How do you restore door panels

[70RAGTOPR/T]

Ok the wife cleaned out the car and I see that I need to restore the door panels.  I read that some people painted them but werre not happy.  What should I do?

[MEK-Dangerfield]

As long as they aren't too chalky(often happens with white), I had GREAT success using SEM products. You prep, then dye them. They call it dye, but it goes on like spray paint.


http://www.autostyles.com/sem.htm


  Mike

[70RAGTOPR/T]

Thanks Mike....I will be ordering some of the SEM product this week.  I just need to find out which white to use (SEM.15313 White or SEM.15103 Super White).  What you see on line is not helpful.  Did you use the prep produsts?

Thanks,
Walt

[HemiOrange70]

I cleaned my panels with a platic bristle brush and soap and water three times. SEM rep says if they wre armour alled alot then use the speccial SEM prep. Remeber light coats of paint(dye)

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Thanks Mike....I will be ordering some of the SEM product this week.  I just need to find out which white to use (SEM.15313 White or SEM.15103 Super White).  What you see on line is not helpful.  Did you use the prep produsts?

Thanks,
Walt

Yes I did Walt. It is great at getting off all the oil and grime that is on there.   I'm thinking you need SEM 15313. I have a color chart in front of me, but that doesn't help you any.  

Does this link help?  http://www.msitrt.com/Documents/sem%20dye%20chart.pdf



  Mike

[Sublime]

When I did mine I cleaned them off good, then prepped them with Sand Free and sprayed them with the SEM product. Mine are black and they turned out nice.  As was mentioned, multiple light coats is best.

[70_challenger]

I cannot speak for the white panels, but I restored my black door panels with SEM dye, also. 
I have heard good reviews of the SEM prep products, but I just scrubbed mine good with dish soap and water (First with a sponge or rag, and then with a Scotch-brite pad).  I rinsed them well, let them sit in the sun for a while, and then applied 2-3 light coats of SEM dye (paint).

I used the same technique for my windshield post covers and plastic lower dash corners, too.  They look like brand new - So I would expect the white to work the same.  Best of luck.

[Travis72]

I *THINK* that the 15103 Super White is the correct color........  but I CAN'T vouch for that.  Here's why.... I bought a set of set of the new repo rear panels and then a set of green used door panels (I've heard that the repo door panels don't fit very well, so that's why I went with used originals).  I followed the SEM prep process (SEM soap, plastic prep, the adhesion promoter) and then painted them the 15313 white.  They didn't match the repo rear panels at all.  So I asked around and the 15103 was recommended.  So since then I've bought the 15103 Super White, however I haven't gotten around to painting the door panels again to see if they match better. So I can't back that up yet....

So all that being said, perhaps the repo rear panels aren't the correct color???   

However, if you're going to repaint everything anyway (and it's not a 100% factory correct resto), then it probably doesn't matter.

Travis
72 Cuda

[70RAGTOPR/T]

Thanks all, I will will call SEM for a color match.  I will clean first with soap & water, then use the SEM products out.  I hope to start this week on the panels.

Mike.....The 15313 looks close.

Thanks again,
Walt

[Madmax440]

Rev did a great job documenting this process on her restoration site and she was very helpful when I did mine. I will forward the info to you that she sent to me also. 

[70RAGTOPR/T]

Thanks Madmax.  I will look up Revs thread.

[Rev-It-Up]

Everyone has given great advice here 70Ragtop.  The SEM stuff really does work great.  Our have been finished 2 years now and they still look brand new.  Ours were black so, unfortunatley, I can't help with the color of white.  Here is our webpage on doing our plastics. Nothing new that hasn't been shared here, but pictures might make you feel a little better in how well the SEM stuff does.
http://www.ridesthatrock.com/html/plastics.html

Also here is a pic of the SEM products we used...of course, you won't use the black dye.

[70RAGTOPR/T]

Ok folks, now I need to know how much to order. 

Rev.....Your website is very helpful.  My wife thinks that she can handle the restoring of the door panels.  By the way, the pole that you used to hang the panels on, what was the material.

Walt

[HemiOrange70]

I used 6 cans and painted my door panels, kick plates, console, rear quarter seat panels, seat backs and lower dash pieces

[Madmax440]

Just dropped mine off today to have them sprayed and should be done by the weekend. Its costing me $100.00 and will be will worth it if they turn out nice. After I got everything off I realized that the passenger side door was a different grain and white. So I will have to end up getting a replacement before spring.