What are my options for my doors with lower rust. (76)

[minitrail]

I am in the process of amassing all of the costs that will be associated with building my truck. Thankfully I can save on all of the mechanical issues that it needs but am at the mercy of the body man for the rust it has. I don't want to do it half asses because I know in two years it will start coming undone. I have what looks like the typical rust on the lower corners of each door and I am assuming once opened it will run the whole seam. My next guess is that will be a labor intensive proposition and kind of expensive to have done right. I also know if I buy some used doors there will be a cost there as well and again I will likely have some effort to get them ready as well.

I have read so many mixed reviews on the repops. Happy to take advice from those that have lived through it both on pricing for a proper repair on a rusted door, and any experience with using reproductions (fitment, alignment, body shop time/money spent there). Thanks

[MalibuSSwagon]

If you can get clean original doors from outside the rust belt I would go that route. Reproductions don't fit great and are thin metal.

[bigblock73]

if you love your truck and want the best parts, done right...fine clean GM shells. Hunting for parts is as much fun, if not more, than the build itself. Makes for some great adventures. Make sure you locate 73-76 doors, since 77 up are different.

[liftlawssuck]

I second what Bigblock said. The search is half the fun. There is something about it that I can't explain.

I would never put repops on anything. Either new NOS GM or rust free from outside the rust belt. As you can see from my location I have to search for everything as I'm right in the thick of rust. I get so jealous of you guys that your trucks don't rot out in 10 years.

[tucsonjwt]

You can still find doors out here in the pick and pulls but most will have some dings - no rust though. The problem is shipping - it is very expensive. It might cost $75-$100 or more to ship a door across the country. Greyhound will be cheaper but you will have to travel to the nearest big city with a Greyhound pickup station. Of all the sheet metal parts, doors are the one thing that I would want OEM.

[andrewmp6]

You could talk to member 1774btcrew,He lives out in az he finds and sells good used parts and some nos stuff.Shipping might kill you but even if you buy replacement ones your still paying shipping on them.

[minitrail]

Thanks all. Pretty much was my feeling. Unfortunately I don't think I have the time to source out a good replacement set as I need to address the other issues on the truck as well so I can move forward with the build. I will wait to hear what the cost of repair is going to be on the existing doors and go from there. I also never realized I had to find doors only from 73-76 which makes it even harder. The last thing I want to do is buy doors and have them shipped out to me and uncover that they have hidden damage etc. I never realized how hard some parts would be to get for this truck. I guess when I hear 1976 I still think it's like ten years ago. Getting old!! Any ideas of cost or time per door to fix right?

[Cape Codder]

The biggist problem with replacing a door bottom is if there is a pin hole in the weld or the weld gets ground to thin the bubbles appear. I have been using a lot more panel bond lately for rust repair as it seals the panels completly. But then you have clampling issues to get a tight fit and sometimes need to screw panels till the glue kicks and then remove screws and fill holes with epoxy. If the pinch weld at the bottom of the door is rusted on the ends I would do the whole bottom.

[Matt Man]

You have to realize these trucks are getting 40+ years old, these trucks were made to last the warranty period. Even out here in "rust" free California early 80's trucks and back are starting to experience rusty cab corners, rockers, ect... no where near the level of what back east experiences but still rust, and now at a premium price! My opinion is that a truly rust free door from 73-76 is going to be hard to find. It will require some work. I would just fix what you have unless its really bad, a good body man can put new lower skins on and you still retain your gm doors over the crappy china sheetmetal that is thinner and fits even worse.