Door panel water shield questions ???

[DAVEN1256]

I purchased a set of door and 1/4 window water shields (4 pieces) from Heartbeat City for my '68 which has the deluxe interior. I bought the Mylar ones thinking that they would be better than the paper ones (they cost more.) The manufacturer's name is REM. REM's label shows them to be for a '69. Heartbeat's label says for a '68 or '69.

There are differences between my originals and these repros. I want to go over the differences and see if someone can explain them.....and if these are the best I can expect to find or if there are better ones out there.

The width of the repro door shields (side edge to side edge) are 3/4 inch narrower than the originals. They are not wide enough to cover both of the indented channels on each side of the inner door structure where the bead of caulking (sealant) goes......this is reason enough by itself to return them.

On my original door shields, the top, front corners are shaped differently. The driver's side has a cut out at that corner that the passenger side doesn't. The repros have the cut out on both sides. I don't have a clue why the originals are different side to side. That cut out leaves part of an opening in the door structure uncovered. Seems like water could get through there.

Where the originals have a vinyl pouch that fits around the interior door latch mechanism, the repros have nothing but a one inch diameter perforated circle that you can punch out for the door latch to stick through......I don't understand that because the door latch mechanism is too big to fit through that hole and it won't be water tight.

So just looking for some opinions, explanations, and/or advise.

Thanks......Dave

[DAVEN1256]

I have no idea why my pictures came out so big. I am hosting them on the TC forum now that you can't use Photobucket on the forums anymore....I posted the same topic on TC and the photos came out the right size.

[Sauron327]

If I have original parts that are tired, I often make my own replacements if it is easy, cost efficient, and the repros suck. I make my own dust shields and other parts, this is no different.

[DAVEN1256]

Thinking that most of the repros will probably be like these that I have, making my own has already crossed my mind. I know it wouldn't be hard......I was already doing a little searching on the Internet for mylar sheets.

Scott, a couple of questions......do you know why the original door shields are different on that top, front corner?.....and if I made my own shields, should I try to find a paper similar to the originals (I'd have no idea where to find that) or go with mylar? For what it is worth, the repro mylar ones that I have are .004 inches thick.

Thanks.......Dave

[Sauron327]

Camaro Central has shields with correct black coated tan paper; not sure how accurately they are shaped.

[Everett#2390]

As Sauron suggest, make your own, visit a hobby shop or fabric shop and buy sheets of Mylar, or thick plastic sheeting.
Get some clay weatherstripping and cut, install your own.
As GM did, route weatherstripping in trench and towards the bottom cutout.
Cut plastic the same width and height and tuck inside the bottom slot for water to drain inside soor.
Its only purpose is protecting panel/cardbroad from getting wet.
The cutouts in the upper corner, at least for driver side is for remote mirror cable.
Repo's just turn the panel over and call it pass side.
People will never see the plastic fro the outside.

[z28z11]

All four of my water shields from my X77 are in decent shape - I removed them from the car in 1980; off and stored in the dry ever since. If any one needs a measurement from them, send me a PM.

I looked in vain for part numbers on the backs of them (noticed the part number on my door panels quickly), but nothing on them at all. Heavy paper, like pattern paper, black coating on one side only. I never thought they were very water resistant, but I guess they did their jobs -

Regards,
Steve

[DAVEN1256]

Thanks for all the replies.

The repros I bought are going back tomorrow and I am just going to go ahead and make my own. I already made templates today using my originals as guides. My originals are pretty tattered but I believe I got them laid out to their original shape. I'll test fit the templates and tweak them if I have to.

I looked at the paper ones from Camaro Central on their website as Scott suggested. I noticed there was a review on them at the bottom of the page. The reviewer said they were nice but made of clear plastic and not as they were shown in the picture....I really don't care what they are made of as long as they fit and do the job they are supposed to. I'll probably look for some heavy plastic or mylar.

Thanks for the explanation for the cut out on the one side only. I never thought of a remote control mirror.

Dave

[bcmiller]

Dave when you find a current supplier for correct material, please post. Thanks

[Sauron327]

I just saw that Steve's Camaro's has black/tan shields. Also, this thread from 2010 never went anywhere: http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=6970.0
Mylar is fine too. Are judges ripping off door panels to make sure the shields are correct? I guess they would if they want to inspect the factory deadening on the backside of the doorskins.