Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

I have an 85 and am a little broke. I need door panels and I have found a nice set off of a 79in the junk yard. Is this swap feasible and has anyone else done it? I figure i would have to switch the interior door handles, is there anything else I am missing and is it basically a bolt out swap.

Thanks
Gregg

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

as far as I know, they are interchangeable.... I'm sure more people will chime in...

I would like to do the opposite, as I just perfer the look of the later model panels

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

the doors are different it wont work

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

oops sorry door panels not the whole door.

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

77-87 doors and panels all interchange with little to no effort at all, the 73-76 stuff is where it gets a little trickier.

You could do that swap in about 15 minutes, it's that easy.

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

..I want to know how to do that I have a blue set on a 83 I'd like to put in my 79 but the door handles are different to my knowledge it isn't so easy....but if you do it post pics please....damn it now you have me wanting to drive to where my 79 is at and check it out.

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

i think your interior handles will be different if I'm not mistaken.

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

Ya thats the problem I ran into was that it looked like a decent amount of surgery to swap them.

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

the PO of my truck (77) put in 81-87 door panels...I don't know what he changed but I can get some pics if you want them...

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

perhaps he changed the doors?

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

Nah they are the original doors...here I'm at home I'll go take some quick pics...I don't know how he changed but maybe you will be able to see how he did...

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

Here are some I just took.....I don't know what to look for to see any modifications but here you go...

Note: I don't know if this is a mod but the bar going from the inside door handle to the latch seems to be bent a little...don't know if that is stock though...

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

There are only 7 screws (9 in 81-up) and 3 bolts. It is that easy. The screws hold the trim panels, and the bolts hold the handles.

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

Ok here is my next question then does anyone have pics of their 79 door handels for the swap? In theory the doors are the same so the handles would bolt in the latches are the same so would you have to swap just the handle out or take the latch rod with it. Number f bolt holes for the panel is easy enough to just re drill, but I want to make sure I get everything I need. The donor is definitly a 79 so there should be minimal problems in theory

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

I changed my 78's handles to 89 but had to use the older rods with the steel clip the 89uses plastic clip requires bigger hole in the latches
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Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

Swapped inner door panels,glass , vents,mirrors ,dash pad ,all from 89 to 78 nothing major,more just time consuming,either inside handle would work
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Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

Guys, this door panel swap is as easy as it gets, all you need are the panels, inside handles, and trim for the inside handles if required.

I have 81 up doors on my 73 with 77-80 panels...lol!

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

the windows regulators are different, one has a short post and the other is long. I know this because when you look for them they are 2 different part numbers and they sold us the wrong one for the 84, it needed the longer and we got the shorter, have to shove the panel in to get the window crank on it.

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

73-76 have the shorter regulator

Again, went thru that on my 73 years ago

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

Those are 81+ handles, which will only work with 81+ panels, same for the 77-80 handles, will only work with 77-80 panels. The bent rod is factory too btw.

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

This is the answer I was looking for lol, I guess Im not making myself clear what I was trying to do all I want to do is take 79 doors, pull the handles and the door panels and swap them to my 85. Not switch the regulators or anything just the door panels and handles that was it, but I think I got the answer I was hoping for now Thanks LOL

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

That's all you have to do.

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

What do you guys do if your plastic/nylon door panel retainers are either gone or buggered up? Pulled my driver's door panel thinking I'll relace it and I have exactly 2 good plastic pieces left over because TPO was a HACK-A-Billy. For the life of me, I can't find replacements for the square retainers and I need like 4... so what do you guys use?

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

Those square retainers were the same from 73-81. They are also on rear doors of Crew cabs and Suburbans. Snatch some from a pick and pull.

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

The rods using the plastic clips i found smaller,then the older rods using metal clips(diameter). I used the older rods with the newer handles no probs
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And the metalclips are used in lots of older cars too

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

Thanks for the suggestion, I guess pic-a-part is the only source for these things then. Kinda makes me wonder though; there are so many vendors selling replacement door panels out there that you're practically tripping over 'em and every one I've called said they don't sell any kind of mounting retainers for the door panels they want you to buy... anything wrong with this picture?

...:waah:

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

this is all I have left to re-mount my driver's door interior trim panel

photos

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

sorry not what i thought

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

lmc does
http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cc/full.aspx?Page=18

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

Thanks guy--- guess I overlooked that one!

Re: Door Panel swap 73-80 vs 81-87
 

Meanwhile, in the year 2020, this thread has convinced me to try mounting an 81-87 door panel in my 77 (which is currently getting parts from multiple donor square bodies, a 71 Nova, and an 09 Cadillac).
I know there's a whole forum dedicated to 73-80 chevy's but THIS is the forum where I've gotten all of my tips from.
Thanks everyone! Pictures to come. :)