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Hello. Newbie here. These doors came off a 73' Trans Am; However, the fenders were 75' and 76'. Hoping their 75' or older for a 73' restoration. Thanks

['ol Pinion head]

Unfortunately, not early doors.

Can tell by the stamping of the inner panel.

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Thanks!

[72projectbird]

Newer doors, but they'll fit and function fine on a 73.

[400 4spd.]

Will the mounting plates have metric threads? I ran into that on a Camaro years ago.

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I was told the "early" doors had a simple factor that made an "early" unit easy to identify. I was told the early doors, the inner door handle was bolted on. The newer doors 76-81; they used rivets. Any truth to this? thanks The last digit on one of these doors is a 5. 1975 I presume, and the inner door handles are bolted on. Look at the door thread from 2008 where the guy shows a 71 door and a 78' door. The 71' door ( blue )doesn't have the handle, but you can see the bolt threads easily. The 78' ( black )door uses rivets in this picture.

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Anyone's 2 cents on the last post? Thanks

[unruhjonny]

yes;
Early doors have caged nuts affixed to doors to hold on handles/mechanisms;
Inner portion of door handle/mechanism used bolts to connect to the door.

Later doors used different handle/mechanisms which were pop riveted in place.

Add to this, the 1970 doors had different inner structure.

Once installed the only difference between doors is the location and size of the openings is the bottoms of the doors which allowed water to pass through.

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Thanks Jonny!!

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Ok. We got that straight. Not only the drainage holes but the door panels are different right? I.E. I can't put a 72' door panel on a 79' door? Thanks. The more I look at this stamp the last number looks like a three, not a five. Makes sense.....it was a 73' T/A. Driver's door is good, other one needs serious help.

[unruhjonny]

yes, you can swap door panels either way.

72-77 “standard” interior door panels are the same style - with one exception;
For what ever reason a small “Firebird” script emblem came on 1975 door panels.

1972-1977 Deluxe door panels changed by year - the padded insert and strap changed.

70/71 & 78-81 are one piece that affix with self tapping screws

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Well, I have a door panel question. I'm looking at an Ames catalog. I have access to three sets of doors. Two 71' cars and one 75' car. All doors are about the same condition 4/5. I was planning on doing a 71' T/A clone. Unfortunately, the 71' cars are going to be a monster to get the doors off because of different factors: location, can't access the fenders because car is hit in front, doors are locked and owner doesn't have keys and doesn't want to bust glass out etc. SO........the 75' doors are easy to get to, no front clip either. Here's my question. If I put the 75' doors on, I can use a 72-76 inner door panel; However, the door handle escutcheon for a 75'-76' will be in a different location, right? Looks like the pull strap is no problem; 70-76. Is it common to see at shows a 71-73 clone car with newer doors; incorrect door panels? I have everything else correct for an early T/A 71-73. Just hate the damn doors are going to blow everything. Thanks

[unruhjonny]

please re-read my last post.

this is (iirc) small fries.

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Found a 1973 Firebird this weekend. Can you guys tell what year these doors are? The inner handles are bolted on and the outer door handles are 6" long, not 5 1/2". Thanks

[Held for Ransom]

'74 doors.

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Thanks for the picture of the 74' doors. I was noticing the hole where the inner handle is mounted. All the doors I've seen 70-74' have a long rectangular hole for the inner handle. These doors on this 73' don't have that opening. They are bolted on versus riveted. (which I guess came down the road 78'?) Anyway, I think there gonna be 75' and newer???? Thanks

[unruhjonny]

disclaimer - this is purely opinion.

as I see it, this is super-small fries;
details like this should only be considered for 100% correct restorations.

Once the door panel and latch cover is installed on top of the door panel, I’d wager that 99.8% of the discerning people who might see your car will never notice you have 1975-1981 inner door latches vs the earlier parts.

If you had incorrect for your model year door panels, that is likely to be noticed by the most discerning, but the door latch cover… odds are against it.

I believe you can still mount early inner latches on later doors, you just need to mount clips to substitute for the OEM nuts mounted in the door shell.
OR
you could just cut out the older inner door latch area from a door which needs too much work, and weld it to the donor door.

Find the best donor doors you can get, and take it from there.