DOOR SKIN WELD

busdiver · Oct 24, 2014

right got the old skin off and door frame almost repaired. i have removed the skin so far only up to the swage roll on the door. would you A- weld across that point retaining the original window opening area, or B- romve to the full size of the new skin giving you a smaller area to weld on the wndow pillars..

Trikky2 · Oct 24, 2014

I would go for the window pillars.

busdiver · Oct 25, 2014

bugger... new someone was gonna say that, gues i knew it myself,. less to weld and fettle up and fill when all is said and done, just needed a push cus it looks a pig to get the old skin out from around the window opening, but there you go no short cuts sometimes.
cheers tricky

gagvanman · Oct 26, 2014

Have to say door skin replace was one of the easier repairs I had to do on our van, make your first cut on the window frame low, and watch out for the front bracket (circled), it's the only bit welded to the top lip of the door skin:

busdiver · Oct 27, 2014

oooo nice piccy got any more, did'nt get as far as i hoped on saturday, my new gas bottle i picked up in the week has a scratch on the bull nose fitting in the top, wondered why there was ptfe in there when i took the security seal off, got it to more or less seal with only a very slight leak, rang BOC and said ok to use it and they'll swap it today.

did however manger to cut out the door bottom and 90% weld in the new one. going back to the window/skin opening the back edge inside looks interesting trying to see what is attached to the door frame and what is skin so if you have any more pics gagvanman they would be much appreciated.

gagvanman · Oct 27, 2014

I didn't have the luxury of having a spare door(s) to cut up, so I fabricated.
As you can see the old tin worm had a good chew at this door.

I cut out the bad bits and welded in new metal:

Didn't turn out too bad, and a bit of filer made it look just like new.

busdiver · Oct 30, 2014

nice pics, mine was not to bad at the very bottom of the door it was the longer section over the wheel arch that was completly fubar full of filler, now replaced and waiting for me to fit skin, think i need to paint door frame properly 1st though