1973 elderado drivers door panel removal

[Two Crabs]

Does anyone have an exploded view of the drivers door panel or how to remove it for replacement.

Some parts have obvious screws others are hidden behind door pulls, carpeting etc.

1973 elderado convo.

[TJ Hopland]

Its not too bad to take apart.    Its in 2 pieces, upper and lower.   Upper has screws under the fake wood caps for the pull handle.  The lower screws for the upper pannel are under the chrome strip just above the armrest.  I can't remember if you just have to slide it or if there is one screw in one end.  The chrome just then slides and comes off and you can see the screws in the holes.  The bottom of the panel should then be free so you can kinda lift up and unhook the top from along the window.   I really don't remember the details about the bottom.  I don't remember anything unusual about it.   If there is a picture it would be in the Fisher Body Manual.  I believe all the Cadillacs in the era were very similar so you would not need a book for your exact year. 

[Two Crabs]

Does the fake wood cap pop out of the chrome or does the whole square piece pop off with the chrome and the wood cap inserts ?

[Hankk17]

if I recall correctly - the door pull has two HUGE phillips screws behind the wood plates that do indeed pop off.  Then there's two screws behind the inside door handle in the chrome cup the handle sits in.  Then there are clips around the edge and two more screws on the bottom that aren't hidden.  Then the top part sort of unhooks from the top of the frame.  make sure you take out/disconnect the switches as well.

I actually have the shop manual for a 72 eldo in PDF form.  if you want send me a message and I'll throw it up on dropbox for you.  the body stuff should be very similar.

-Hank

[Hankk17]

oh and those doorpull screws are famous for simply pulling out because they're only sheet metal screws going into the door.  the holes almost always get elongated and the screws just can't hold anymore.  Going to a larger size screw will work.

[Two Crabs]

Thanks Hank, that's what I was looking for.

I'll take a copy of the body manual if you can send it along. I have a shop manual for the car but there is not anything for body parts or door panels in it

Don_rich@sbcglobal.net

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Don't forget to unscrew the manual locking button.

Bruce. 

[Hankk17]

OK Don - manuals are up.

anyone else who may want copies of the shop and body manuals for  '72 or '76 just let me know. 

[Two Crabs]

Thanks Hank
I am downloading the second one now
It looks like the caps over the door pull comes off as one unit.

[Two Crabs]

I tried popping the brown fake wood piece off but no joy( On the door pull ends ). I then slid a putty knife behind the chrome piece and again it doesn't move.
Doing something wrong.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Not sure about the '73, but the '72 has a spring clip on one end that has to be raised slightly to clear the surround , and then slid on end to unclip it.   Can't remember which way, but it is in the Manual.

In 1971, there was a Factory "fix" for the cover that required careful drilling and inserting a screw when the clip broke.

Bruce.

[Viator Trudeau]

I had the same question on the door panels on my '74 OLDO,  I don't know the difference between a '73 and a '74 door panel.  The '74 has the pull straps held on W/ screws into the top panel sheet metal under the leather, no need to remove the strap fasteners., if the '73 and '74 are the same???.
A 1/2" wide cover trim covers the seam btwn. the top and larger bottom door panel.  A screw at the front of the trim piece is removed and the trim will move to the rear to remove it, to show a row of screws holding the two panels to the door frame.  The smaller upper panel them is lifted up to unhook it from slots at the lower part of the window opening. Remove lock knob.
The bottom panels two ends and bottom are held on W/ push on metal or plastic fasteners. Lighter and other smaller pieces  must be removed.
V. Trudeau

[KBRide]

Can you forward a body manual to me also. 1973 Eldo panel info needed. Thank you.

[dochawk]

I'd be hesitant at mailing those manuals around--they're copyrighted, and exist because the vendor put in the time and expense to put them together.

It was only $29 ($39?) to buy both my '72 manual and the '72 Fischer body manual, complete with searchable text and indexed hyperlinks .