What is the experience with the rear pre-assembled interior side panels? My originals have been recovered and the trim is missing. I could re-build but would need to find a source where I could buy the trim and fuzzies for the rear panels separately.

I just bought a set of pre assembled panels for my 68 , what kind of questions do you have about them , I could go check them out for you.

I am interested in the quality of the fit and appearance. Most of the commentary has been about the pre-assembled front door panels. Most have said they get better quality buying the un-assembled panels.

I started with hte pre-assembleds (doors), sent em back and got the "un's"

First things first is what do you have on the doors? PUI pannels DO NOT look like the originals. When they are all the same it's ok, buy some dis and some dat would be like having 2 different style drapes on the same window.

Other than that, I got no comment, never tried the assembled in the back, and my vert would be different anyway.

I don't know the origin of the door panels other than they are not original. I have to assume they are PUI. I don't know of any other suppliers for standard door panels. I also have a vert and the material I recently bought for the arm rest matches the door panels. I have the original side panels but they have been covered with a "custom" material and are missing the metal trim and window fuzzy. I guess I'll go with the pre-assembled. Thanks.

I started with hte pre-assembleds (doors), sent em back and got the "un's"



You bought pre-assembled door panels, but sent them back for un-assembled door panels? What was the problem with the pre-assembleds?
Where did you get them from?

There is a post on all this, burried somewhere in interiors last summer, but...

The metal tops on the preassembled door panels were not right, or the cardboard was attached to the metal too high, the panels did not cover the entire door, the screw holes in the door were below the panel.

And... The provided metal trim peices are alluminum, not stainless steel, and the ends were just kinda whacked off, all sharp and yucky looking.

With the unassembled panels, I was able to mate the cardboard to the original metal low enough so it at least covered the screws holes in the doors, and I polished up and reused my oiginal stainless trim.

BTW, we're talking about 68 standard PUI panels.

I replaced both the door inner panels and rear panels with the aftermarket PUI preassembled ones on my 68 Camaro. They look great but I have a few issues with them. The rear ones went on fairly easy but I now have a problem when I try to roll up the windows. It is so tight in the corner where the quarter window vertical chrome molding is. It's tight enough that the chrome molding comes off when rolling up the window. The radius of the upper metal part of the panel is different than the originals. I'll probably take another look at it this spring when it gets warmer to see if I can fix the problem.

Just got through with 3 hrs of wrestling with the passenger rear section of my upholstery. Lots of issues. The side panel fits and looks good, but like SSCam427 when I roll the window up the forward portion of the panel pops off the because it is so tight with the window trim. The arm rest and side well panel is not a lot of fun.

The arm rest and side well panel is not a lot of fun.
Are those the ones that have to be assembled? I got some "quilt batting" and "spray mount adhesive" at a craft store for them. Stick the padding on with the spray mount, then stick the vinyl on same way. Don't use contact cement or trim adhesive (contact cement in a spray can) on the faces of these, it makes the padding look funny. Once they are on, brush on contact cement to stick the edges on the backside.

Jacket, What I noticed with the PUI rear panels in comparison with the originals that I took off was that the metal lip of the originals fit the metal of the rear sides so that to remove them I had to slide the panel to the front of the car. They wouldn't lift right off by picking them straight up. They had to be slid off. When the weather warms up here, I'm going to try and peen the metal edge of the PUI panel over a little more to hook over the metal edge of the car body metal. I hope that makes sense. Also when I crank the windows up or down, the handle interferes with the molding on the panel.

Jim, thanks for the advice. My big problem is getting the 5 screw holes to line up

Makes you wonder if they test these things on real cars after they make them.

The screw holes are fun... Assuming you recovered the stock metal ieces, and you punched the holes thru the new vinyl, the holes are right where they always been, and therefore they will fit. Trick is finding them... You've got the armrest and the well cover screwed together, right? Then start at the front. Find the lower front hole with an awl, leave the awl in the hole, and find the top hole with another awl. Then pull one and get the screw in without letting it move. Once you got those 2, the others won't be soo bed. same thing use the awl to find the holes.