Sometime before the end of the month, my door panels are coming off. I'd like to keep the car in operation as much as possible, so if I know what I need ahead of time, it would be helpful.

How many clips do I need per panel? (the clips that hold the panel to the door.)

My doors rattle. Im told this is becuase the rubber pieces around the door rods are missing. How many of those do I need per panel?

What else will need to be replaced while im in there?

Once I pull off the panel, it cant go back on until all the work is finished. The clips that hold the panel in place can only be used once. (thats my understanding atleast.)

Thanks

I was seriously just about to ask about the same thing. What im wondering is, are there any places that sell complete panels? Ones that are ready to be put right on? Id like to know about the whole clip situation as well, I think I messed up when I took it off.

I was seriously just about to ask about the same thing. What im wondering is, are there any places that sell complete panels? Ones that are ready to be put right on? Id like to know about the whole clip situation as well, I think I messed up when I took it off.

I think Al Canuck can build you a set...but its expensive. 2002AD has them too. I think AD charges around 300+ per panel. Either way its expensive.

Thats what im afraid of. I left it off my car for a while too, so its all warped, probably beyond worth fixing?

Edit: $369 dollars for one a 2002AD. Thats Probably what Ill have to end up using. For now I can just use the beat up one,

the faq has them for $75 a pop
http://www.bmw2002faq.com/store/parts.html

edit: it says per set -- so I wonder if that's $75 for the both of them

on the same page

Uses exisiting plastic clips. Replacement clips are typically available from any auto parts store, or I can supply 24 replacements, for $7

the faq has them for $75 a pop
http://www.bmw2002faq.com/store/parts.html

edit: it says per set -- so I wonder if that's $75 for the both of them

on the same page

Do the clips go by size or something? Im going shopping tomorrow, and I plan on getting a bunch of clips.

dono. You could ask over there -- I just remember seeing those door pannels thinking I'd get some once I get the rest of the car ready. Not sure about the particulars

Heres the part that I was talking about. Stops the door rods from rattling. I have no clue how many I need though. http://www.2002ad.com/storeworks/view_item.cfm?id=1612

I have a set of Al Canuck's door panels. The price is for the pair. This is the supporting wood that replaces the cardboard on the original panels.

You should contact him though. I think his wood supply dried up. They are better than anything else I've seen out there. I know AD makes some, but I have nobody who has them to compare. Caveat Emptor on 2002AD, word on the street is that they are fighting to stay in business. You could get left holding the bag.

On my car I'm reconstructing the door panels out of leather. If you check with an upholstery shop, like Al's of course, you will find you can reproduce the panels in better materials than the originals and for less money.

At $750/set for door panels, with the same faults as the originals, all you get for the price is the chrome strips on the bottom. Not worth it in my opinion.

If you shop around on Ebay, there is a ton of excess leather hides you can buy. I bought the whole hide for around $80 - I bought 4 of them all the same dye lot. Then all you really have is the labor. I will be covering this in a future update on my site, everything is going to the shop to be done over the next three weeks.

You can't beat the smell of leather. It's a stark contrast to the normal smell of gasoline, horse hair and german vinyl, but maybe that's the aphrodesiac of driving the car after all :eyecrazy

Keith is correct. Those are my wood panels on the FAQ site. Our old supplier dried up, but we found another one, no problem. Panels can be ordered from the FAQ all day long. As for the $7 clips, I have asked Steve at the FAQ about half a dozen times to remove that purchasing option. The ones we had were quite nice, but the replacements available now are not the good dealer ones, and I have quit selling them, or keeping them in stock. I only order enough for my shop use these days.

As an FYI, we can build a set of custom door panels, ready to install for $375-425, depending on what is needed or desired. We cannot replicate the original chrome, but such is life. We usually replace it with a matching or contrasting strip of vinyl welting.

Al

I hate rebuilding door panels. Im not even done with one side, and I started last night.

I have a very nice set of blue ones I'd part with if you can wait until May for me to ship.

Matt
mattbarn (at) gmail

The first panel took me two days (stupid mistakes), the other, around 3-4 hours. When I close the doors, it doesnt feel like a tin can anymore. The door levers (interior) move smoother, and quietly.

My doors didnt have the moisture barriers, and it didnt look like there was anything there for a long time.

Any questions, ask.

So, what exactly did you do to rebuild them? You never really stated what you were going to do.

Al

Sorry for misleading you, I didnt actually mean the door panels themselves. I fixed the rattles, lubed the locks, and mechanisms. Then I lubed the window regulator and all that. Eventually im going to need to replace the wood panel itself. When the moisture barrier wasent there, the panels absorbed some water, so I put a fresh new piece of plastic on there.



I spent two days working on the first panel, because I thought the door lock plunger went through the inside of the door, and out the top. Obviously I couldnt figure that one out, so I was looking on the faq, and found the answer. MY2002Tii posted a picture of his door a while back. The plunger was on the outside. :eek:

So I went in the garage and fixed that stupid mistake.:alright I cant belive I wasted a day and a half bending that stupid little rod to make it fit. :(

I dont care though, the door closes with a solid thud, like the Benz. The window goes up straight and easily without wandering, the door rods dont rattle (electrical tape for now), and the interior door levers dont make horrid metal on metal noises. I found the wires for my tweeter were broken, so I also "increased my audio performance." I <3 smooth rattle free doors.

I dont care though, the door closes with a solid thud, like the Benz.

At least your door closes nicely. My passenger side door is really messed up. There is a sweet spot where you have to push just right or it will not properly close with the door, or you will push it too soft and it will just bounce back and not close. It must have something to do with the latch on the door.

At least your door closes nicely. My passenger side door is really messed up. There is a sweet spot where you have to push just right or it will not properly close with the door, or you will push it too soft and it will just bounce back and not close. It must have something to do with the latch on the door.

My drivers side door closes perfectly. The passenger side door needs more force, or needs to be pushed until it latches (sorta' like "following through."). Alot of people just whip the door and let go before it latches, but it works better if you keep pushing. I adjusted the latch mechanisms on the exterior of the door, but it just made it worse, so I went back to the origonal setup.

It closes alot easier with the window down. How about yours? Sounds like you need to adjust the guide on the body of the car. The part that the door slides into.