Tips Needed: Saving my doors

[Gumby'sC20]

As the title states, I need to save my doors on my 71 and stop the rust from its usual routine.

And seeing how the truck unfortunately spends it's days trapped with me inside of NYS...she needs all the rust fixed before the snow falls, meaning I need to start now.


Currently:

> the Rightside door bottom is still intact but is rusting along the bottom of the door skin and is quite rusty at the lower front corner of the door near the wheel well. I'm afraid that corner contains rust on the inside of the door itself.

> the leftside door bottom is rusted through and will be cut out and replaced with new sheet. The bottom edges and front lower corner is also rusted just like the Right.

I'd rather put some effort into these doors now and possibly put money into obtaining 'desert' doors at a later date. Any tips on what I can do now and what I can use to stop this rust?

[John Fabris]

For the sake of doing mininmal work to these doors for the purpose of just to get you by until you get new doors, take a good wire brush and scrub inside to knock off any scale, and then use a brush and something like POR15 or RustMort and coat the rusty areas inside the doors. Also make sure along the bottom of the doors that the small drain vents are open (to allow rain water to drain from the doors.
On out side of doors, clean area with grease remover, sand rusty area to remove surface rust, clean again and spray with a rust prohibiting primer. Then start looking for new doors.

[msgross]

You could reskin the entire outside and while it's opened clean and coat the inside... would require some welding but minimal bondo in the end.

[mclairmo]

Originally Posted by John Fabris

For the sake of doing mininmal work to these doors for the purpose of just to get you by until you get new doors, take a good wire brush and scrub inside to knock off any scale, and then use a brush and something like POR15 or RustMort and coat the rusty areas inside the doors. Also make sure along the bottom of the doors that the small drain vents are open (to allow rain water to drain from the doors.
On out side of doors, clean area with grease remover, sand rusty area to remove surface rust, clean again and spray with a rust prohibiting primer. Then start looking for new doors.

I agree. Yoo need to coat the insides and outsides with something that will stop the rust you do have and prevent more rust from forming. Most people swear by POR15.

[Gumby'sC20]

I'm looking at the Goodmark doors, 300 a piece isn't too bad. Might go that route in the future.

I would reskin but the sheet they use for those are a thinner metal and wouldn't hold up like OEM.

[msgross]

I wouldn't buy the aftermarket doors, same sheetmetal as the skins and the upper hoops don't fit right.

You can find doors but it will cost.. you should have come to carlisle truck show, doors for $100-$200 fairly rust free.

or become a site supporter ($25/year) and post a WTB want to buy ad for some good doors.

Here is a link for the skins from one of our vendors... http://www.tri-proautomotive.com/ser...2C-door/Detail

[Gumby'sC20]

those skins are looking quite appealing. Quite cost effective too and would take car of most all the rust on my doors. I would still need to fab up some new metal for the door bottoms but that's no biggie.

[mclairmo]

I can buy rust free doors out here in SoCal with no speaker holes for about $100 each. Even less with speaker holes, like $60. Maybe buy one out here and have it shipped by Greyhound? May cost a liitle more but will save you hours of grinding and welding.

[Gumby'sC20]

Originally Posted by mclairmo

I can buy rust free doors out here in SoCal with no speaker holes for about $100 each. Even less with speaker holes, like $60. Maybe buy one out here and have it shipped by Greyhound? May cost a liitle more but will save you hours of grinding and welding.

If you come across anything send me a PM. I'll get the funding together and make it happen.

[mclairmo]

Originally Posted by Gumby'sC20

If you come across anything send me a PM. I'll get the funding together and make it happen.

I buy used parts from Jen and Jeremiah with Kingstrucks in Escondido. They have an Ebay auction going on now, 270439771217. I recently saw them advertsing many doors on CL here in SD for about $20 each, but with speaker holes in them. I bought a perfect door from them for $100. Check out www.KingsTrucks.com. They also go by J & J Auto Parts. Really good honest people that know their trucks. Not sure if any one here has used them before or if they are board members at all. They are a small husband and wife team that loves these trucks. They ship parts all the time, like tailgates, etc. SO, they can handle shipping a door to you.

[Gumby'sC20]

Great info Mclairmo! I will be sure to ring them up and see what we can do