Mark VII LSC - Door Panel Fit Problem

[Doug]

The upper part of the door panel,both sides, do not fit tight to the inner trim on my 88 LSC. The top of the panel is out about 3/16" from the inner door skin. This part of the panel only has three/four plastic "Christmas Trees" that are supposed to hold the upper door panel inplace and tight to the door skin but this just isn't working. Does anyone have a fix for this problem?

[Nick]

I have a similar problem with my car. I would try replacing all the push pins/christmas trees with new ones. You can get a ten pack at the dealer for about $5. If that doesn't work, perhaps a strip of steel with the propper shape will need to be added to create the rigidity and shape the panel should have.

[Doug]

I purchased all new Xmas Trees hoping that was the answer but it wasn't. According to LSC SS , Karl, he thinks that the top of the panel warps over time and the trees just aren't "strong" enough to hold the panel tight to the inner skin. I agree Nick that the answer is probably a custom made set of interlocking brackets between the panel and the door skin. The first decent weather we have here, I'm going to pull the panel off, open a Bud, and see what we can come up with. That panel is really detracking, especially on what should be a luxury type car. Most panels have some kind of locking/overlapping brace that matches to the door skin on top. That's what really threw me on this Mark-what engineering? any other ideas out there would greatly be appreciated-it seems like by a large amount of Mark owners. If you have solved this problem, please post the solution here for us all to enjoy.

[franco]

Karl's right.
Heat(from sunlight) has warped it and changed it's shape.

[Doug]

I also believe that the sun is the culprit in this "dastardly deed"-along with some weak engineering/design, but what do we do about it? with all the talent, knowledge, skills, experience ,tools, and analytical abilities of this website available to us, surely, we can or have already fixed this problem. Mr.Ford once said, " that there isn't a problem facing a Ford employee today that another Ford employee hasn't already solved? I believe that this statement is also true about the members of this website/Forum. Let's have a go at it!!!!

[villain_lsc]

The guy that had the car before me had screws drilled through the panel? I took them out and then took the car to a local interior guy. He said he could fix this problem better than new'for 70$ both doors.I will let you know when I get it done. I cant stand how loose those panels are attached!--------------------------------------------------88 silver lsc.air silencer removed, quad. fogs------------89 red on injured reserve.

[Doug]

villian: clearly, there are a bunch of us who have the same problem. If your interior/trim guy comes up with a solution, please post it here. We'll be waiting. Thanks to all.

[Vince]

I've been trying to think of something for a couple of weeks now. I will have to give it more thought since everyone is suffering from the same problem. Has anyone bought the JCWhitney window weather stripping? I've bought "junk" from JCW before and would like to get these from somewhere else but can't seem to find them at a reasonable price.

[Doug]

Vince. I purchased and installed the JCW weatherseals and had no problems with either the installation or performance. I followed the Tech Article/threads and the process went pretty well. However, you do need to spend a little time fitting the front end (both doors) of the stripping to have a nice look around the mirror area. Best advice is to relax, take your time and all will be well.

[Doug]

I was wondering if anyone has come up with a solution to this door panel "fit" problem yet? there seems to be a bunch of us around the site that have cars with this problem.

[villain_lsc]

Sorry I didn't get back sooner,...I spoke with this interior guy over the weekend and he showed me a larger tighter fitting "christmas tree" that you can buy at NAPA auto...Itried them and it made it somewhat better....its a bit trickey getting them to all line up with with their holes , you have to take it slow....I reinforced the "seats" in the panel where the plugs slide into with some duct tape......these plugs should be replaced every time you take the door panel off and on.

[AceFrehley03]

I'm thinking that someone needs to come up with an aluminum or steel bar that goes across the top to hold it tight to the door frame. It'd be tricky to fit though.

[91MochafrostLSC]

I think it is really tacky that people use screws to fasten the door panel together or they use screws to fasten the trim piece to the door panel. Mine come loose after I had my windows worked on and all I did was take the flush mounted clips off the trim piece put them in the door panel and then attached it back in place - problem solved. It's usually the people who look for a quick fix to everything and don't care about the looks of their car.

[villain_lsc]

I can agree with that totally,both my M7's have had their door panels off and they were both helped back on with screws...A total piss off..pure laziness, some of the plugs had bent the panel slightly because they didn't take the time to line them up.............try what I said above and see how that works out for you.

[Steve Moran]

I will look today for the part number for the thicker retainers. I will try to post around noon

[Steve Moran]

sorry I didn't get back at noon.
I did search for a #.
My problem was they don't go by application, so I am little help all I have is three pages if "Christmas Trees" and no way of knowing the one it takes.
If some one has a picture of it I can find the one it uses and then find a thicker or longer one.

[Nick]

I saw a set of door panels from a '90-'92 Mark VII. They had a black plastic backing like my Continental panels. Perhaps this was a running design change? Can people with a Mark VIIs from these years verify if it was a universal change on all '90-'92 cars?

[franco]

Nick,
Yes, they did change the backing material from fiber-board to what you saw on the 90-92 models.

Steve,
I don't believe the larger nylon "trees" would make much of a difference when it comes to getting that top edge to butt up to the metal door like it did prior to the sun/heat damage.

It will take a solution that requires new hardware like what Ace had suggested.
Doesn't look like it would be that difficult, depending on what hardware you have on hand.
You'd have to drill holes at the top of the inner metal door that align with the hardware coming from the backing metal bar/strip.
You could use self taping metal screws into pre-drilled holes in bar.
Or maybe have short fixed bolts coming from door panel's metal bar that simply need nuts(w/lock washers) to secure to the door.

The metal bar could also be riveted to the panel using larger washers to get a better hold.

[Nick]

You gave me an idea! If an aluminum or plexiglass sheet was used to strengthen the door, a shelf could be made to sit at the top of the door skin. This shelf could have roll pins or dowel pins inserted in it to slot into corresponding holes in the door skin. This will keep the top of the door tight against the skin and it will stiffen the rest of the door panel. Everything will have to be fine tuned to prevent sqeeking, but maybe it can work.

Someone from FvC also suggested using fiberglass to strengthen the door panel, but the panel must be in the correct shape for this to work.

[villain_lsc]

I've just taken my door panel off again for the tenth time it seems like, but anyway the inside door panel fibre board is starting to deteriorate where the plugs go in at the door latch side....now what I did was put some industrial 'velcro' we had laying around the shop and stuck it on that bad part of the door..shit man! it stays on there better than it did with the plugs...Now I'm wondering about doing the whole door panel right around, my panel at the top is not warped or bent away from the door yet so I'm thinking this may work!.....Let me know what you guy's think----Villain :cool:

[Bill's89LSC]

Go for it, if it works you may have to get pictures made and show it off. Could also be a good tech article for others that suffer from the same thing. I had to take 3M spray glue yesterday and reattach the whole trunk interior that hange under the amp and speakers. Sometimes you gotta do whatever it takes to make everything look like it should again.


Bill

[ August 12, 2004: Message edited by: Bill's89LSC ]

[villain_lsc]

I tried the Ind. strength velcro idea and it came out so so ..it didn't bring it tight enough to the door at the top where the window is so I did a combination of plugs and velcro and it came out pretty good, we'll see in time. I've got to figure out a way to reinforce the fiber board where the pins go into ...I think in time the velcro adhesive will just rip off the fiber...Keep ya posted---------------Villain

[88-lincoln]

Ford has always had a rep of over engineering, or in this case, under engineering

[Easyrider49]

89 and earlier with fiber board panel backing might be pourous enough to soak up some fiberglass resin , thus making it a lot stiffer , I'm not sure as to how pourus they would be but you might give it a try ???
I have a 90 and the backing on it is warped or some thing because they are way away from where they should be .
I'm goint to try heating and reforming mine , if in fact they are warped when I remove them . :confused: