Are these door skins original

[Paul H]

Recently purchased these vitesse doors to refurb. From the pic can you tell if the skins are original or replacement

 Hopefully i can get away with replacing lower door section

Paul

[sulzerman]

Hello Paul 

They look original to me. If replacing just the bottoms be careful with heat distortion, may be easier to fit new skins!

Good luck

Paul

[Paul H]

Thanks for information . Would these skins have been welded in place or just folded

Paul 

[sulzerman]

Folded, then welded under quarterlights and spots near door locks and upper hinge. They were brazed by the factory,  you will find the spots of braze if you remove the skin. Don't weld until refitted to car and you are sure the door fits correctly and not distorted. 

[TomL]

Hello Paul and Paul,

Paul Barlow is right that you have to be careful of heat-distortion when doing the lower repair section.  In my experience, it is easier to fit a complete new skin.  Of course, you then also get the chance to coat all the mating surface with paint - something Mr. Triumph often neglected to do.

Let us know how you get on.

Tom

[Paul H]

I purchased the doors to practice welding and spraying and as i only paid 99 pence on ebay for them is indicitative of the work that needs to be done so a total reskin isnt on the cards

Paul

[Pete Lewis]

we repaired the carcass bottoms with some cheap angle from BQ the skins were ok but the bottom flange of the cas had 

suffered

[Clive]

18 hours ago, Paul H said:

I purchased the doors to practice welding and spraying and as i only paid 99 pence on ebay for them is indicitative of the work that needs to be done so a total reskin isnt on the cards

Paul

Have you got a joddler? (ideally with a holepunch too)

I have repaired teh bottoms of doors a few times in the distant past, using flat sheet steel and simple bending techniques (lengths of bed-iron in the vice and a hammer)

I cut the old ones off approx an inch below the swage line. That keeps rigidity and helps stop distortion. Joddle the edge and overlap the repair. Works pretty well, though full skin better. But then again, the cars I did that work to cost sub £100....

[Paul H]

4 hours ago, clive said:

Have you got a joddler? (ideally with a holepunch too)

I have repaired teh bottoms of doors a few times in the distant past, using flat sheet steel and simple bending techniques (lengths of bed-iron in the vice and a hammer)

I cut the old ones off approx an inch below the swage line. That keeps rigidity and helps stop distortion. Joddle the edge and overlap the repair. Works pretty well, though full skin better. But then again, the cars I did that work to cost sub £100....

I checked on New door skins and they start at £70 and for NOS £120 

Paul 

[TomL]

When I did lower door-skins, I found on one door evidence of previous damage/repairs including much filler, so it didn't give a straight or flat edge to weld to.  But with a bit of fettling (and some swearing) I ended up with a reasonable fit/finish.

Paul: how much are the repair panels?

Tom  

 

[Paul H]

Hi Tom , I paid £20 each  for lower repair panels

Paul

[Clive]

If the rest of the doors are a good fit in the holes, then bottom repairs can work OK. New skins are variable in size!