[Formulabruce]

1. Without the pull straps, people pull door shut with what? The opening lever? Or yank on the armrest pad, or most likely yank the lower door panel. I have owned a couple std interior cars and the lever and lower door panel gets ruined, the arm rest pad comes off.
2. You can put a larger clip behind the strap, and you can run a longer screw into it and start a pilot hole in the door, and run the screw into the door, that really firms things up.
I have even welded a nut in the door, and used a machine screw and a washer vs a clip.
On later cars with a armrest handle, I weld a nut to door as well to keep the handle from getting broke

[PDC]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

1. Without the pull straps, people pull door shut with what? The opening lever? Or yank on the armrest pad, or most likely yank the lower door panel. I have owned a couple std interior cars and the lever and lower door panel gets ruined, the arm rest pad comes off.
2. You can put a larger clip behind the strap, and you can run a longer screw into it and start a pilot hole in the door, and run the screw into the door, that really firms things up.
I have even welded a nut in the door, and used a machine screw and a washer vs a clip.
On later cars with a armrest handle, I weld a nut to door as well to keep the handle from getting broke

Only FWIW - on my doors, there is a VERY sturdy bracket that comes off of the door at a 90* angle like an 'L' and there is a 'cup' on the lower door panel with a pair of machine screws that literally screws down onto the metal L bracket. It makes the 'cup' on the lower door panel by far the sturdiest thing to grab onto to pull the door shut. I have to think that is why GM left the soft strap off of the cars with 'standard' interior??

[FrankieT/A]

Originally Posted by PDC

Only FWIW - on my doors, there is a VERY sturdy bracket that comes off of the door at a 90* angle like an 'L' and there is a 'cup' on the lower door panel with a pair of machine screws that literally screws down onto the metal L bracket. It makes the 'cup' on the lower door panel by far the sturdiest thing to grab onto to pull the door shut. I have to think that is why GM left the soft strap off of the cars with 'standard' interior??

This is true ^^,

but I used Rivnuts in the door. Has been working great. You technically don't really need the tool to install them. Bolt, nut and washer and you can install 'em, and talk about secure?? Last repair on that situation.

[PDC]

Originally Posted by FrankieT/A

This is true ^^,

but I used Rivnuts in the door. Has been working great. You technically don't really need the tool to install them. Bolt, nut and washer and you can install 'em, and talk about secure?? Last repair on that situation.

I wish I would have though of this on my prior car with the loose strap. If I do decide to add the straps this time around, this is the way I’m going to attach them.

[HWYSTR455]

My experience/comment regarding the strap. Without the strap, or actually, even with the strap, people tend to grab the door at the top, with thumb to the inside on the door panel, and 4 fingers over the top, fingertips on the outer door skin.

Over time, it makes waves along the top of the door skin. Look at other cars down the side, from one end of the car or the other, and you will see the waves easily. Look closely at any dark color car, and you will see it at least to some degree.

Even if you are aware, and try not to shut the door that way, there are some, even yourself, will close them that way anyway. (Yell at passengers that do so).

With foresight, you could add a plate to the door inner structure/frame that would prevent that, but that's a pretty serious undertaking.

Grabbing the lower plastic portion found on earlier models can loosen/deform the plastic panel. Can also round out the screw holes.

I don't care for originality, and don't care for the lower plastic piece that the earlier cars have, I would always bang my knee on it. It also takes away from interior space. So I went to later ones.

Problem with later door panels is the arm rest/grab handle combo, the plastic in the grab handle always breaks. The 'map pocket' is pretty useless too. But at least it's easy to change if it breaks. Later repop handles are reinforced in the area they commonly break, which helps some.

I say use the pull, and try to use it (and inform passengers to use it too). But it's kind of six one way, half dozen the other.

EDIT: You should close the door from the outside by using the door handle too.
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[PDC]

Originally Posted by HWYSTR455

My experience/comment regarding the strap. Without the strap, or actually, even with the strap, people tend to grab the door at the top, with thumb to the inside on the door panel, and 4 fingers over the top, fingertips on the outer door skin.

Over time, it makes waves along the top of the door skin. Look at other cars down the side, from one end of the car or the other, and you will see the waves easily. Look closely at any dark color car, and you will see it at least to some degree.

Even if you are aware, and try not to shut the door that way, there are some, even yourself, will close them that way anyway. (Yell at passengers that do so).

With foresight, you could add a plate to the door inner structure/frame that would prevent that, but that's a pretty serious undertaking.

Grabbing the lower plastic portion found on earlier models can loosen/deform the plastic panel. Can also round out the screw holes.

I don't care for originality, and don't care for the lower plastic piece that the earlier cars have, I would always bang my knee on it. It also takes away from interior space. So I went to later ones.

Problem with later door panels is the arm rest/grab handle combo, the plastic in the grab handle always breaks. The 'map pocket' is pretty useless too. But at least it's easy to change if it breaks. Later repop handles are reinforced in the area they commonly break, which helps some.

I say use the pull, and try to use it (and inform passengers to use it too). But it's kind of six one way, half dozen the other.

EDIT: You should close the door from the outside by using the door handle too.
.

I agree with everything you have said. If this was back in the day when I drove my TA everywhere I needed to be Monday through Friday (with occasional passengers…) and showed her off on Saturday and Sunday, I would no doubt anchor and hang the door pull straps.

But since taking delivery last November, I have had literally one person in the passenger seat one time, once - my wife - and I still open and close car doors for her.

So far I am really diggin’ the ‘strapless’ look for this particular car: not quite as modern as the YO one piece panels with the engine turned inserts - but somehow cleaner and sleeker looking without the pull-straps. I am aware and careful when closing the driver’s door, and the passenger side just doesn't get enough legit day-to-day use to be of concern.

If I ever do add the factory pull straps, I am definitely going the Rivnuts approach. That’s a great way to make these ‘yank proof.’

[HWYSTR455]

I too like the look without the strap, as well as no dash grab handle. Maybe reinforce the arm rest area then?


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