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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Interior & Equipment => Topic started by: got2haul on April 22, 2008, 08:07:05 am
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I'm going to install new door panels this weekend. When I removed the originals, there was no plastic vapor barrier covering the openings inside the door like you see on modern vehicles. Is that a recent technology, or did our trucks originally come with those? Mine is the Custom Deluxe trim level; maybe the barriers were installed on upper trim levels?
There was a ton of dirt caked on the inside of the door. Does a vapor barrier prevent this sort of thing from happening? What would I use to make a vapor barrier?
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From what I understand, all of them had it, but I am sure by now the barrier is LONG gone. Early trucks had a paper type barrier, the later model ones had a formed plastic barrier. You could use and clean plastic to cover it though.
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Is a vapor barrier necessary? When I removed the panels, there was a ton of dirt caked onto the metal under the panel. I presume it was because it either never had a barrier or the barrier was removed early on for some reason. I see no evidence of one (small bits of torn paper or plastic).
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the older trucks had the paper held on with some Tar-like substance. Is it necessary, no. But it will keep dirt/dust from blowing around behind the door panels.
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my '79 Custom Deluxe had it. it just normally gets removed when the doors are worked on...
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Not sure what the barrier would really do with the big vents in the doors. (bottom and side).
FWIW I recently had the doors apart on my 2 Audis and neither one have vapor barriers.
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The idea behind the Vapor barriers behind door panels, was to help keep dust/particle debris & moisture to a minimum, for both at the back of the panel, and from reaching the interior.... Original Door Panels were also made of a Wood/Paper/Cardboard Media, that was covered in Fabric/Vinyls, and with the barriers in place, they would be the ones exposed to the elements instead of the panels...
Later panels became a combination of Fabric/Vinyl Covered Cardboard uppers, and ABS Plastic Lowers, with the Paper Vapor Barriers being replaced with a longer lasting sheet of plastic (Also to help protect any electrical switches)...
Most cases whenever a door is Repaired/Serviced, the first thing to disappear is the Vapor Barrier, as generally they are ripped or torn while accessing the inner-door...
As for how the barriers work in conjunction with the vents in the doors, usually there is a cut-out or flap in the barrier to allow the vent to work properly....