The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Barn doors on panel truck

Hey guy's what do you do with the interior of barn doors? mine are very pinged and dented I plan to beat ot the best I can, but really don't want to pile up with filler to straighten out. I was thinking just leaving dents that I can't get to, it is a cargo truck any how. What do you guy's normaly do with the interior of the doors?

I have seen where the owner cut out the center depressed section and worked the door and then replaced the section with material.

Mine are beat up too .....
I'm making panels out of automotive door panel board; then covering that with
short nap auto carpeting .....

mike

....looks fairly good but still not factory perfect. Thought about doing the "cover them" thing with a little cut out for the access door....but decided against it. They are what they are and it adds to the originality. I did put some sound deadener in the inside to take the tin sound out and help it to ride quieter.

All I have is a new coat of paint. There are still a few dings and deep scratches, won't bother me.

"They are what they are". Would be my answer also.After awhile i may do something with wood as i plan on wood accent around the whole interior. I am sure that in time you will find something that you like.

To return them to original,It may be possible to cut them in "half" around the "jam" , body work it and weld back, grind welds and skim with filler. Cutting them open will allow great access to hammer and dolly them. When cutting things apart, screw on some plates by match drilling plate and part. Drill proper size holes for sheet metal screws or cleco's. Of course mark where the plates go. You will need at least three holes in each plate, two on one side of the intended cut and one on the other side. Then do the cutting and when ready to weld back together, temporarily attach these alignment jigs/plates until tacked well. Warping will not be a factor when welding around the edge as it may be on the flat. Latches and mechanisms will have to be removed but all will fit back exactly by using the alignment method as stated or your alignment idea. The hinge area will be a challange. I am familiar with TF but not AD stuff. Cutting close to the inside edge would be the best. I am not sure if the hinge mating threads piece is only attched to the outer half or also attached to the inner. If it's both, that's a problem with my idea. Anyway just brainstorming. Good luck.

Thank you all for your answers. From all the comments I believe I will just straiten best I can. My goal for now is to keep it a cargo panel truck, and beat up they do get, so it adds to originallity' I like the idea of sound deadner. how in the world do you get it in the inner door with just one access hole?

Through the access hole.

I had to open the interior of the doors to repair fatigue damage to the metal structure where the hinges attach. I'll either make a hardboard panel and cover it with something or I'll use the space for storage by making some type of insert with access doors. The inner support brace in the TF doors has me pondering on it. Plenty left to keep me busy elsewhere.

I work in auto collision, we have a machine that pulls dents out without cutting stuff open to get the dents out. Its a spot pin welder. This is what it looks like, http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-MOTORGU...ools&vxp=mtr&hash=item53e9dac8b3 this pulles the dents out without much trouble.

Good point beast54.

Here is another dent puller. If you can get a puller to raise the metal outwards, a friction disc will help to lower/shrink the high points: such as the Sunchaser, or Wolfe's.

My right rear door on my 38 panel had been dented and welded incorrectly around the lower hinge; as a result, the door would close, but not properly. I figured that the only way to repair the entire thing properly was to remove the doorskin. I was able to do this by buying a doorskin tool/pliers from Eastwood (cost about $20). The process was a bit tedious, but the tool worked well; I had to break about 4 spot welds also. The skin came off relatively easily. With that accomplished, it was pretty easy to hammer and dolly out all the dents, both on the inside and outside panels of the door, and to fix the poorly welded portions. I was also able to repair the area around the hinge properly. The whole process worked better than I had anticipated, and the results are very good. I'm pleased that I had the guts to try it (the prospect was a little scary), and happy with the way it turned out.

Good luck!

Jim