One of the most aggravating situations occurs when you’ve fixed the door latch, or got the window to roll up and down, and then, when replacing the door panel, one of the clips tears up the particle board backing on the door panel. The door panel may be a 50 year old “plus” original or a new reproduction, the spot where the clip hooks into gets damaged. I tried to repair the panel with Elmer’s Yellow Glue but it wasn’t strong enough to hold the existing panel material. While using the Elmer’s, I spread the glue with a Popsicle stick. The stick stayed on the work bench while I “mangled” the installation on the car. When I got back to the bench to try again, I said why not – a Popsicle stick it is. My plan was to mark where the cross piece would go to retain the clip, cut that section out with my Dremel tool, place two pieces on each side of the cross piece to retain it, in effect forming a “H”, with the clip fitting in slot of the “H”.
The clips stick up from the backing board about 0.072 inch. A Popsicle stick is 0.084 inch thick. I can live with a 0.012 inch extra difference in height. I used a pair of shears to cut the Popsicle stick in 3 pieces 1 inch long. Popsicle sticks are available at Amazon.
Here’s my fix.
Materials: a Popsicle stick; plastic wrap; Gorilla Glue; water.
Tools: Metal shears; Dremel tool; Dremel circular saw blade; 3 clamps.
Pic 1 This is the torn up corner of a reproduction deluxe door panel on a 66 Mustang hardtop.
Pic 2 Marked and cut to fit the cross piece.
Pic 3 Cross piece fitted. (Sorry about the focus.)
Pic 4 Parallel pieces placed (the “H”).
Pic 5 The clip is wrapped in plastic, the wood and door sprayed with water, Gorilla glue applied.
Pic 6 Clamped. Let it sit for at least 3 hours before removing the clamps, overnight is best.
Pic 7 Done, clamps removed, excess Gorilla Glue foam cut away.
Pic 8 Removed clip, plastic wrap works.
Pic 9 Installed for use.
Pic 10 Close up view.
Pic 11 Popsicle stick view.
