1959 Door Panel retention screws
OK final question today on 1959 door stuff. On my 1959 door panels, I find no evidence of a screw hole in the door fiberglass in the upper corner nearest the door latching end. The door panels appear to be the original cardboard with the metal uppers, however the outer vinyl material was replaced by a PO. (I'm the 3rd owner--first 2 are deceased) Also, he didn't do that great a job reusing the original metal inserts on the door panels. There is a screw hole present in the door panel backer, just not through the vinyl covering and again no hole apparent in the door fiberglass itself. Serial # is 43**. I found in the Noland Adams book that ALL 59s had a screw in this corner, but it didn't show one on the 58s. Since my inner garnish moldings are of the 56-58 variety with 2 door panel retaining tabs, I'm wondering if all 59s did in fact have this screw in the upper corner? I would appreciate any comments and information from those of you that have a 59 before or around serial # 43** concerning this. Many thanks!! Al
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Re: !959 Door Panel retention screws
Al, I just had my '59 door panel off yesterday to fix a sticky window.
It's not a early car, and I have a screw there on both sides. March build, but just a thought.....Remove the inner garnish and see if there is a hole in the fiberglass behind it. A hole is normally drilled through the garnish at that rear corner for that screw. If the garnish was changed it may now be covering it.
Since a prior owner replaced the vinyl, and the backer board has the hole, it probably had a screw there.
Rich -
Re: !959 Door Panel retention screws
Al and Rich: I have the original door panels for my (completely disassembled) '59 (2528) and there were screws to retain the door panel at that upper rear location.
It looks like the screws were retained by the metal molding that bolts to the door and supports the door panel with the 2 clips. My passenger door has a hole in the fiberglass at that location, but the driver door does not....short screw I guess? (The driver door panel definitely had a screw in that location.)Comment
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Re: !959 Door Panel retention screws
Good info, Thanks Bill.
Question....My '59 #5504 has the '58 style outer stainless trim that mount on top of the door edge and butt against the door post It's 2 pieces, 2 screws each, with the center cut out from the full length retainer. What's your retainer like?
I also did a '59 built soon after mine that had the same feature. Later '59's went to a new type outer trim held on with 2 clip type threaded retainers.
RichComment
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Re: !959 Door Panel retention screws
My retainers are 2 pieces, but it also has the 2 Philips screws installed upward into the SS trim from inside the door into the "spring retained" clipsComment
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Re: !959 Door Panel retention screws
Al,
The '59 AIM shows the "Late" version, which is a totally different outer trim (new part#) and attachment method, which lasted through 1962. 1956 to Early 1959 cars used a outer trim without a outer lower flange which was captured by those 2 retainer clips in the late 1959 up versions.
Also, The AIMs don't show it, but St Louis did something "different" on early cars to fix this early design. Sounds like your car is in this category and has the "springy" clips like shown below. Those are not in the 1956 to 1958 AIMs. Technically they didn't exist, but were added to fix the problems. They added one retainer to catch the outer lower lipped edge of the forward part of the outer trim. I've seen some that are not the springy type, but much like the glovebox door trim fastener. A flat cam shaped plate that when you turn the Phillips head machine crew from underneath it turns the cam plate to catch the edge of the flange of the trim.
In the "Fuzzies" doc you have, page 23 shows some of the differences. Also attached below.
Here are photos of another '59 (#4208) which had the cut retainers and single clip fix. Probably just like yours.
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Re: !959 Door Panel retention screws
Richard that is what mine looks like. Now what puzzles me is that I removed 2 Philips screws but when I removed the molding yesterday, I only saw 1 retainer. I just figured the other fell onto the floor or into the door cavity. Just went back into the shop and looked everywhere for the 2nd retainer but it cannot be found. It's like it disappeared into thin air. I do not see any way that the 2nd screw could have been retained by anything else, so there must have been a retainer. The replacement ones in the aftermarket have threaded studs, so they will not match up. I looked into the passenger door cavity as best as I could (door panel is still on) and can only see 1 Philips screw due to the window blocking access to where the 2nd screw would be. I did see a screw hole in this door where the door panel would be attached in the upper corner, though. Not sure why there would be 2 retainers per SS molding.Comment
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