Door Panels & Interior Handle Boots

[rcarlisle]

They seem to be "hen's teeth" rare.   Green Sales has like one or 2 for one side and 4 for the other.  Not sure the color - minght have to paint them.  I'm going to just wait and see.   I've got to get the seat redone before I can buy door panels.  

[Gary Lewis]

Maybe you can soften yours up and get them off and back on?  I think Armor-All might do it?

[1986F150Six]

Gary Lewis wrote

Or maybe David has found some?  You might search the forum for that base part number or "door handle grommet".

RH black, I believe:
https://www.rearcounter.com/E3TZ-10226A06-A-parts395344.html

RH red, I believe: https://www.rearcounter.com/E3TZ-10226A06-C-parts255612.html

[rcarlisle]

Gary Lewis wrote

Maybe you can soften yours up and get them off and back on?  I think Armor-All might do it?

I was thinking maybe a hair dryer to warm them and not melt them like a heat gun could.  Armor all might be like a thread solvent and be a good idea early to help soften as well.  

[Gary Lewis]

Armor-All won't hurt, but the hair dryer sounds like a good idea as well.  

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, David!

[delco1946]

Didn't read through the whole post - but thought i'd add that i've never seen nutmeg panels with studs. This is in conflict with your theory Gary as this is a 1981 and 82 specific color .

Perhaps location factored in? Me and my parts are west coast based...

[81f100custom]

My 81 with nutmeg interior has the grommet style also in nutmeg color. I have had the door panels off numerous times and do not remember there being any studs but was not specifically looking for them so I guess I could have missed them. The panels have been in the truck since I acquired it in Dec of 87 as far I know they are the ones that came factory with the truck.

[Gary Lewis]

Interesting.  So the grommets might have been used as early as '81.  When was your truck produced and in what plant?

[Machspeed]

Typically on things like this, I microwave some water and put them in it for a minute or so. Softens rubber and vinyl up real good.  

[81f100custom]

Gary Lewis wrote

Interesting.  So the grommets might have been used as early as '81.  When was your truck produced and in what plant?

[FuzzFace2]

That picture of the blue door panel looks to be a late 81 or early 82 as it dose not have the slider locks.
Dave. ----

[Gary Lewis]

Eddie - Thanks!  And, to add to the questions, your truck does have pin style locks, right?  My info indicates that Louisville had changed back to pin style before 6/18/81.

Dave - The lock change happened at various times depending on the plant.  My notes say "The door locks changed fairly close to 03/81 in most plants, but not in all of them. Kansas City produced trucks in 03/81 with slide locks, but by 04/81 had gone to pins.  But Twin Cities was still using slide locks as late as 07/81."

[rcarlisle]

[Edit:  just looked in reference section and see the difference in the drawings]  I'm not sure what you guys mean by slider or pin locks for certain.  But seems like from what I've read, the pin locks are what I have - the blue panel referenced earlier and photo I posted.   I have no idea if my panels are original or not.   They have a lot of wear to them and looked horrible when I bought the truck.   I sanded and painted.  

Slide locks were earlier?  I figured the locks in mine were just a Ford thing - my mom's 78 Granada had same covers - the ones with no knobs at top that you can't open with a coat hanger.  

The grommets are there and I don't remember any posts for the rubber on the back.   I don't have my VIN on me, but seems like mine was built in VA in 10/81?  I could be completely wrong though.   The ink on my door tag is faded away - nothing legible other than the original printing.  

[Gary Lewis]

Slide locks were a 1980 & early '81 thing.  You can see the slide in the door in the illustration below near the  "Before 3/81" text.  The door panels have a rectangular cutout for the sliders.

But that 3/81 date isn't accurate, as previously explained.

[delco1946]

My 1981's Vin code isnt super clear to me as the fifth letter is F = 80 F250 - 4WD () but later it says its the 36,425th vehicle built out of Sa Jose, Ca in 1981.

[FuzzFace2]

My 81 F100 was made 11/80 so early 81 and has the slider locks.
You can see the big hold where the slider should be below the wooden arm rest.

I wonder if the handle gaskets were changed with the lock type?
You can see mine has (whats left) the studs.



Because no one makes the slider parts and the door panels that have the hole I am thinking of going with the later panels and drilling the door for the pin type lock.
Now if I understand right not all panels use the gaskets like i have?
So I would need to come up with something then and also deal with if the pin rod will work with my latch assy.?
Dave ----

[81f100custom]

<quote author="Gary Lewis">
Eddie - Thanks!  And, to add to the questions, your truck does have pin style locks, right?  My info indicates that Louisville had changed back to pin style before 6/18/81.

Yes that is correct

[85lebaront2]

Interesting finds on these locks, panels, grommets etc. I don't know when the change to what I have on Darth came, but the opening for the inside handles have "fuzz" in them, like a push broom would have only shorter. I know it makes it a lot easier getting the panels off and back on as you can remove the handle first and reinstall it last. The later doors also use the same inside handles front and rear and I replaced the plastic ones with the metal ones for the earlier doors I also used the older linkage release system on the newer front doors so I do not have the problem with cable stretch.

[salans7]

85lebaront2 wrote

Interesting finds on these locks, panels, grommets etc. I don't know when the change to what I have on Darth came, but the opening for the inside handles have "fuzz" in them, like a push broom would have only shorter. I know it makes it a lot easier getting the panels off and back on as you can remove the handle first and reinstall it last. The later doors also use the same inside handles front and rear and I replaced the plastic ones with the metal ones for the earlier doors I also used the older linkage release system on the newer front doors so I do not have the problem with cable stretch.

My 1990 door panels from my cab had the door handle sweepers, and if I recall correctly, so did dad's 1987 F150. So I would assume the sweepers came in 1987.