Door Panel Inserts? - Focaljet

**SilverBullet18** · 02-05-2006, 11:24 PM

I'm pretty sure this has been discussed before but I think the posts have been deleted. If I take the inserts out of the doors to put fabric on them is there a way to remount the inserts on the door panel? I'm using swirl velvet fabric and I tried just tucking it around the outside but its thick and does not stretch so it won't go flush on the insert, and it kinda wrinkles up.

**nstiesi** · 02-05-2006, 11:50 PM

Yeah, I have just done this to my own car. Unfortunately, I had the non-upholstered inserts, so the tuck method was not even and option, so I NEEDED to cut mine out. Warning, it is a bit of a task, and its easy to mess up, believe me, I messed up plenty. Once you get your door panel off, you will discover that the instert is part of the door panel, it was one molded piece of plastic. It will need to be cut out. It is possible to do this with a zacto knife, but its alot of work this way. Best would be a dremel, just make sure to cut all the way down to the white batting before trying to cut. As far as reattaching, I have seen it done two ways. On FF, some guy used a staple gun, and stradled the seam with the staples. I drilled holes horizontally through the plastic lip on the back, then used zip ties to hold the piece in.

On a personal note, I have to redo some of mine. I used spray adhesive to secure the fabric to my insert. It didn't hold very well. I am planning on re-doing it, using a combination of a stronger adhesive, and some staples to hold the fabric to the back of the insert, then use the zip ties to hold the piece in as before. Since I have to redo it, I haven't posted any pics. I will do so as soon as I get the time to fix it.....my start button project ate into my time. Good luck, hope to see your work.

Nick

**SilverBullet18** · 02-06-2006, 08:07 AM

Yeah I have the inserts that are just vinyl also so thats the problem I am running into. I'm gonna try this soon though, now that I know its possible to reattach the insert. Thanks for the info.

**2focusd** · 02-06-2006, 11:04 AM

I have an early '00 so my door panels have the fabric to them, so I think I'm gonna just take the easy way out and push some blue fabric of my choosing into there

-Brian

**MAT** · 02-06-2006, 01:39 PM

I've played around with vinyl and it doesn't look too easy to just tuck it in. Can I remove the door handle to make tucking that spot easier?

**nstiesi** · 02-06-2006, 03:22 PM

I don't think so. On the door handle, Ford used an interesting little "plastic rivet." Basically its a piece of plastic inserted through a hole in the door panel, and the back of the peg is melted to the panel. I suppose you can drill the peg out, but then you need to find a way to re-attach it.

**Silfox** · 02-06-2006, 03:26 PM

It is possible to de-melt this with a solder iron and reaply, but you have to be careful melting the plastic over.

**MAT** · 02-07-2006, 01:31 PM

So those bolts behind the little plastic cover just hold on the door panel?

**nstiesi** · 02-07-2006, 01:49 PM

Yup, the hold on the entire panel, not just the handle....you can lift the entire door panel of by the handle itself, and its not going anywhere.

02-05-2006, 11:24 PM	#1
SilverBullet18 TEAM Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 209	Door Panel Inserts? I'm pretty sure this has been discussed before but I think the posts have been deleted. If I take the inserts out of the doors to put fabric on them is there a way to remount the inserts on the door panel? I'm using swirl velvet fabric and I tried just tucking it around the outside but its thick and does not stretch so it won't go flush on the insert, and it kinda wrinkles up.

02-05-2006, 11:50 PM	#2
nstiesi Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Hollywood, FL Posts: 1,535	Re: Door Panel Inserts? Yeah, I have just done this to my own car. Unfortunately, I had the non-upholstered inserts, so the tuck method was not even and option, so I NEEDED to cut mine out. Warning, it is a bit of a task, and its easy to mess up, believe me, I messed up plenty. Once you get your door panel off, you will discover that the instert is part of the door panel, it was one molded piece of plastic. It will need to be cut out. It is possible to do this with a zacto knife, but its alot of work this way. Best would be a dremel, just make sure to cut all the way down to the white batting before trying to cut. As far as reattaching, I have seen it done two ways. On FF, some guy used a staple gun, and stradled the seam with the staples. I drilled holes horizontally through the plastic lip on the back, then used zip ties to hold the piece in. On a personal note, I have to redo some of mine. I used spray adhesive to secure the fabric to my insert. It didn't hold very well. I am planning on re-doing it, using a combination of a stronger adhesive, and some staples to hold the fabric to the back of the insert, then use the zip ties to hold the piece in as before. Since I have to redo it, I haven't posted any pics. I will do so as soon as I get the time to fix it.....my start button project ate into my time. Good luck, hope to see your work. Nick __________________ 2004 CD Silver, SPI, MTX Sedan My car page: http://grove.ufl.edu/~nstiesi/focus.html oh, FJ is like drugs......it keeps putting ideas in your head, and its habit forming....

02-06-2006, 08:07 AM	#3
SilverBullet18 TEAM Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 209	Re: Door Panel Inserts? Yeah I have the inserts that are just vinyl also so thats the problem I am running into. I'm gonna try this soon though, now that I know its possible to reattach the insert. Thanks for the info.

02-06-2006, 11:04 AM	#4
2focusd [FJ] Addict Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Uniontown, PA Posts: 13,435	Re: Door Panel Inserts? I have an early '00 so my door panels have the fabric to them, so I think I'm gonna just take the easy way out and push some blue fabric of my choosing into there -Brian __________________ Godspeed, Colin McRae, may you live on forever as the reason countless people fell in love with the Ford Focus (myself included). 1968-2007 http://www.f2focus.com

02-06-2006, 01:39 PM	#5
MAT TEAM Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Roberts, WI Posts: 318	Re: Door Panel Inserts? I've played around with vinyl and it doesn't look too easy to just tuck it in. Can I remove the door handle to make tucking that spot easier? __________________ MAT Roberts, WI 05 ZX3 SES Infra-red (It's hot!) Major Mods: Marcy CAI, Borla cat-back exhaust, Crane Stg 1 cams, F2 Header, FS tuning, SVT suspension, 17" FRPP rally wheels. (I'm just getting warmed up!)

02-06-2006, 03:22 PM	#6
nstiesi Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Hollywood, FL Posts: 1,535	Re: Door Panel Inserts? I don't think so. On the door handle, Ford used an interesting little "plastic rivet." Basically its a piece of plastic inserted through a hole in the door panel, and the back of the peg is melted to the panel. I suppose you can drill the peg out, but then you need to find a way to re-attach it. __________________ 2004 CD Silver, SPI, MTX Sedan My car page: http://grove.ufl.edu/~nstiesi/focus.html oh, FJ is like drugs......it keeps putting ideas in your head, and its habit forming.... Last edited by nstiesi : 02-06-2006 at 04:09 PM.

02-06-2006, 03:26 PM	#7
Silfox [FJ] Specialist Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 7,633	Re: Door Panel Inserts? It is possible to de-melt this with a solder iron and reaply, but you have to be careful melting the plastic over.

02-07-2006, 01:31 PM	#8
MAT TEAM Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Roberts, WI Posts: 318	Re: Door Panel Inserts? So those bolts behind the little plastic cover just hold on the door panel? __________________ MAT Roberts, WI 05 ZX3 SES Infra-red (It's hot!) Major Mods: Marcy CAI, Borla cat-back exhaust, Crane Stg 1 cams, F2 Header, FS tuning, SVT suspension, 17" FRPP rally wheels. (I'm just getting warmed up!)

02-07-2006, 01:49 PM	#9
nstiesi Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Hollywood, FL Posts: 1,535	Re: Door Panel Inserts? Yup, the hold on the entire panel, not just the handle....you can lift the entire door panel of by the handle itself, and its not going anywhere. __________________ 2004 CD Silver, SPI, MTX Sedan My car page: http://grove.ufl.edu/~nstiesi/focus.html oh, FJ is like drugs......it keeps putting ideas in your head, and its habit forming....

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