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Old 11-19-2003, 10:08 PM
72Heaven 72Heaven is offline
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Default Re: recovering plastic panels with vinyl

I'm going to assume this is for your 1976(?) Camaro right? I'm a huge 2nd gen freak.... These panels aren't hard to find esp the '75-81 ones ('70-74 upper sails are getting difficult). Donor cars include all Camaros built '75-81 and all Firebirds (& T/As) '75-81 also (that's ALOT of cars!). I've never seen any that were recovered successfully with vinyl. You can clean them with laquer thinner and use a quality (check your local paint suppiler rather than Wal-Mart) vinyl dye. You can have it tinted to any color you'd like...

The problem with covering them with vinyl is that unless you use a VERY thin vinyl they tend to sit too far forward (the extra material pulls the assembly forward (this can be fixed by trimming the "lip" at the front of the door but do you really want to butcher the car for the panels?). Also the upper sail sits inside the lower panel (two or three plastic clips) unless you cover them as a unit there'll be a bulge. (and again there is the leading edge problem).... Anyway, my point is unless someone is really familar with your car and what it takes to make it right, it won't look "right" And getting it right will cost more than getting some good used panels. Check out www.nastyz28.com in the swapmeet there's always someone parting something...and of course E-bay is out there... but I'd hardly ever pay more than $40-$50 for both sides! ($150 is highway robbery unless it's NOS!)
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