Door panel trim adhesive question

[sewlow]

@sewlow I would not have thought to use PL400 for this application. Is there any way to remove that if I ever want/need to change it in the future?

When I do these, I show no mercy to the ones being removed. Time = $$$. Many times they end up getting damaged somehow or other, even when I show some restraint. You're right. That glue's a b*tch.
So, I'll make a pattern from the originals & build new inserts from there. The base panels for all that can be 1/8" mahogany (Household interior door skin) or a double layer of a type of plastic called Kydex.
UHMW will work too, but it's a bit expensive for the job & because it's so slick, glue doesn't want to stick too well to it. That means staples in addition to the glue.
The inserts are only held by the glue to the door panel. Door panels have to be solidly built with the multiple times a door gets closed, causing stress, along with pretty extreme hot & cold cycles over 4 seasons. The glue has to be able to stand up to that.

@sewlow

Separate question: is there any source for GM's late model GMT400 interior fabrics? I would like to use it for some accent pieces if it can be sourced.

Leather & vinyls can be matched to GM original.
GM has used some of the same vinyls from the '50's up to today. Grains called 'Sierra' & 'Madrid' have been basic standard GM vinyls since vinyl was first used as an alternative to leather. Colors are consistent.
Leather can be dyed to match any color required. But as it's a natural product (not man-made) there is always little inconsistencies & flaws that give leather it's character.
It's the fabrics that are unobtanium. As most GM fabrics always have been.
GM does sell their fabrics, but because there are so many fingers in that supply-chain pie, (all slapping on their 30%) a material that should retail in the $30-$40/yard range costs $125+ per yard through GM.
...and they only hold stock for so long. It takes up a lot of warehouse space, so after a certain period, rather than sell off any remaining stock at discount prices, they destroy it. Yea.
Mills do make materials that perform the same or better than originals. But, because GM holds the rights to the original, the aftermarket fabrics are never the same in waft, weave &/or texture.
While many sample fabrics can look close in color in the book, (GM can't hold rights to colors.) once they are installed in a vehicle up against the original, the difference is immediately apparent. The aftermarket stuff will stick out like a sore thumb.
There is a way to get original fabrics, although only small-ish pieces. Cut out & removed from other 400 seats.
Passenger sides of vehicle interiors go through a lot less stress & strain than the driver side. Many times that passenger side material can be modified to fit driver sides. But due to left/right design differences, with any such modification, the final product will not be exactly as original.

 

[Carlaisle]

When I do these, I show no mercy to the ones being removed. Time = $$$. Many times they end up getting damaged somehow or other, even when I show some restraint. You're right. That glue's a b*tch.
So, I'll make a pattern from the originals & build new inserts from there. The base panels for all that can be 1/8" mahogany (Household interior door skin) or a double layer of a type of plastic called Kydex.
UHMW will work too, but it's a bit expensive for the job & because it's so slick, glue doesn't want to stick too well to it. That means staples in addition to the glue.
The inserts are only held by the glue to the door panel. Door panels have to be solidly built with the multiple times a door gets closed, causing stress, along with pretty extreme hot & cold cycles over 4 seasons. The glue has to be able to stand up to that.


Leather & vinyls can be matched to GM original.
GM has used some of the same vinyls from the '50's up to today. Grains called 'Sierra' & 'Madrid' have been basic standard GM vinyls since vinyl was first used as an alternative to leather. Colors are consistent.
Leather can be dyed to match any color required. But as it's a natural product (not man-made) there is always little inconsistencies & flaws that give leather it's character.
It's the fabrics that are unobtanium. As most GM fabrics always have been.
GM does sell their fabrics, but because there are so many fingers in that supply-chain pie, (all slapping on their 30%) a material that should retail in the $30-$40/yard range costs $125+ per yard through GM.
...and they only hold stock for so long. It takes up a lot of warehouse space, so after a certain period, rather than sell off any remaining stock at discount prices, they destroy it. Yea.
Mills do make materials that perform the same or better than originals. But, because GM holds the rights to the original, the aftermarket fabrics are never the same in waft, weave &/or texture.
While many sample fabrics can look close in color in the book, (GM can't hold rights to colors.) once they are installed in a vehicle up against the original, the difference is immediately apparent. The aftermarket stuff will stick out like a sore thumb.
There is a way to get original fabrics, although only small-ish pieces. Cut out & removed from other 400 seats.
Passenger sides of vehicle interiors go through a lot less stress & strain than the driver side. Many times that passenger side material can be modified to fit driver sides. But due to left/right design differences, with any such modification, the final product will not be exactly as original.

That is what I was expecting, but I was hoping my pessimism would prove unwarranted. The pattern is a good idea. I'll do that before I put it back together. Appreciate the help.

 

[BigDaddyGMT400]

I am interested in replacing the "mouse fur" on the exact same piece on my 99 burb as the PO dropped a few hot ashes on her leaving burn marks. Does anyone know of a source for the OEM style material?

Carlaisle, were there any fasteners on the back side of the door panel or could you pry it off with the door panel still in place? Any tips, lessons learned?

Thanks

 

[Carlaisle]

Removing that panel is an exercise in extreme frustration. Do not start if you are already in a bad mood and stop immediately when you notice your patience failing. There are no fasteners - it's held on entirely with some beyond industrial strength adhesive. I was trying to save both the mint door panel and panel insert, so I was very cautious. You do not need to remove the door panel to get that insert off, but it's far more convenient - allows you to reposition yourself and the panel as needed. I used the naptha Sewlew recommends liberally but I'm not convinced it had any more than a placebo effect. It might be worth testing Prepall to see if it would work better, but I haven't tested those materials with that solvent so be careful. I used a pair of 1.25" putty knives around the outer edge to find a starting point and just worked from there. Having done this, if I just wanted to recover the panel to look stock sans cigarette burns, I think I'd go to the junk yard, find a junk door panel with a good insert, and cut that insert out with a razor blade. Clean up the back side when you get home, glue it in place, and you're done.

 

[sewlow]

You know that glue is tough stuff when even naptha won't touch it!