[justincampbell]

I was always under the impression that 1970-1981 Firebird doors were the same. I began looking yesterday and now some people are telling me there is a difference between early '70s and later '70s.

So, which is it?

[Transamric]

The main difference is with the inner panel which changed several times through the 2nd Gen years. Are you looking for a specific year?

[nas t eh]

Also in 73 the doors got heavy because crash beams were installed inside the door. Exterior door handles got smaller(shorter) on later years.

[justincampbell]

Originally Posted by Transamric

The main difference is with the inner panel which changed several times through the 2nd Gen years. Are you looking for a specific year?

The car with the rusty door is a '73. I had a near perfect 73 door that I sold thinking that I didn't need it. Doh! I have never seen a door rotted quite like this before. The outside and where it is crimped together on the bottom is good. But, on the flat part between the weatherstrip and the outside of the door it has a half dozen holes about the size of the head of a pin. Ideally I would get one that was badly damaged on the outside(as in crashed) for free or nearly free and cut a piece out to replace the rotten metal on mine. But, that is certainly a long shot.

[nas t eh]

Much easier to find a 73 -81 door than an 70-72. You can switch everything you need from your rusty door over.

[Sirrotica]

Originally Posted by justincampbell

The car with the rusty door is a '73. I had a near perfect 73 door that I sold thinking that I didn't need it. Doh! I have never seen a door rotted quite like this before. The outside and where it is crimped together on the bottom is good. But, on the flat part between the weatherstrip and the outside of the door it has a half dozen holes about the size of the head of a pin. Ideally I would get one that was badly damaged on the outside(as in crashed) for free or nearly free and cut a piece out to replace the rotten metal on mine. But, that is certainly a long shot.

I've posted this before, but again, GM used some recycled metal in 73, and 74, sheet metal that rusts in areas that never rust normally. My 73 T/A, that had 20,000 miles on it had pin holes in the driveshaft hump, the innner hood rusted through. Almost every panel on the car was replaced due to rust holes like you describe. Having also owned a 73 G/A, a 73 GTO, plus working on a slew of customer cars during the 70s, I've seen that play out in those 2 years of GM cars. If your looking for parts that fit multiple years, you'd be ahead to eliminate 73-74 parts, the metal rusts even when paint is on both sides of the sheetmetal. Huge scabs form under the paint in worst case scenarios, other times just as you said, pinholes form under the paint. High humidity parts of the country, as well as rust belt states, show up this bad metal rapidly. In a state like AZ, CA, it may never show up. Take a rust free 73,74 GM west coast car to a state bordering the great lakes, it will start even in a garaged car, all it takes humid air to start. To my knowledge GM never acknowledged the bad metal, nor warrantied any of it. It sent a lot of cars to the scrap yards prematurely.

Ford used some of that affected metal around the 72 time period, they did step up, and provide new sheet metal, no charge, if you complained, it was not a well known recall. It affected especially their light duty trucks. Another example was, 65-67 ford full size cars used the bad metal in their frame stampings, huge sections of the frame would just disintegrate, rendering cars with good bodies scrap yard foder. Then of course, Toyota had the runs of bad frames in their pickups too, to their credit they either replaced the frames, or took the trucks in on trade, at blue book prices.

['ol Pinion head]

Originally Posted by justincampbell

I was always under the impression that 1970-1981 Firebird doors were the same. I began looking yesterday and now some people are telling me there is a difference between early '70s and later '70s.

So, which is it?

Original doors for '70-74 Birds have the same basic inner panel stamping.
They all accept the chrome potmetal door handle bezels & long style outer door handles. '75 models, that spot welded in inner panel is stamped differently.

'70 doors could be considered one model year only, as they have the tiny drain slots & flaps on the bottom edge. Probably a name for that feature, not that hard for a serious restorer of a '70 to modify a '71-74 donor door, if needed. '70 LeMans/GTO are that way too. '71's no longer have the little flaps. If one really wants to get anal, there are minute differences between '70, 71, & 72 doors.

Mid 2nd Gen Bird doors can be made into early 2nd Gen doors, though it is quite a bit of work make the inner panel cosmetics look identical to a '70-71 or '72-74.

[justincampbell]

So, if I am reading your post correctly, the only doors that will be exactly the same as my '73 are '73/'74?

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by nas t eh

Also in 73 the doors got heavy because crash beams were installed inside the door. Exterior door handles got smaller(shorter) on later years.

Those were installed in 1970, have a few here.

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by justincampbell

So, if I am reading your post correctly, the only doors that will be exactly the same as my '73 are '73/'74?

Yes. True, But... If you drill the whole inner door panel spot welds around the edge, and remove it, you can make basically Any door, a 73 door.
That said, I have swapped out just the inner door parts needed for an early door panel and used 1980 doors on a few early birds.

[unruhjonny]

I just want to intervene incase it is worth mentioning;
These differences are all minute, and once installed on the car with door panels installed - only the most stringent of scrutinies can yield a difference.

For all intents, and purposes, all years interchange.

The biggest difference you will find between early and mid 70's (or later) doors is that the early cars all used a bolt on door handle assembly, where as the later cars used one which was pop riveted in place.
But, as far as I know, a later door can be adapted to an early car without any real issue - but I'd suggest you test fit the door panel BEFORE paint just incase.