1968 Aftermarket door shells

[Stathy]

Hello all. Simple question here. Has anyone had any experience with aftermarket door shells? Not just the skin but an entire replacement door.

I had a body man come by my house to look at my project and he mentioned that even though the doors didn't look terribly bad, he'd still need to put more work on them then they're worth. His suggestion was to buy a new pair, or find a good pair of used doors.

Looking at the prices for new doors I could get a pair for 700 shipping included. Not bad. But my experience with aftermarket panels hasnt been good. I bought a pair of front fenders which I quickly turned around and sold after I test fitted them and found they were 1/2" shorter than the originals ( i fixed the originals instead).

Any help, suggestions, directions would be very much appreciated!
Thanks
Stan

 

[Ruppstang]

We used a after market door on a 64 1/2 convertabile. I was not very good we put more work in to making it work than it would have taken to have fixed the old door. Nothing is better than Ford! Marty

 

[Stathy]

We used a after market door on a 64 1/2 convertabile. I was not very good we put more work in to making it work than it would have taken to have fixed the old door. Nothing is better than Ford! Marty

This sounds familiar. A friend of mine bought a pair for his 69 Camaro and they fit fine. I was hoping to hear the same from fellow 68 Mustang owners.
If only they made doors from Original Tooling

 

[classicsguy]

I replaced the passenger side door on my GT/CS with a Dynacorn door shell and bodyman told me he had no problems with the fit. He just told me he had a little extra effort sliding the old door vent window in but otherwise fit was good.

 

[Stathy]

I replaced the passenger side door on my GT/CS with a Dynacorn door shell and bodyman told me he had no problems with the fit. He just told me he had a little extra effort sliding the old door vent window in but otherwise fit was good.

Thanks for the tip. Ill see if the shells available to me are Dynacorn or offshore. If I do go the route of aftermarket then I'll expect there to be some tweaking that needs to be done...but hopefully not much.
thanks!

 

[Perkchiro]

My advice is to stick with "Ford Tooling". I replaced one of my doors with a Taiwan build aftermarket and it was a disaster. Ford tooling costs more but worth it!

 

[CougarCJ]

Thanks for the tip. Ill see if the shells available to me are Dynacorn or offshore. If I do go the route of aftermarket then I'll expect there to be some tweaking that needs to be done...but hopefully not much.
thanks!

Dynacorn stuff comes from overseas.

 

[franklinair]

Are there any Ford tooling doors ??

Neil

 

[rvrtrash]

Stan, how big a hurry are you in? There's a big swap meet in Portland, Or. in April that may have some good used doors, and another in Monroe, Wa., in May. There is a guy from Hermiston, Or. that always goes to Portland and has lots of Mustang parts. I can check around in Spokane if you want, and there used to be a place somewhere around Seattle/Tacoma called Mustang Ranch that may have something.

Steve

 

[Ruppstang]

I think I have a good RH. Marty

 

[Stathy]

Stan, how big a hurry are you in? There's a big swap meet in Portland, Or. in April that may have some good used doors, and another in Monroe, Wa., in May. There is a guy from Hermiston, Or. that always goes to Portland and has lots of Mustang parts. I can check around in Spokane if you want, and there used to be a place somewhere around Seattle/Tacoma called Mustang Ranch that may have something.

Steve

Wow Steve, you sure do know your events! I've been to Monroe once before looking at a 69 convert with a 390. Why...oh why didn't I buy it
Do you know the name of the swap meet? May would be a good time to go shopping with my wife in Seattle. I'll just spin it that way

Stan

 

[Stathy]

I think I have a good RH. Marty

Any pics Marty? I'm still thinking seriously about buying a new pair but as mentioned before am hesitant.
And to answer the other question I haven't been able to find any doors from original Ford Tooling. Help!

 

[rvrtrash]

Wow Steve, you sure do know your events! I've been to Monroe once before looking at a 69 convert with a 390. Why...oh why didn't I buy it
Do you know the name of the swap meet? May would be a good time to go shopping with my wife in Seattle. I'll just spin it that way

Stan

Here you go.

http://efv8psrg.org/psrgswp.htm

Steve

 

[Ruppstang]

Any pics Marty? I'm still thinking seriously about buying a new pair but as mentioned before am hesitant.
And to answer the other question I haven't been able to find any doors from original Ford Tooling. Help!

I see if I can get some pics tomorrow. I think they are deluxe doors if it matters.
I do not belive that there are any made in ford tooling yet. Marty

 

[Stathy]

Thank you Steve!
I'm already booking my holidays.
Anyone here going by chance?

Stan

 

[CougarCJ]

The Portland swapmeet is in early April, I will be going to that one.

 

[68 special]

Steve, the Mustang ranch is gone, Bye, Bye. I go to a Mustang shop in Bellevue now called Blue Oval Pony cars, 425-462-4644 or Bel-Kirk Classics, 425-455-1199, Both have good supplies. Not sure how they are set for used parts.

Bret

 

[rvrtrash]

Sorry to hear Mustang Ranch is gone. They had a huge supply of used stuff. My info is obviously outdated, since I left the area in '87, when my employer, Fairchild semiconductor, closed up. I'll be at the Portland Swapmeet as well, Scott. As you know, it's an annual pilgrimage, even though the supply of Ford stuff is vastly outnumbered.

Steve

 

[Ruppstang]

Here are the ones I have. They have been media blasted and primed. The RH is pretty good but the LH has a lot of pin holes on the inside skin. Marty

 

[Stathy]

Here are the ones I have. They have been media blasted and primed. The RH is pretty good but the LH has a lot of pin holes on the inside skin. Marty

Thanks Marty. Honestly the ones I have are in about the same if not better condition. With that said you're making me wonder if the two guys that have come out and quoted on my labor to do the body work knew what they were talking about.

I have pin holes on the lower part of the door skin similar to your and they both (not knowing each other) told me that to properly correct the problem they would either reskin the doors or "i'd be better off buying two good used ones". They said that because of the location of the pinholes, to cut and patch in new metal wouldn't be a good idea because the integrity of the panel is supported on the perimeter of the door shell. One guy feared it would cause oil canning. The other sited something similar. IDK...now I'm not sure.

I'll post some pics in the next few days and see what the experts think. Thanks again Marty