240sx: Removing the S13 Door Panel Fabric

Overview:

I decided to take the ugly fabric off of my door panels today. It was a fairly easy task, and in all it took a little less than an hour. Heres how you do it!

Difficulty: **

Time: 1-2 hours

Cost: Less than $10

Tools:

– Phillips head screwdriver
– Flathead Screwdriver

Materials:

– Rubbing Alcohol
– Armor All
– Dirty Rag

The ugly beginning

First, you take out the plastic handle. This is done by a screw in the bottom of it. There is a plastic covering on top of the screw that you will need to pop off with a screwdriver.

It will look like this after doing so:

Next, take a flathead screwdriver and push it under the fabric and push down to pop off a corner of the fabric.

Now you should be able to slowly start pulling the fabric off. You can do this quite easily with your hands.

I pulled off all of it until i reached the door handle area. I chose not to pop off the handle or the trim, but I’m sure this could be possible. I just took the flathead screwdriver and pushed out on the trim far enough for me to take the fabric out from under it.

Now pull the fabric completely off and discard it.

If there is any glue left over on your door panel, take a rag with rubbing alcohol (or Goo-Gone) and apply to the areas needed.

Once the glue had been thoroughly soaked with the alcohol, i took the flathead screwdriver and scraped it off.

Now all you have to do is take some vinyl protectant to it (not completely necessary)

The passenger side is pretty much the same procedure, except for the handle.

On the top inside of the handle there is a Phillips head screw. You will need to take this out.

Removing the rest of the handle is quite simple. You have to gently pull towards you, then turn the handle counter-clockwise. After twisting the handle, you will feel it loosen, and then you simply pull it out.

After this, it is exactly the same procedure as on the other side.

If some of the fabric rips when you are tearing it and looks like this, you can easily take it off with your fingernails.

After you complete both sides, Armor All some more.. and it’ll really look great.

Now you will have great looking door panels that match the rest of your interior and you will feel great. The only other thing to do is the glove compartment.

What to do with the tweed you might ask?

I’m sure you’ll think of something…