Gutting the doors - MyBad's way

MYBAD79

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New project for the slow summer nights in central Florida....... I got a nice set of doors from TimAT earlier this year, keeping my stock '79 doors useable I want to turn these into a lightweight version that is rattle-free without holes for the door handles or key.....

It did not take much to skin the doors, here's a pic of the pass side door shell after I cut out the 30lbs impact bar

photo_zps79adb485.jpg


Apparently one of the previous owners of these doors had them repaired, there were three different types of glue on the two shells......

photo_zps457876b5.jpg


I'm going to clean up the shell and the skin, then re-glue it using 3M 8115 adhesive.... Nobody will ever take this apart again :D

I'm closing the holes for the handles and the locks with fiberglass mat and Evercoat SMC resin...... The garage smells really nice tonight :D
 
I hear the Beach Boys singing..

"Door handles are off but you know I'll never miss-em, they open when I want with a solenoid system. Go cherry cherry coupe now..."

I'm in the midst of the same effort - and yes 30 pounds!

You plan on shaving the other doors as well?

Cheers - Jim
 
my 73; I cut out the impact bars and some of the "inner" door frame (behind the door panel). Weight savings per side was 11 lbs. have pics of this on this forem, under my name.
 
I did not put the bars on the scale but 20-25lbs is at least what they weigh, that's guessing the weight...... Heavy stuff..... No wonder my hinges are worn and sloppy....

I'm not planning on a remote, since there won't be glass I just reach in and open the door :D
 
:pprrtt: my '72 vert lost it's key locks on the outside, and I never reinstalled the inside knobs, lazy, can't ever want to lock a convertible....


:shocking:
 
Damn I should have taken more pictures and weighed the doors and the parts that i cut out...... oh well..... apparently I'm not very good at guessing the weight :chinese:
 
I'd think with a track only car, losing the impact bars for weight savings would be a no brainer. But, for a street car, I want them in my '73. There are too many yahoos driving the streets around here and I like the idea of having a little more protection.

DC
 
I'm trading that weight for purpose built NASCAR-style bars. Meet the Tech Requirement - the door bars internal don't. Ill weigh tthe complete door inner panel and all this week. And the skin as it is like Karsten has sitting in his garage/shop.

Cheers - Jim
 
I found the "Beejay door mod thread" - damn the complete door weighs 80lbs , the impact bar seems to be 10lbs, BeeJay weighed it at 8lbs but he didn't cut all of it out..... holy cow I was way off with my weight guesstimate....LOL

I think there might be a rollcage in my future but no door bars, if I install a cage I want it to fit the stock doors as well.....
 
I'd think with a track only car, losing the impact bars for weight savings would be a no brainer. But, for a street car, I want them in my '73. There are too many yahoos driving the streets around here and I like the idea of having a little more protection.

DC

Totally agree on a street-driven car. I've heard lots of stories about the survivability of the c3. Front/rear impacts have pretty high survivability for a car of its era. Side impacts are drastically worse.
That's the scenario I envision more than anything. Sitting at a red light and dropping the clutch for a little spirited launch when the light turns green, only to be pegged by some jackass that thought the light was "orange".
 
I'd think with a track only car, losing the impact bars for weight savings would be a no brainer. But, for a street car, I want them in my '73. There are too many yahoos driving the streets around here and I like the idea of having a little more protection.

DC

Totally agree on a street-driven car. I've heard lots of stories about the survivability of the c3. Front/rear impacts have pretty high survivability for a car of its era. Side impacts are drastically worse.
That's the scenario I envision more than anything. Sitting at a red light and dropping the clutch for a little spirited launch when the light turns green, only to be pegged by some jackass that thought the light was "orange".

IF I am 1,2,3 in line I always glance for them, which is one reason they could sell gold brick bullion for 100 bux each at side of the road, and I miss the sign.....

:flash::ghost:
 
Like I said, for safety I see a cage in my future.... The stock impact bar really does not do a whole lot, keep in mind the doors and the pillars are fiberglass, chances are the bar stays perfectly straight but the entire door gets ripped of the hinges and pushed into the passenger area... I'm not saying the bars are useless - definitely better than no impact protection at all but I wouldn't want to rely on these .....lol

Another problem is that most pickups hit the door above the impact bar....

The C3 is not a very safe car in an accident.....
 
Did a quick weigh today -
The door (with Window - manual ops, and Mirror) weigh in at 68.5 pounds.
126951e848cad396d.jpg
Add to that the interior door panel another 7.5 pounds.

126951e848d974a3a.jpg


My door skin - I just completed removing all the residue and metal bits weighed in at 8.5 pounds. That significant savings will be eaten up by the NASCAR stye door-bars
126951e84b720e64f.jpg
- but safer than the "Crash Bar" GM made for us. Now I just need to connect with my cage builder.

Sorry if that seemed like an unintentional Hijack - But, I thought the weights could be useful.

Karsten - What door mechanism you plan on? Windows - LEXAN? or fair weather only?

Cheers - Jim
 
Jim, great photos !!!!!

Now I think I want a cage too :D

Windows: no windows

Door mechanism: reach in, pull the handle, open door :D

I realize I'll have to carry a small car cover with me and I won't be able to lock it.... But this is a spare set of doors and I'll keep the stock doors too so I can switch back anytime if I want to......
 
Did a quick weigh today -
The door (with Window - manual ops, and Mirror) weigh in at 68.5 pounds.
126951e848cad396d.jpg
Add to that the interior door panel another 7.5 pounds.

INteresting that they flipped that damn counter balance spring to make it easier to service, my '72 has it on the other side, talk about a PIA, have to take whole damn thing apart.....

:bomb:
 
Jim, great photos !!!!!

Now I think I want a cage too :D
....

You better be short and not need to access the rear cargo area... I like having it but its probably less safe now for taller drivers. My cage is rather tight from what I have seen on other cars. So tight infact that it rattles on the t-top latches going over big bumps :cussing:


If you keep the door latch and ditch the handle, its actually pretty easy to just push the latching lever with your thumb to open the door. Did it that way for quite a while in my car :D
 
Let me get this straight, remove 50 lbs and add a 150 lbs roll cage plus no windows in rainy season FL. :suicide:
 
Let me get this straight, remove 50 lbs and add a 150 lbs roll cage plus no windows in rainy season FL.
For me? Yeah - and spend as much money on a rebuild/mod as buying a new car! :bonkers:
As to making it a track car, and going racing - I could have bought a used one cheaper too! :suicide:
At least Karsten is planning on keeping his doors - mine are for sale - I can use the cash - now why is that? I wonder... :banghead:

Cheers - Jim
 
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