Technical Modifying sedan door to coupe

I have not been able to find a driver side door for my ‘52 Buick Special coupe, even though ‘51-‘53 coupe and convertible fit. Anyway. I may have access to a decent sedan door. What would be the best approach, cut the window frame out and work the vent window and main window frames in from the coupe door? Or another option? The bottom of the door on the car is rotted away. The doors measure the same front to rear.

 

why can't you replace the rotted parts?...miller

 

I figure there would be less trouble to work the small areas of the top of the door rather than welds all the way around the lower half of the door with probable warping of the skin. And the trim at the belt line would hide any flaws.

 

JMHO, but replacing the lower portion would be the way I would do the job. HRP

 

replace the lower section..measure twice , cut , join , weld slowly , grind with cutoff wheels to keep the heat down

 

Usually window frames are welded to the door frames in several locations. By the time you get the window frames out of both doors, you could have repaired the bottom of the door. By the time you get the "new" window frame welded back into the door and get the windows to function, you certainly would have wished you would have just replaced the bottom of the door.

Its easier to keep the warpage down on the outside skin if the inner door panel is not there. Weld the outside door skin on with a series of spot welds spread out across the entire width, moving around as you sport weld. The inside of the door is usually covered with a door panel, so a little warp on the inside isn't a critical as warp on the outside skin.

 

I would definitely fix the hardtop door, they're a lot different once you really dig into them. If you can get your hands on the sedan door and it's really solid, you could probably use the bottom of the sedan door to fix the hardtop door. But the whole inner panel that the regulator bolts to and the entire top of the hardtop door are different, so either way you'd end up doing a lot of welding and you'll have a seam all the way across the skin, only at the top instead of the bottom.

 

That’s what I figured. I assumed that I would probably be better off with cutting the lower section from the sedan door, if it’s solid, but had hoped there would be less hassle to cut the window frame off and work the top leading and rear edges, then swap the window frames in. Especially since the stainless would cover most of the top of the door.

 

PM me . I can fix your door. I just finished my step sons 65 F100 door. Looked just about like yours.