Removing Door Upholstery Panels

[Thainline]

I'm trying to remove the interior upholstery panels on my pilot side door ('53 170B) in order to get access to the door lock mechanism. Is there any trick to getting those panels off without damaging or otherwise ruining the fasteners that hold them on? Looking at the parts manual, it looks like there is an upholstery retainer clip, an upholstery retainer channel, and an upholstery panel fastener, and I was hoping to get some advice on how that whole system works before I start yanking on the panel to get in there...

Tom

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Tim the spring clips are the same as was found on 1950s cars. Generally a pry bar such as a stiff putty knife or even a well placed screw driver, will pop them out. Of course remove any screws you see as well. You will also have to remove the door handle, another piece taken from an 1950s car held on by a C clip. They make tools to slide behind the handle and remove the C clip but this can also be done with a well placed screw driver if you know what your doing and I've heard simply running a cloth rag behind the handle with catch and remove the clip. Once you get the parameter attachments removed, if your panel is held on the stock method the panel may have to be side up or down, I forget which, to slide it of the hooked area in the center.

Here is PDF I put together to remove the door panel and latch from a 1949 door which will be similar if not the same as your '53. Of course your door panel covering won't be as nice as the paisley stuff my partner installed on my door.

Removng door latch.pdf

(335.65 KiB) Downloaded 61 times

[mit]

The last time I took mine off. I left them off, put some insulation in the door, made covers for the holes and painted them to match.

[cessnut]

I left my door panels off and fabricated little square panels with four dimpled holes that pick up the latch screw locations, so I could retain the trim ring under the latch handle. With a brushed finished they look great.(I think)

[Thainline]

Thanks everyone, that was exactly the information I needed! Popped them off easily and without damage today.

Tom