New doors or rust free imports?

[SiDev]

I need a new drivers door as the underneath has started to rot and it will cost around £200 to have a piece fabricated, welded in and sprayed. So, my options:

Imported rust free
Brand new from JK or VW Heritage

Has anyone had the brand new ones before, are they a good fit, is it proper German quality or shit Brazilian tin?

 

[Lee C]

Do the new ones not have that stupid big bulge along the bottom????
I think I'd opt for a nice 2nd hand one??

 

[BigG]

Rust free imports are probably a better option but best if you can collect and chech them first, I bought one for mine a couple of years ago and though it looked straight and fitted well was found to have a fair bit of filler over a repair and some holes where it had a different type of mirror.
Schofields do the repair panel for the door bottoms you need, about £18, baring in mind you will have to paint the new doors anyway I would probably go for the repair on your existing door.

 

[busdiver]

i'd go with bigG although from recent experience if the door base is bad your door skin is likely to be a bit iffy at best. i've gone down the repair route replacement bottom section and new door skin, although i'm not paying labour as doing it my self but are,nt brand new doors about 300quid and you will still need to paint it. the door bottom sections from schofield are really good and made of the same weight steel as OG they were also very helpful with advice as to where to start on the whole door skin replacement

 

[SiDev]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Lee C, the new ones come without that ridiculous swage at the bottom, whoever decided that was an improvement needs shooting.

BigG, busdiver, I think you're probably right about getting a good used, I've seen the repair panel that Schofield sells but unfortunately the rot has crept around the corner where it shuts by the B pillar so it's a bit far gone, for some reason the PO had a new skin put on but didn't have the bottom done, so from the outside it looks fine.
The reason for thinking of a new one is that people seem to want almost the same money for a decent second hand one.

 

[Clem]

I would go for a good used door over a repaired or reskinned original all day long, equally Id choose good used over a 'brand new' door as well. Like has been said, check them over yourself if possible, but generally they just bolt into place with very little fettling bar the paint that will most likely need matching.

 

[Low n slow]

I've got 2 South African ones on mine and they fit a treat.

 

[Alex VW Heritage]

I have fitted good used on previous vans,

as said the Brand New's are easy swaps on pre 76 models as they go straight on:

https://www.vwheritage.com/shop/bay-bus/211831051B/door-left-t2-68-79-8-75-redrill-hinge/?crumbStartPage=1&crumbStartRow=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.vwheritage.com/shop/211831052B/door-right-t2-68-79-8-75-re-drill-hinge/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

£299 retail before any discount, we are running 10% off any order over £100 in December so if got through us before the end of the month thats a 10% saving.

Its been a while since I bought some I dont know how much a good used cab door goes for these days?