It is my first time reskining a door on my 34' ford p/u and didn't know if anyone had any tips. Let me know!
I know they make a few tools for that, eastwoods etc. They have a flat plier looking pc to flatten the panel to the body, and I think there is another tool to rap it over http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=506&itemType=CATEGORYr If that doesnt work just go to eastwoods, they have a air power and manual, otherwise check autobody tool mart. Cant tell you how to use them though
Hey, First off, are we talkin' a full reskin, or a 1/3th patch panel? If a full reskin, inspect the door shell first and repair any damage to it prior to removal of the old skin. If the replacement panel contains a character line at the top, and the old line on the original door is in good shape I'd drop below this line one inch and use this as my upper cut line. Grind or drill out the spot welds that hold the old door skin to the old shell. Clean up the flange around the shell, and shoot some weld-through primer on the flange where the old welds were. Measure down one inch from your replacement skin's character line, and cut the area off the panel. Now fit the skin to the door shell and align it to the shell butting to the upper cut line. Clamp and tack the skin to the flange area at the top edges. Inspect the skin to shell fit-up, it should be straight and in contact all around the door shell. Usually the best place to work on a door is over a metal trash can that has a tire balanced on its rim. The tire will absorb any shock caused by hitting the metal on the door while reskinning it, and prevent any damage from being transfered to the door skin. Clamp the skin to the shell in two or three places being careful not to damage the skin with the clamps. Usually a couple of paint sturring sticks, between the clamp jaws and the skin will prevent damage. A large toe dolly and a wide faced bumping hammer are the tools used to roll the flange of the replacement skin over the door shell. You don't need any silly rachet driven toy/tool to make this happen! Start at your left at the upper area at the tack you made at the character line, and holding the dolly on the outside strike the flange with the hammer and roll the flange to a 45, don't close it to a full 90 degrees yet. Go around the shell until you have a full 45 degrees on the flange all around. At this point I like to hang the door in the opening and see if any major adjustment will be necessary prior to bending the flange over to 90 degrees and welding it too the door shell. If your fit is good remove the door and drive the flange home to a full 90 degrees being very careful to avoid damage to the skin. If you are careful, little or no filler should be necessary to cover damage YOU did to the outer surface of the door skin, while hanging the skin. Small tack welds every 6- 10 inches around the door will hold the skin in place. Mud or calk over these to suit the customer. Refinish as necessary. Swankey Devils C.C. "Meanwhile, back aboard The Tainted Pork"
Howell's sheet metal out of Texas. They have an E-bay store, just do a search under 34 Ford truck parts. I had both full heigth door skins delivered to my door for $155. Good pieces at a good price. I might recomend that you hang your door prior to final weld up to ensure that the hinge sde of the jamb on the door didn't tweak out of place, very common especially on the lower hinge.
I'll just add to a couple of points that Pimping made; while working the flange down take your time and don't go too fast. Some guys will use a small block of wood, to back the panel up while using a hammer to tap the flange down. The more patient that you are and better it should turn out. The other thing, hang the door and adjust the skin (to align it with the body lines) before doing any welding. After welding, if you need to move it, you will have some major problems.
Hey Onelow The first thing you should do is make sure those skins are dimensionally correct,that they line up with the original pinch flange (total width), secondly BEFORE you cut off your original skins measure the distance between the bottom of the belt moulding and the top of the lower skin moulding. I am understanding your belt mouling is good so as the other gent suggested put your butt joint three quarter to one inch below. To insure proper skin height measure up from the top of the lower door moulding on the original door to a witness mark (3/4-1 " ) below the belt moulding at the leading and trailing edges. Using a straight edge scribe a line joining the marks. Repeat this on your new skins.Use your original measurement between the mouldings as a reference. Just out of curiousity,are the skins compound curved ?, I noticed they do not have the moulding or reveal on the lower hinge. Hope this helps. Doug Marshall Metal Shaping
Just one thing to add to what everyone has said, when you go to do the final crimping, switch to the lightest hammer you have, and work with the skin outside facing up, it's a little awkward to hammer in this position but it will help eliminate marring the surface. just my $.02
Butting to the raw edge always makes for a better product. You can then planish out the weld with a hammer and dolly. You can't do that on a lap joint.
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