C1 Door Panel Cone Washers?

[Bob B.]

Hi all,

I have a used set of original door panels for a 1960 Corvette. The carpet area and the metal area have metal reenforcements in each of the screw holes. They are cylindrical with a larger cone on the side facing the car interior and with a smaller cone facing the other side to hold it in.

Now I am wondering about whether these items are what appear to be cone washers on cars with the original door panels still in place. I know that the repro panels do not have the reenforcements and need the cone washer to appear original.

My other qustion is, given this, were cone washers used on the vinyl portion or just regular trim washers, as I see no evidence of a cone ever being used on the panels I have. On a practical point, it looks like a cone wsher on the vinyl would easilt push through after a short while.

At this point, I am dubious about whether cone washers and am thinking they may fall in the category of mitt painting of exhaust systems. Anyone know for sure about the use of cone washers?

Thanks,

Bob

[John M.]

Re: C1 Door Panel Cone Washers?

Yep,
The cone washers were used on all original panels. it is really a bad description, as the original ones were actually an inverted cone-shaped Grommet.
The cone faces toward the inside of the car, and the other end is clinched on the backside of the panel. This makes it act as a sleeve rather than a washer.
You are correct that a cone shaped washer would pull through the upholstery in short order is tightened too much, but the original cone shaped sleeves will not pull in the upholstery since the rear of the sleeve is bearing against the door fiberglass. Many vendors supply a cone shaped washer with their panels rather than the original style. Use of these washers will assure that eventually, the washer will pull through the upholstery.

The original style grommets are available, but they are difficult to properly clinch without a tool to do so. I have never seen a tool sold to do the job, but I made my own. You need a mandrel that will fit the cone shaped part and will extend through the grommet to keep the center open while clinching. Then you will need a tool that has a hole in it that will slide over the mandrel and is slightly tapered on the end to expand the tail of the grommet outwards to clinch it to the panel. A couple of taps with a small ballpein hammer will clinch them nicely.

Regards, John McGraw

[John M.]

PS

The metal parts should have a chrome trim washer. This is a raised washer with a countersunk depression in it to accept the screw head. This is the same trim washer used on the kick panels and heater cover.

Regards, John McGraw

[Gary Bishop]

Re: C1 Door Panel Cone Washers?

Would this tool be similar to one used for grommets in Tarps?

[John M.]

Re: C1 Door Panel Cone Washers?

Similar, but much smaller in scale, and it has to have a cone shape on the inside face to maintain the shape of the Grommet. I turned one on a drill press and shaped it with a file and belt sander. I am really suprised that I have never seen a tool for sale to install these grommets correctly.

Regards, John McGraw

[Bob B.]

Re: C1 Door Panel Cone Washers?

John,

Thanks for the reply. I want to be sure because I have the grommets (or whatever they're called) in the metal and carpet portions of both original panels, but nothing in the vinyl/cardboard area. It would be surprising that they remained in the metal and carpet portions, but not in the vinyl/cardboard. So, were they actually used in the vinyl/cardboard portion?

Thanks,

Bob

[John M.]

Re: C1 Door Panel Cone Washers?

Bob,
Yes, they were used everywhere except on the metal inserts.

Regards, John McGraw

[Bob B.]

Re: C1 Door Panel Cone Washers?

John,

Thanks again! I just did a more careful look at my door panels and I found one of the grommets in the vinyl/cardboard area and the impression of others where they had been. I wonder why Al Knoch doesn't install or provide these simple little items!

Bob