The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop What's the best way to fix this damaged door?

Hello!

At some point in time, someone bent the leading front edge of the driver's side door of my '59 apache (see link below).

They tried to straighten it with some kind of a hammer, doing even more damage to the door.

Unfortunately, this door is also somewhat rotted along the bottom, not the outer door skin, but along the bottom of the door shell, and the back corner has been bent out a bit.

What's the best way to fix this type of damage, or am I just better off biting the bullet and finding another door?

I've done some work with a dolly and hammer, and it come out pretty good, and I have a mig welder that I used to put on new cab corners, so I'm not afraid to cut some metal.

Thanks...

Chris

http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac248/barsteel/100_0090.jpg

can't really tell much from that pic, but it's possible they were trying to compensate for a mal-adjusted door that had the leading edge catching on the fender [common problem], headache will be fixing 3 layers there as that's a pinch flange - with the multiple problems you describe it might be easier to find a better door [if you can], but with time and patience yours would be repairable - make sure when you re-fit the door that the leading edge is just slightly inboard of the fender

Bill

We had really good luck with fiberglass mat and resin on a door that was rusted through at the bottom.

The gap between door and fender looks awfully tight! That is the major cause of catching a door.
If you can't find a better door, that looks reasonably repairable to me. I would remove the door and put it on a stand. Then, make a template of the fender's curve to match your door up as you hammer and dolly it. Rough it in, get the curve right, then cut out the bottom rotten part. Make a template for that area out of cardboard and then transfer to metal. Make your bends over a rounded corner to mimick the soft bends of the original.
Good luck - post picks!

The trouble with fiberglass is that it has different expansion rates than steel. Any variations in hot and cold temps in your location will tend to overcome the adhesion properties of the resin where the repair is a short lived one. You have many options, from making your own patches for the inner door, to reproduction patches, to a completely new door. I don't know what your fabrication skills are, but these threads may give some insight into inner door repairs that may be similar to what you have there. Even though they are of car parts, the process should be the same as that of the pickup truck. If fabricating your own repairs, sometimes it is easier to break down the repairs into more manageable pieces (easier to make that way) and then welding them together:

Inner door repair

Door skins

Inner tailgate repair

Regarding the repair of the outer skin, you may find it easier to remove either the front fender or remove the door from the truck to allow better access to the front flange for repairs. Make a profile template matched to the good door to have a better gauge of where the highs/lows are for more accurate metal bumping.


*edit* Hey Ed...looks like we were typing at the same time!

That...or you're copying me!

I don't know how bad the rust is on the inside, but the damage in the photo is easily repairable. I have rust inside on both my doors & bought the inner lower panel from American Classic Truck, just haven't had time to weld it on.