Coverlay Door Panel Insert
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18
Likes: 3
From: Columbus, OH
I wonder the same thing. I did some searches and this is relatively new solution for our cracked doors. Kind of expensive also. I have a dashcap in my 81 Trans Am and hate it, but that dash is supposed to have a softer feel where this is a hard plastic application, maybe it works better?
Less than $1000 for a set of non cracked TA door panels. I think they make a dash cover as well. I'm not referring to the top flat cap but rather the actual dash itself.
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18
Likes: 3
From: Columbus, OH
It is insane how much the door panels are, but worse yet is the variety GM made make it nearly impossible for any aftermarket maker to justify making replacement door panels. If they did they would have to make both a fabric and a leather version and in multiple colors. The amount of plastic that is in them too, reproduction door panels would be more than $1,000 I suspect, per door panel. If these panels were easier to re-assemble we would be having a different conversation, we would just move over our fabric and armrest into a new outer shell, but that's not how they were made.
Hopefully these work well. I just got an earlier years dark gray door panel and used SEM Landau black with low luster clear. It matches as far as the parimeter plastic is concerned but the leather as well as the arm rest come out too dark compared to the original. This solution is more promising. I did the zip tie trick on the passenger side as it's only partially cracked, it looks presentable but I know the crack is there and it will bother me until it's gone.
Hopefully these work well. I just got an earlier years dark gray door panel and used SEM Landau black with low luster clear. It matches as far as the parimeter plastic is concerned but the leather as well as the arm rest come out too dark compared to the original. This solution is more promising. I did the zip tie trick on the passenger side as it's only partially cracked, it looks presentable but I know the crack is there and it will bother me until it's gone.
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18
Likes: 3
From: Columbus, OH
I found out more today about this coverlay. I decided to order a pair.
Details: They are sold in pairs, the brand is called Coverlay. The part number is 18-72-BLK (replace BLK with your color if not black). The panels are glued, similar to the dash caps for the 2nd gen Firebirds and other 70's dashboards. It is ABS plastic and said to fit perfectly. I am looking at my door panel and I see no reason why it would not work. I suspect the best place to glue the cover on is while the door panel is installed on the car. Hopefully there is enough plastic at the top that it can slide underneath the rubber window seal for a clean look. Only thing I wish they were about $100-130 for a pair, not $300, I think the price point is too high for what it is.The overlays will come with silicone adhesive and the instructions are pretty straight forward. Will see how it works, will reply when I get then.
Details: They are sold in pairs, the brand is called Coverlay. The part number is 18-72-BLK (replace BLK with your color if not black). The panels are glued, similar to the dash caps for the 2nd gen Firebirds and other 70's dashboards. It is ABS plastic and said to fit perfectly. I am looking at my door panel and I see no reason why it would not work. I suspect the best place to glue the cover on is while the door panel is installed on the car. Hopefully there is enough plastic at the top that it can slide underneath the rubber window seal for a clean look. Only thing I wish they were about $100-130 for a pair, not $300, I think the price point is too high for what it is.The overlays will come with silicone adhesive and the instructions are pretty straight forward. Will see how it works, will reply when I get then.
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Teching In
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18
Likes: 3
From: Columbus, OH
The coverlays arrived yesterday. I test fit it on my cracked door, I would give it a 6 of 10 as far as fit. Will post pics later but it leaves a lip in the inside upper area where the fabric/leather is. Also it bubbles over the rubber seal across the top, I would rather this slid underneath. Color is ok but you can see a difference.
It's not the optimal solution, if you can fix the crack stick with that.
It's not the optimal solution, if you can fix the crack stick with that.
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Teching In
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
The coverlays arrived yesterday. I test fit it on my cracked door, I would give it a 6 of 10 as far as fit. Will post pics later but it leaves a lip in the inside upper area where the fabric/leather is. Also it bubbles over the rubber seal across the top, I would rather this slid underneath. Color is ok but you can see a difference.
It's not the optimal solution, if you can fix the crack stick with that.
It's not the optimal solution, if you can fix the crack stick with that.
Copy & Paste Moderator
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 9,764
Likes: 208
From: Eastern MA
I repaired the crack in my doors:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/appearanc...oor-crack.html
After repairing the crack, some people have either wrapped the door panel in vinyl themselves or had a shop do it. In my case, I made Knight Rider decals to cover the crack (see link for pics of repair).
https://ls1tech.com/forums/appearanc...oor-crack.html
After repairing the crack, some people have either wrapped the door panel in vinyl themselves or had a shop do it. In my case, I made Knight Rider decals to cover the crack (see link for pics of repair).
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18
Likes: 3
From: Columbus, OH
The decal over the crack is ingenious! My drivers door has 2 cracks unfortunately, the 2nd is on the horizontal side about mid way in the leather area. My passenger door is cracked about 3/4 of the way, I removed the staple and used a zip tie to tighten it back together. I was going to install this coverlay but as you see I was not happy with it. I may just copy what VIP1 did this summer for the passenger side, use the plastic weld to fix it permanently and put a sticker decal on both sides so it looks like it's supposed to be that way.