Coupe Door Panels on Convertible Doors

[spinout180]

Started a new topic so this wouldn't get lost!

Quote »it's a HUGE difference.i've finally starting to remove the seat belt assembly from ebony's doors. the convertible door panels should have a big fragile sticker plastered across them. all the plastic fasteners that hold the panels to the doors were broken. the panels were just hanging there! the trim pieces for the window controls are like thin ice.

i've replaced the driver's side door panel with one from a coupe but still have the convertible panel on the passenger's side. the difference is night and day. they use different fasteners and the trim pieces (even though they look exactly alike) are a different grade of plastic. when i hit a bump in the road, the convertible panel makes all kinds of noise while the coupe panel is as silent as a mouse.

-demetrius [/quote]

[TrunkMonkey]

Dem,can you post a pic of what the coupe panel looks like on your car?

sadly, i don't have any pics right now. my intentions were just to take everything apart and see how much work it would be to move the seatbelts off the doors. well, one thing led to another...and when i was halfway through, i realized that i didn't have my camera with me.

i'm thinking about doing a write up when i get finished this weekend (hopefully). i'll be sure to take pics of everything.

-demetrius

[Hijacker]

niceness

[dcdcdc]

cool, I'd be really interested in seeing how you did the conversion. I'm in the process of it myself, and I find I'm having to cut quite a bit off the non-vert panel to get it to fit over the seatbelts

[AZhitman]

Ditto - I'm getting ready to remove my door panels.

I'm gonna be buying an industrial rivet gun with some black anodized aluminum poprivets for my damn door panel inserts....

[den240]

Any pics yet Demcj? Even if they are just pics of the completed process?

I'm especially wondering what you did with the part of the weatherstripping that is on the outside of the seatbelt pillar.....

i'm thinking about doing a write up when i get finished this weekend (hopefully). i'll be sure to take pics of everything.

-demetrius

[TrunkMonkey]

i've got some in progress pics, but i'm having internet issues at the house. i also didn't have time to work on her this past weekend.

my door pillar is completely gone. my seatbelt is now located just above the rear speaker. once i get done with all the cosmetics, it'll look much like the jdm convertible's setup.

-demetrius

[spinout180]

I want to see these photos!

[TrunkMonkey]

I want to see these photos!

it may be awhile. it looks like my home computer may have taken a dump .

-demertius

[AZhitman]

I really really really really wanna know more about this.

Demetrius, can you call me tomorrow? 602-828-8908.

[TrunkMonkey]

i'll call you late this afternoon.

-demetrius

[spinout180]

I want to know too! Photos please! I want to do this....

Darren

[AZhitman]

I will be starting this swap soon as well, and I will take copious pics.

[den240]

my door pillar is completely gone. my seatbelt is now located just above the rear speaker. once i get done with all the cosmetics, it'll look much like the jdm convertible's setup.

-demetrius

I was thinking maybe a couple of options for this would be:

1. mount seatbelt above rear speaker like you are doing

2. use seat with integrated seatbelt, like MB SL500: http://www.motormagazinesha.co...t.jpgor Chrysler sebring: http://www.trentyne.com/driven...2.jpg Or Saab convertible:http://www.mnsaabclub.org/Memb...5.jpg

3. use longer seatbelt, mount to floor, use guide on shoulder of seat

Seems like the integrated seat/seatbelt would be easiest, but not easy/cheap to find sl500 seats in good shape. Maybe the sebring would be easier and cheaper to find...


Modified by den240 at 4:38 PM 10/15/2004

[AZhitman]

Sebring seats would likely be too wide and too tall.

I think I'm gonna reverse mine. Put the retractor on the floor and the fixed part above the rear speaker.

[TrunkMonkey]

those sl500 seats are hot, but pricey and might be hard to find. most of the more affordable intergrated seatblelt/seats are gonna be waay to bulky to fit in the convertible.

i should have my computer fixed (or a new one altogether) in the next week or so. pics are coming.

-demetrius

[spinout180]

Or use racing seats (Sparco, etc) with harnesses attached to a roll bar.

[Tatanko]

I can't wait to see pics and a write-up for this

[AZhitman]

I just got my coupe door panels!

[topdown240]

Hi all, this is my first post here. I have been the proud owner of a '92 convertible for the past four years and a '91 hatch before that.Concerning the seatbelts, I have s14 belts mounted in the rear quarters with modified interior pannels. This is definately not a bolt on as you have to remove the dead bolt receiver from the quarter and weld a custom bracket with a captive nut in its place to mount the shoulder pivot horizontally. You also have to drill a hole in the lower part of the quarter and weld a captive nut to bolt up the s14 retractor. The end of the lap belt bolts to the frame rail in the stock position for coup/hb. The s14 belts fit flush within a recess in the inner quarter pannel so that the original trim pannel fits over them. To fit regular door pannels, I had to remove the entire seatbelt assembly, the ugly shoulder pivot tower, and the brace that runs front to back allong the top of the door. Once you do this, you'll see that the inner door shell is cut for the seatbelt assembly. Solution - reattach the bracketry that the original seatbelts mounted to or swap doors. The regular door pannels fit, but you need to remove the foam blocks on the back side. I've been using this setup for over a year now and I like it a lot better than stock. I'll see about taking some pictures tomorrow if anybody's interested.

[AZhitman]

Been there, done that.

http://www.nicoclub.com/zerothread?id=90488

[spinout180]

Still want to see photos of the final project... is it finished yet?

[AZhitman]

Yep

pics keep turning out crappy tho

will post some soon

[Graphfixz]

Yep

pics keep turning out crappy tho

will post some soon

hate to bring up and old post.... but... how soon is soon... it being March and all?

[AZhitman]

See my "how to" thread for now...

Pics pending (ever try to shoot pics of a black on black car?

[Graphfixz]

Yes, I have actually. However, I have Photography lighting with Photography Umbrellas... that you are more then welcome to use.

But if you do that you might as well just show me the car

After all you are only 4 hours away!

[AZhitman]

You coming to the Nationals?