Anyone know differences between early and late door panels???

[1975stepside]

I've got a '75 C10, very base model truck, no headliner etc. I think the door panels were the same on C10's until around 1977, and then got different somehow. I know my door panels don't have any kind of carpet bit at the bottom, or any kind of elastic pouch, and the arm rests are much thicker than the later ones have. But trying to find decent ones the age of my truck is pretty much not happening, so I'm thinking of using later ones, just need to know what the differences are and if they will work on my '75, or how to make 'em work on it. Can you help? Also, - what years will work? I've seen Blazer door panels up into the early 1990's that look very similar.Thanks!

[nivimar]

The only thing I can tell you is ,on my 76 stepside the 82 door panels wo'nt work (vice versa). I have some brand new inner door panel's(BLK from LMC) w/ arm rest's and small amount of damage on the inside I would like to sell.(i'm not sure if I can do that here but

[Kapthowdy69]

Early door panels had bolt on arm rests and later models were molded. Most places have both but it falls on comfort and price for most people.

[Jonboy]

there are three styles of door panels. THe panels from 73-76 are shorter, and fit into the recess of your doors. The window crank stand is shorter on the 73-76 doors.

The inside of the doors was redesigned for 1977, with the availability of power windows for the first time. The power window regulator was longer, and the inside of the doors were redesigned to accomodate this. The door panels are both longer and lower, covering the raised portion that fits up to your 1975 door panel, and covering just about the whole width of the door. The window crank stand is longer, and is used through the rest of the production run.

The third style of door panels is 81-up, and were redesigned when the new aero (for a truck, anyway) style debuted in 1981. The rest of the interior was freshened up accordingly. These door panels are more squared off, just as the outside of the trucks were.

The later door panels will work, but the panels will bow in around the crank handle. you can use self tapping screws at the bottom to hold the panel in place, and the armrest stand will work with the later armrest.