Firebird Door Skin - Reskin Your Door

Temporarily reinstall the door on the car to check for a proper fit and to permanently secure the skin to the frame. Once the door is hung, align it so it closes properly and the gaps line up as they should. The doorskin won't move much, but there will be some play for adjustment. Adjust as you see fit by tapping on the edge of the skin with a block of wood and a small hammer. This slides the skin on the frame.

If you have a vent window, you will want to trial-fit its frame and adjust the frame-to-skin gap. You can use a dial caliper to measure the desired distance. Adjust the gap by either pushing out or pulling the doorframe and skin together. You can use a strap around the door to hold the gap in while you work. The two upper braces on the new skin will overlap the old braces attached to the doorframe. Once the desired gap is held in place, drill a hole and insert a sheetmetal screw in each brace. If you need to make further adjustments, you can drill the top hole bigger, then when you break through, switch to a smaller bit. This allows you to loosen the screws and reposition them. When you're ready, tighten the screws to secure the braces.

Once you're satisfied with the fit, permanently secure the new doorskin to the frame by welding the flange every 4 to 6 inches. Check the door's alignment after every weld to make sure it didn't shift. If you have problems with burning the material even though your welder is set as low as it will go, try increasing your wire-feed speed and weld in short bursts until your tack is a satisfactory size. Keep in mind that the cleaner and flatter the weld is, the less cleanup you will have to do later. Once the welding is complete, use an angle grinder to finish the welds along with a thin bead of seam sealer to keep the rain out. You may now sand and prep for paint as needed.

Reassembling the door is the reverse of disassembly except for one detail. You will need to drill a new hole for the sheetmetal screw that runs between the doorframes, through a hole in the vent window support (if needed), and into the lip of the new doorskin. Once the door has been fully assembled, check for proper alignment. In some cases, the door may sag a little more because of the hardware and glass weight. Adjust your door, and you're ready for final bodywork and paint.