Door Panel Question Help Please

[audaciousduo]

So I'm down to the short strokes on my 1972 Jimmy restoration and went to throw the door panels on. The only rust free doors I could find were pre 1972. When I went to snap on the plastic moulded door panels the arbors for the window crank and door handle appear too short. Are the internals different on the doors? I do have a nice set of pre 72 door panels but would prefer to use the correct ones. I really don't want to swap out all the regulators and internals. I suppose I could drill and tap the center of the arbors and use the old style handles with the retaining screw. Any insight would be very much appreciated.

[davepl]

Sorry, I can't answer whether or not they changed.

Mine's a 70 but with the steel door panel, then wrapped in the optional vinyl, plus the plastic spacer/grommet, it took a pretty good whack to seat them.

Are you using factor crank handles? I had to modify a set (on a Camaro) because the notch was in the wrong place and it wouldn't seat. If you're using repros, at least try to compare to an original.

Have you tried putting the clips on and whacking it on with a rubber mallet? You don't know if they're too short until you try...

If they are -way- too shallow, is it possible you made an error of some kind installing the regulators if you had them out?

[WIDESIDE72]

The door and window regulator shafts are shorter for 67-71 trucks. GM made them longer in 72 with the introduction of the plastic door handles.

If you still have your old doors, a quick check with a tape measure will show that the 72 splined shafts are longer than 67-71 splined shafts

Option 1 for door panels on pre 72 doors- (Easiest) Run pre 72 panels

option 2 for door panels on pre 72 doors- more time consuming- change pre 72 regualtors to 72 regulators.

[BrianG]

The panels attach a little differntly also. The 67-71 inner panels use a screw at the bottom. There is a "clip-nut" (cage -nut, also called other things) in the door. On the 72 inner pannel, it used those plastic "christmas-tree" retaining clips and there was a hole in the door to accept them. The 67-71 door can be made to accept the 72 inner pannel by removing the nuts and putting holes in the appropriate place. Not that hard to do really. You're biggetst thing would be to replace the regulators like Wideside mentioned. I've read on here that some guys were able to really force a 72 panel over a pre 72 regulator also.

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by BrianG

The panels attach a little differntly also. The 67-71 inner panels use a screw at the bottom. There is a "clip-nut" (cage -nut, also called other things) in the door. On the 72 inner pannel, it used those plastic "christmas-tree" retaining clips and there was a hole in the door to accept them. The 67-71 door can be made to accept the 72 inner pannel by removing the nuts and putting holes in the appropriate place. Not that hard to do really. You're biggetst thing would be to replace the regulators like Wideside mentioned. I've read on here that some guys were able to really force a 72 panel over a pre 72 regulator also.

You can force them on but over time it tears the panel up. I've got two examples of that.

[audaciousduo]

Super Well I guess I'll run the old school steel panels for now as I don't fee like ripping those doors apart again. Thanks for all the help.