PUI door panels

Mearl

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
I should have asked this long ago, I've probably had these door panels for the 63 for 5 or 6 years. I went to put them on last year so it would have panels at Great Bend and none of the nails matched up with the inserts in the door itself. I tried to move the nails to make some of them line up and they just broke off. They were just glued to the cardboard panel, several of them were broke off in the box. I've thought about gluing some velcro to the panel and the door and I even put chrome screws in a couple of places. I'd like to find a better way to attach them, any ideas?
I've always used PUI before, they used to be the only game in town. I guess Legendary is now supposed to be the best but their prices are scary (not that these weren't).
 

blkblk63ss

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 5
:furious:furiousWell ,I had the same problem with nail not lining up as I got my assembled panel from classic ind, sent my top metal in and they assembled them .As you said they did not line up,so I asked my local upholstery guy and he said they rarely do.once they are covered you are screwed or you ruin the panel.I broke off nail's and gluded Velcro on door and panel and they seem to be holding. I also thought about taking those chrome button's that I saved from old panel's and drill a hole in center and put those button! On end!'s of panel to match the button's that are on door panel already,only one button per row.It would look the same other than seeing a small screw in that button,
Use a very small phillip's head screw to fit button.Yes I tugged and pulled and cussed athe nail's did not line up ,as other's have commented that they will with some force,so I forced them by breaking them off "..........The Velcro is working so I will leave it for now.
 

pvs409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
I had the same glued to the door panel nails on a set of 63 Impala door panels. To my knowledge they are PUI from Classic Industries. The nails were almost all broken and did not line up. They where clips into the panels cardboard in some slots under the panels - cheap method for the correct nails, in my opinion as compared to Cars Inc panels and Ciadella interiors.

I had to fix the panels for a friend. I removed the front and rear panels(they would not stay in place on the doors ). The door panels and RR 1/4 panel pieces would push off the
metal doors and RR 1/4's when the windows were rolled up. The panels should have had full metal edges on them with nails on the metal edges -they Did not .....
I bought the metal edges/with nails from Cars Inc. and had them installed on the panels by a local shop who does interiors who knows how to do them. He had me mark the panels for the nail holes from the doors.
Also the new door and RR 1/4 panel pieces had reproduction top metal rails that did not fit good as compared to original metal top rails. Use your original metal rails not reproduction metal rails they fit better.

I noted that the new SS interior front and back seat had buttons but they were the wrong buttons (a smooth round button) as compared to the chrome "concave" original buttons.
Paul
 

bobs409

 
Administrator
Finally checked mine and they are PUI. I set one up to my door and it appears the nails do all line up. Problem is, some of them broke right off in my fingers! :mad6 I saw something in the nail section at Lowes the other day that might work. It was a nail with a plastic washer on the top. I'll have to go look at them again. If it's what I'm thinking, I can probably just epoxy some of those on.

On another note, I FOUND MY FRONT WINDLACES!!! They had them in with the door panels and I never knew it. 2 pieces of vinyl material too but not sure what that's for. I guess I'll tear that back apart and ditch the ones I made to install these. What's another day wasted.... :mad5 One step forward, two steps back... :tantrum
 

Mearl

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
The rear arm rest covers should be in the kit. They are presewn but you have to glue them on.
 

blkblk63ss

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 5
These are small, probably the fronts. See them here next to the wind lace:

View attachment 40248
I ordered new arm rest's also ,and i got extra material in my kit too to do arm rest's!!!!!:dohI think you mentioned door lock knob bezel's , you could not find, but i did get correct one's from either classic industries or eckler's.
 

bobs409

 
Administrator
Got to thinking.... :ranton WHY are these SO EXPENSIVE??????????????? You would think for that amount of money, they would have the correct buttons, ferrules and no problems with the attaching hardware.

Anyone else think this price is insane? :wacko For that matter, why are Impala parts so much more than those for Chevelles or pick ups? :rantoff

:dunno2
 

bobs409

 
Administrator
I'm just going to do basically what they did. A rectangular piece of sheet metal with a nail epoxied into it. I will do a much better job of epoxying though! I think I will fold the metal over so the head of the nail can't pop out and puncture the vinyl. (OR MY FINGERS@!@#@!) :D

Why is it that I'm so much smarter than everyone else? :taunt :tongue
 

Mearl

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
Got to thinking.... :ranton WHY are these SO EXPENSIVE??????????????? You would think for that amount of money, they would have the correct buttons, ferrules and no problems with the attaching hardware.

Anyone else think this price is insane? :wacko For that matter, why are Impala parts so much more than those for Chevelles or pick ups? :rantoff

:dunno2
Late greats, tri-fives and Corvettes are all more expensive. You can build 3 Camaro's for the price of a 63.
 

real61ss

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 8
Got to thinking.... :ranton WHY are these SO EXPENSIVE??????????????? You would think for that amount of money, they would have the correct buttons, ferrules and no problems with the attaching hardware.

Anyone else think this price is insane? :wacko For that matter, why are Impala parts so much more than those for Chevelles or pick ups? :rantoff

:dunno2

There is a lot of difference in an Impala door panel and a Chevelle door panel, a mid sixties Chevelle door panel was nothing but a small snap in panel, no top rails. Think the Impala stuff is expensive try restoring a Pontiac. I'm sure Dan can verify this if he has ordered his interior. I just finished my 61 Ventura and I have right at 7 grand in the interior. The interior in my 61ss was half that cost. Oh, if you think a Pontiac is expensive, look at the price of Plymouth stuff. The carpet in my 64 Plymouth was over five hundred dollars, that's more than twice any of my other cars. Not saying it's not all over priced but Chevrolet guys are lucky when it comes to restoration costs.
 

Tom Kochtanek

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 12
Tommy:

Please tell that total included the redo of your steering wheel :).

Now I remember why I focused on the drive train and the exterior of my '61 Bonneville and left the interior for last :).

Cheers! TomK
 

blkblk63ss

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 5
Wow, $7,ooo.00 for interior!! Humm ,,,,,,,interior for Pontiac or some lumber for another rental project????:dunno2:dunno2.
 

bobs409

 
Administrator
Here's some pics showing the difference in the buttons. I set one original button on to see how it would look. The repro's are huge!

The green arrows show the repro buttons and the red arrows show the original buttons.

DSCN5502.jpg DSCN5503.jpg

The exact button is used on the seat covers, have the same metal straps to lock in place.
 
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