Door Panels?

[Unit316]

I've got an '04 GT rag top and the door panels are faded and cracked from the sun. Ford wants $1,200 EACH for new panels.

Does someone make reproduction panels? I've searched high and low. Needs some help. Used is a crap shoot, there are sets on eBay but it's hard to see the real condition with crappy photos on the 'net.

Also do I understand that the coupe and rag top panels are NOT interchangeable?

 

[vertigasen]

I think you are pretty much screwed on this. I know someone made door panels for our cars, but that was a few years ago. I don't think they make them anymore (no profit in them).

I think you really have 4 options.

1) Try to find a set of used ones. Even local junk yards typically have a few mustangs, go shopping, pick and choose.

2) Ebay or other selling medium. You may have to ask the seller for emailed better quality pictures, but honestly, I have never seen a set of the door panels fade and crack. My aftermarket cloth/suede seats have faded, but my dash and door panels have not.

3) Give in and buy them from Ford...... You know they have them, and they are new. I don't know if they guy is still at Tousley Ford named Randy. He gave me great deals on Ford parts below my local dealer price. WELL WORTH IT.

4) Buy aftermarket racing door panels. There are a few companies that make Aluminum or other material door panels. The door pull (closer) is just a cloth strap, and the handle to open the door is a different cloth strap. The controls are just mounted to a little aluminum box. Not pretty, but a lot lighter.

 

[IIGood]

Could an upholstery shop maybe recover the panels? All it is mostly is vinyl glued onto cardboard, right? The hard plastic pieces, if they're not broken, could just be "painted"...

 

[vertigasen]

They might be able to recover the panel. There are plastic dyes that work well, but be careful with the paint. It can and will chip/scratch easily, and discolor in sunlight. The good part of paint, it can always be touched up!