Salvaging the Door Biscuit Panels

[Pat Marshall]

My Door Biscuit Panels are great on the outside (the leather side), but have problems on the inside (the cardboard side). The square cut holes, where the clips mount, have deteriorated and won't hold the clips. Photo #1 is the way it should be, Photo #2 is the way my panels are. Not only that, the biscuit panels on my other 2 Marks have the same issues.

I'm wondering if anyone has come up with a solution to make the panels usable? I've seen photos where people have drilled screws to hold the panels on - sure don't want to go there!

Your input will be really appreciated.

Pat

[Barry Wolk]

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[Pat Marshall]

Very Good Barry! A few questions -

How thick is the metal (aluminum?) sheeting?
What adhesive (or other method) was used to attach the leather to the metal? The metal to the cardboard?
How were the rectangular holes punched/cut into the metal sheeting.
What did I forget to ask, but should have?

Thanks,

Pat

[jdsnoddy]

How many Mark II's have a ugly screw in this area?

Every Mark that ever had a poor door/ pillar seal which allowed water to leak in. My guess is most of them.

[Barry Wolk]

Very Good Barry! A few questions -

How thick is the metal (aluminum?) sheeting?
What adhesive (or other method) was used to attach the leather to the metal? The metal to the cardboard?
How were the rectangular holes punched/cut into the metal sheeting.
What did I forget to ask, but should have?

Thanks,

Pat

Due to its location I used stainless steel about the thickness of a paper clip. I used stainless because aluminum with steel fasteners will corrode, especially in a damp area. I used 3M trim adhesive and left it clamped overnight. The dog leg seals are the reason these get destroyed. The factory did a very poor job if sealing under the seals which lets everything seep under the seal. They did a lousy job on the hood seal, too. On an original car there were just dabs of sealant, nothing continuous. My machine shop used a punch on the holes, but I've made them with a drill and a file.

[Pat Marshall]

It looks like that will help solve another problem with the door biscuit panels - the forward ends bowing outwards.

SO, I'm going to give that a whirl - I'll have to do at least five of those!

[Barry Wolk]

It looks like that will help solve another problem with the door biscuit panels - the forward ends bowing outwards.

Yes, this one was quite crunched from the leather getting wet and shrinking. I had to trim the metal to get the leather to fold over it.

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[Pat Marshall]

I got a steel prototype for the door panel biscuit support from my local laser cutting, metal stamping guy.
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I'll see if it works for both the right and left doors. If it does I'll have a couple made in stainless steel and see if I can repair two of my biscuit panels like Barry did.

[Pat Marshall]

It lines up with the holes in the door. I have a really beat up biscuit panel, I'll try to use this one on that.

[Barry Wolk]

Did you try the door panel insert fix?

[Pat Marshall]

I'm still working on it. I want to use the steel prototype on a trashed (and really unsalvageable) panel from another one of my cars. So, I'm trying to straighten that one up enough to use. The prototype fits the holes in the doors perfectly. Once I get it installed on the bad panel and can snap it in place, I'll have my supplier make a couple in stainless and then I'll try it on 3610's panels. Then, it will be game on!

Multi-tasking bogs me down, sometimes.

[5219]

Not to show my ignorance, but what is the door panel insert fix?

[Pat Marshall]

Check the posts that appear in this thread between #51 and #73. I'm trying to replicate the way Barry salvaged the biscuit door panels. If this works out I'll have these laser cut in stainless and available for others.

[Pat Marshall]

It Worked!

The door panel I used was really trashed from water damage. It took quite a lot to get it reshaped (trimmed, glued, pressed etc.) to a starting point. I used trim adhesive to glue the plate to the back, which aligned perfectly with the holes in the door, put the fasteners in and it snapped right into place.

As you can see the panel is still rough, but it's in place with no screws. A big thanks to Barry Wolk for his guidance on this!

Next step, I'll have four - "Pre-Production" ones laser-cut in stainless steel, and use them for the four door panels in 1494 and 3610.

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[Barry Wolk]

You're welcome. The stainless just has to be stronger than the cardboard. Any unnecessary thickness just adds to the thickness of the panel.

The key to the success of this is using the same adhesive to glue down the dogleg seals. They didn't do a very good job at the factory. Bill Miller convinced me to install the seal, mark the edges with a thin sharpie and then do an accurate job of taping the outline, as adhesive will ooze out onto the paint. Using a sharp blade on the excess allows it to be peeled off without cutting all the way through to the paint. You don't want to breach the paint there.

I was not able to find anything that got the leather to stretch to it's original shape. I say the gloved would have fit had they been moisturized. ;)

Frankly, the panel is trapped, top and bottom, and, it's held by a screw on the end, kind of overkill to add the clips. I'm not bashing, but overbuilt is not always better built.

[Pat Marshall]

Frankly, the panel is trapped, top and bottom, and, it's held by a screw on the end, kind of overkill to add the clips. I'm not bashing, but overbuilt is not always better built.

I have three Mark IIs (6 panels) none have screws - all panels have 3 clips forward and 1 aft. I'm probably missing something, I do that a lot. Where are the screws located?

[Barry Wolk]

Very near the front of the panel on the downward curve. 2 of 3 I have had here in the last year have had it. They may have been added when they first curled. Look on the door in that area for a small hole.

[Pat Marshall]

I did, I looked at all six doors of my 3 cars, none have drilled holes in neither the doors nor the biscuit panels.


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It looks like the four clips (three in the front and 1 in the rear) were the sole means of attaching the biscuit panels to the door. The window garnish moldings and the lower door panels overlapped the biscuit panels after they were attached to the door.

[Pat Marshall]

I finally got them from the machine shop!

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Now the fun begins!

[Barry Wolk]

Bill Miller's car.

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My car. Both early cars. They may have dispensed with the fastener on later cars.

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[Pat Marshall]

My 3610, which was a very late car, uses fasteners and has no screw holes. I think the screws were used by owners whose biscuit panels had deteriorated or warped. A version of using screws to secure headlight rings.

[Barry Wolk]

My 3610, which was a very late car, uses fasteners and has no screw holes. I think the screws were used by owners whose biscuit panels had deteriorated or warped. A version of using screws to secure headlight rings.

Could very well be. Might be an interesting thing to canvas owners about. While Bill's panels were real damaged the rest of his 20,000 mile car was quite nice. This repair blew him away.

Invisible. I could not distinguish the presence of metal or the slightly increases thickness of the panel. It doesn't take much metal to do the job. I think the adhesive does most of the work. :)

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