Inexpensive fixes for cracked 70's upper door panels ?

[TJ Hopland]

I was driving the 73 yesterday and noticed how bad the upper door panels are getting.  The plastic stuff is so hard and brittle now it just kinda shatters into pieces if you touch it.  The rear ones are actually worse than the doors.   Several years ago I priced out getting them recovered or remade and I don't remember the details but back then it was well outside the budget.   I'm guessing those types of services have not got any less expensive so especially with whats going on around the world a professional job is still out of the budget.   

I resisted doing any sort of patching or tape back in the day because I thought that would make it worse than the couple of cracks I started out with but looking at it now there are chunks missing and the foam is showing in several places.  I really don't need the 'correct' material with the faux stitching.   I would be happy with something that just doesn't draw attention to it like my currently badly cracked ones with foam showing.   The seats are already faded to a different color than the plastic stuff so an exact color match isn't critical either.

I'm also open to outside the box ideas.   Wood?  3d printing?   

[2 Devilles]

Have you seen these?

https://www.opgi.com/interior-accessories/door-accessories/1971-76-door-panel-covers/cover-door-panel-1971-76-cadillac-coupe-deville-front-rh-td01627.html

https://www.opgi.com/interior-accessories/door-accessories/1971-76-door-panel-covers/panel-cover-front-door-1971-76-cadillac-coupe-devilleeldorado-td01637.html

[MaR]

I upholstered mine. Even if you have no tools or materials, the total cost for all four panels would be just a few hundred buying everything you possibly need and using premium materials.

I started by removing the upper panels. The screws that hold it on are under the stainless steel trim between the upper and lower panels. Mine were not horrible but they were cracked all along the top.







To remove the pad from the panel, you need a 5/16 PALNUT socket. I picked mine up on ebay for $9.








With the pad removed, you can now clean up the metal panel. It will be filthy under the pad.





The factory upholstery is held on with dozens of tiny staples. Remove them all and clean up any residue.





Rough cut your new upholstery oversized and staple it down one side. Starting in the middle of the opposite side, pull it tight and put one staple in. Work your way down each side pulling lightly to remove any wrinkles until you are about 1" from the corners. Repeat the process on the ends and then neatly fold the corners over and staple them down. An air stapler is highly recommended. An inexpensive one from Harbor Freight has lasted me years and hundreds of thousands of staples.





The end result should be wrinkle free and not too tight.






Bolt the pad back on and enjoy!

[MaR]

One edit: the screws that hold the FRONT panels on are under the stainless steel trim. In coupes, you have to remove the lower panel first and then you can remove the upper panel. The material I use is a polyurethane material call Ultraleather. It's the same stuff that's used on boats and corporate jets.

[MaR]

Here is the passenger door panel. I also reupholstered the pull strap but that's a totally different project that requires an industrial sewing machine. If you pull strap is fine, you can reuse it as is. The process is virtually the same though I do recommend attaching the strap assembly to the pad and backer before you stretch the upholstery. You will get a much more uniform result like that. You will also have to make a small hole for the lock knob escutcheon.

[MaR]

And one more quick one for the '75 and up panels. For those styles, you won't get the bunched style that is molded into the vinyl but at least it's not cracked anymore.

[TJ Hopland]

Nice to see someone with no previous upholstery skills? has done it and it turned out alright.    How thick is that wood? backing material?   Just wondering if I have the staples on hand or will have to get some.   I have a HF air one but I don't remember how short that can take.   I can also borrow an electric duofast one from work. 

I may even know where to get some material.   I know of some chairs that I think were very similar color to mine that someone opened the boxes with a really long knife and put slits in them.   They were supposed to be going back to the factory but have just sat for 2 years in a corner.  I bet there is enough undamaged material on those for me to give it a try.   

[MaR]

Nice to see someone with no previous upholstery skills? has done it and it turned out alright.    How thick is that wood? backing material?   Just wondering if I have the staples on hand or will have to get some.   I have a HF air one but I don't remember how short that can take.   I can also borrow an electric duofast one from work. 

I may even know where to get some material.   I know of some chairs that I think were very similar color to mine that someone opened the boxes with a really long knife and put slits in them.   They were supposed to be going back to the factory but have just sat for 2 years in a corner.  I bet there is enough undamaged material on those for me to give it a try.

I used 3/8" or so long staples. I have done quite a bit of uphostery work (as a hobby) but a simple panel like these are is very basic. Just staple and strech. If this is your first time, make sure to have enough material to scrap a panel and start over. Also, don't be afrade to pull out a few staples and adjust things as you go. The fiberboard material is about 3/16" thick but I did not have any issues with staples sticking through. Just keep away from the very edge and you will be OK.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Have you seen these?
https://www.opgi.com/interior-accessories/door-accessories/1971-76-door-panel-covers/cover-door-panel-1971-76-cadillac-coupe-deville-front-rh-td01627.html   

I have seen these and handled them, but they are very flimsy, and designed to just cover the original, and you are left with the plastic feel.

Not sure how long they would last if using the car very often.

Didn't use them in the end as it was a better job to recover the originals.

Bruce.

[76eldo]

Some jobs are best done as a split situation.  In the past I have removed the door panels and taken them apart with the Pal Nut tool shown in your excellent presentation, but I took my pieces to a trim shop and had them match the vinyl grain and color of the lower door panels and do the padding and upholstery, then I reassembled the panels and put them back on the doors.

Brian