[Zig'sbird]

Is there any difference in the doors used on the 'birds during 70-81?

Basically, I have a 74 TA with the deluxe interior and I was wondering if a door from a later TA - like a 79-80 - will allow me to hang everything from it correctly such as the door panels, straps and handles?

Thanks

[Zig'sbird]

Is there any difference in the doors used on the 'birds during 70-81?

Basically, I have a 74 TA with the deluxe interior and I was wondering if a door from a later TA - like a 79-80 - will allow me to hang everything from it correctly such as the door panels, straps and handles?

Thanks

[Rocky Rotella]

Yes, everything will fit but the early Firebird doors have a different mounting for the door handles. I believe the 75-up have the inner door handle area rivited in where the 74-down doors have a recessed area where the handle slips in. You'll see the difference when the doors are apart. I had a buddy who cut and welded his handles from one door to fit the other.
There is a difference but I'm drawing a blank as to how it was.

['ol Pinion head]

The inner structure is different. I've drilled all the spot welds out & then tacked & migged the early inner structure to what was left of the 75+ inner structure, at the lwr weatherstrip line. After proper splicing & grinding the welded area, the weather strip will hide the repair. This process is a super PITA, even with the right tools. Personally, I would like to go all the way to the lower seam door skin to inner frame jamb, but that is even harder.

Basically what I've found on really nice cars, easier in the long run, to just to pay the piper for #1 condition early doors or pay for nos door skins & have them correctly installed on your solid '70.5 -74 door shells.