Rayzor442

I've got 'em too. Both door panels between 1 and 2 inch vertical crack. They appeared awhile ago and don't seem to be getting any bigger (131,000 miles).

ws6pewter

iTrader: (1)

Well I guess I should've done this fix awhile back. Just noticed very small cracks on both panels. They were not there when the car was parked for the winter. 2002 with only 28k miles. Is there any tips for getting the door lock switch off? When I replaced a window motor the hardest part was getting the lock off.

across281

curious i have 2 1-2in cracks about 2ft apart on my panels one near the front one near the rear i would like to replace my monsoon speakers. will the panel come off and go back on ok? i mean of course im gonna slap some epoxy on while theyre off.

WarmWeatherBird

I believe this is true. I don't know if it's just the staple that causes the problem or if the plastic is better. Could be both. But whatever the design flaw - Seems the cracks are with 98-02 interior doors. I have had 2 firebirds - a 94 and an 02. I still have a door panel from the 94 sitting in storage and it's had no problems.

I actually fixed mine on the 02 - and it came out really really good! I started out doing the epoxy on the back of the door where it was trying to split. Roughed it up, put some mesh in there - a couple years later it was still trying to get that white line split to move even farther.

So I ended up hitting the salvage yards - found some doors from a 95 that matched mine. They were pretty faded, etc. So I took out the center section with the armrest and leather from my door and mated it with the plastic frame from the salvage yard door. It's just got plastic tabs that are melted down so you can grind off the melted part with the dremel and the two separate nicely. Putting them back together - epoxy was a lousy match for that - ended up trying to separate and had to grind it all down and go again - grr. Ended up using a glue called Q-Bond (my new Favorite) to secure the tabs back through etc. The guy that recommended it told me he'd fixed his pool pump with the stuff 6 years ago and it was still holding.

So once I had it back together, then hit everything with the SEM Color Coat and Clear (low luster clear coat made it look PERFECT - not too shiny and lightened the color of the Landau Black just a little) I'll have to post up some pics when I get them all sorted out. Only been a couple months - but so far it's held up beautifully.

I also had some scuffs on the dash that were bugging me - and a few knicks in the center console and the plastic fins on the inside edges of the seats. I'd hauled plywood and some long boards a few times and I guess it had knocked some chunks out of the back of the center console bumping it. I gave the dash the same treatment as the doors - and the dents/cuts I fixed with another SEM product. (i'll get the product number if anyone is interested) Filled them in - threw on some SEM Color Coat and clear again - could NOT be happier. I mention the filler because if someone had a door crack that they wanted to patch and then fill, that could do a great job for it.

bhound2

Just shy of 100k miles. I did have the front window stabilizer break. To replace that, I had to remove the door panel. I noticed that the pictures of cracked panels are almost all lined up where these stabilizers bolt on. I followed the steps on this site to remove and replace the door panels: www.firebirdnation.com/pdf/doorpanel.pdf Very easy job, even for a novice like me. Just take your time. Here is a picture of the old stabilizers from my passenger door, including both pieces of the broken one. I noticed a gash in my new tint and discovered the broken stabilizer while looking for the cause of the gash. Getting at the speakers is easy with the door panel off.

WS6nTX

iTrader: (1)

Does anyone have pictures that BANDITCAR had on page 8 with the fix? Unfortuately old posts, are old

The 00 TA I just got has the cracks and Id like to try to repair them.

And bhound2, thanks for the link. I am also going to use that very easy howto to remove my door panels for other reasons too..for some reason my driver side electric mirror doesnt work :/

BANDITCAR

Sorry about that, the pics were hosted on collectorfbody which is down right now. I also have them on a page in my car domain if you want to use those till I can link them back here.

WS6nTX

iTrader: (1)

cool man thanks, Ill check em out!

mcalus

iTrader: (14)

I have had 2 camaros and one which I just swapped the interior to charcoal. I have YET to ever see this issue or have to deal with it (knock on wood). Thankfully.

Charlie Hustle

iTrader: (8)

What is the best tool to remove the staples? Ive heard its a real pain in the ***

z-maro

iTrader: (18)

This is a problem with Firebird's, not Camaro's.

I used a pilers and screwdriver to bend up the staples and pull them out. It really isn't too bad.

Mine were cracked all the way through which everyone says is a complete lost cause. I repaired them last summer when it was hot out, so I will see how they look when I take the car cover back off.

Charlie Hustle

iTrader: (8)

Thanks for the info. Ive gotten the staples out and zip tied the crack. Heres where Im stuck. Im having trouble securing the felt back to the door panel with the large paper clips. Is there another method for putting the top piece back together?

MMWS6

Just did mine today, and from what I saw, it's the staples being put in when the panel was slightly bent! Took out the three rear staples and the panel straightened right out. Mine had the dimple but no crack. I drilled new holes and reattached the window molding. When the pressure was released it offset the holes same as some others that I've seen in the thread

z-maro

iTrader: (18)

I used small nuts and bolts. I left them loose so the panel could expand and contract, and used loctite so that they wouldn't come undone.

MMWS6

Wanted to add for people that haven't done this yet:

We are all calling the fasteners "staples", but we should be calling them "hog clips". If you are familiar with hog clips then you now know what you are into. These are hog clips through plastic, just use caution when removing so you don't make the damage worse than what it already is

97ramsst

iTrader: (162)

I have done 100s of these...I cut the ends of the staples off with a cutting bit and they come out super easy.

Heres and ebony one that we repaired...it was busted all the way through.







And a tan one...this one was busted all the way through as well.





IF ANYBODY HAS ANY CRACKED ONES THEY WANT TO SELL PLEASE PM ME OR TEXT ME AT 229-894-0165...I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN BUYING THEM.

Ls-1CamaroCarroll

same............

PontiacFan

iTrader: (104)

Would you be willing to show photos of the back side of these door panels to show how you did some of this?

red04montels

iTrader: (1)

x2..

I don't think the car I'm looking at has them cracked.. but either way I'd like to fix it.

97ramsst

iTrader: (162)

I will next set I do....