had been MCA approved. Checked back on their 2001 catalog and it shows them as MCA Approved.
I personally like the heavier backer board, as some of the thinner backers allow the clips to read at the upholstery and pull through when trying to remove. A little bit of Exacto knife and Dremel tool work can get the desired results.
Just installed a set on my 68 and they look great. Exacto knife to trim the hole for the remote mirror knob and presto fantastic looking doors. So some will be left with the question do I keep the dreary , crappy originals because they are only original once pieces, or change them out to match their great looking cars? No one will know or ask questions or pull out a set of micrometers and test the thickness. If you are going for concourse trophys then you know what to do, good luck on what ever choice you make. NPD panels are beautifull!
Here is a photo showing the indentation in the upholstery near the location for the remote mirror adjuster.