2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Whole new door or just section and weld in bottom?

[JCyrbok]

Well I finally got a chance to so some work on my rotting out drivers side door. It is worse than I first throught and is beyond sanding/priming/painting, LOL.



So the next question is do I 1) just get a whole new door (from one of the online salvage type places or from Dodge itself) or 2) Cut the bottom off and weld in new sheet metal from LMC (which is above my skill level but have a buddy whose cousin owns a metal fab shop and could do it, likley pretty inexpensively).



I am looking for the longer term fix of the two as I am hopeing to keep my truck until the wheels fall off.



Currently what I have done is scrap/wire brused the loose stuff off and then coated with a rust convertor type product. I'm gonna primer seal that and possible paint just to keep my truck looking half way decent until I get to the permanent fix.



I found that about 80% of my bottom seam on the door was rotted, there were two extra "drain holes" rotted through the bottom too. Looks like the real culperet was the bottom weather strip that was holding in all the moisture, salt and grime of the past 8 years. Seems like dodge really muffed that one up in design phase, LOL. Why would they stick a million mile engine in a 100k mile body? LOL#@$%!



Can I leave this bottom strip off for the time being (an take it off of the passenger side) without further problems?



Thanks in advance for any advice, I know this has been gone over in the past but kinda needed to vent too.



J-

 

[BGuilty]

with the door your better off going to a junkyard... you might get a door in good shape and doesnt need paint... .

 

[robbiesworld]

I feel so sorry for you guys that have to deal with rust issues. I would HATE my doors being rusted out. Needless to say I am in California and my doors are are good as the day she was born... ... . I cant say the same for the hinges and bolt hole for the window... . yep broken . . lotsa shakin.