So I have finally pulled the trigger on fixing up the interior of my '80 F-150. My new door panels arrived today, so even though my window parts haven't arrived yet, I've decided to pull the passenger side door panel to see what's what.

What I've discovered is that I am not sure how to actually get the panel off the door without damaging the slider portion of the lock - I guess my truck is unusual in that both of the sliders are intact, and I'd like to keep it that way. But while I can detach the door panel from the door itself, I can't disconnect the rod that connects to the slider - I'm worried if I twist the panel any more than I have, something will snap.

Is there a trick I am missing?

 

I am watching because when I get all the parts and put mine together I will need to know.
Sorry to say my slider locks were missing.
Dave ----

 

I have to pop the slider lock out of the door panel, disconnect the rod, and then remove the door panel.

 

Is yours converted over to conventional locks? Or do you just have no interior locks at all?

I'm thinking now that if I can remove the inside door handle, I should be able to rotate the panel enough to get the connecting rod out of the slider without breaking it. Alternately, I can just cut the old panel in half at the lock slider hole and remove it that way. It's not like I'm going to want to keep those ratty old panels around anyway.

Of course, that doesn't solve the problem of getting the new panels on afterward. Still hoping for some advice here.

 

There is a hole in the door panel that the slider is mounted in. The slider has two tabs and it snaps into the the panel. The tabs are located on top and bottom.

When I remove the panel, I pop all the Christmas tree studs out. Then reach up inside and pop the slider out from the back with your hand. (You may be able to pop it out by prying with a screw driver?? Never tried though.) Once the tab is popped out, you can just rotate the tab instead of the whole door. Its easier to wiggle around and slide off.

Don't try to twist the whole door. I did this a couple times and then broke my slider the third. The sliding support is rather weak and only melted together. You can buy new ones, but they don't have many colors and you have to paint them.

 

Yep, that's the way to do it. . Reps sent.

 

I'll give this a try tomorrow; when I first looked at it I thought that I wasn't going to be able to pop it out easily, maybe a second look is warranted.

Thank you all who have responded - updates tomorrow.

 

Right now I have nothing, the truck was a mess when I got it, no slider locks at all.
My door panels look in good shape just need to repaint them as someone used black spray paint on them.


Not long ago someone posted you can get new sliders think thru Denis Carpenter so when the time comes I can buy them.


They say if use change out the latch/lock assy. for the newer one you can have the lock rod come out the top. Then you need to deal with a lock hole in the door panels. If you don't change the latch/lock the rod works backwards - up to lock, down to unlock.
Dave ----

 

Right on all of the above.

 

Can you tell my wife I am right ...some times
Dave ----

 

Sorry - I don't think being right on the door locks of a 1980/81 Ford pickup counts for much.

 

Update: this was exactly the advice I needed, thank you. In the dim light yesterday evening I wasn't able to see the tabs, but when I went back this morning I was able to locate them with no difficulty.

So now I have the door panel off, and as soon as LMC finds my my window parts and weatherseal order I'll start getting some real work done.

 

Good! Beedy's advice was spot-on.

 

The interior of this truck is going to look SO much better when I am done.

Old panels:



New panels:

 

That's a big difference. Are you going to paint them or run them as-is?