1959 elcamino door question

I am in the beginning stages of building a 59 el camino and need a door(posted it up in the wanted section) My question to you guys is. Can a door from say an impala , 4 door , or wagon be used? I know the upper window frame will have to be changed. But will the door still work? I can find car doors all over but haven't been able to find on for an el camino.

 

Check a Hollander interchange manual. I think that the only door that might fit (you still might have to change the upper door frame) would be a 2 door wagon. But check an interchange manual.

 

While the window frame is unique to the El Camino (as you already are aware), the skin and shell should interchange between a 2 door wagon, 2 door sedan, sedan delivery, and El Camino...

I would guess that a 2 door Impala shell and skin would be the right length, but you might run into issues on the top of the door, given a longer window, different door panel, etc...

Are you missing the door, or just needing extensive repairs?

 

I have the door but it is in realy bad shape. A truck rolled down a hill and hit the center of the door and pretty much pushed the skin all the way in to the innner door panel and also crushed in the door jam. ****s this think is a one owner car and had never been crash untill a year ago. It was bought brand new by a friends grandad and now he wants me to restore it for his grandma.

 

Guy on the 348-409 forum has some extra El Camino doors. Located in Colorado, too.

http://www.348-409.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15067

 

Thanks allot I will try to get a hold of him tomorrow.

 

If you have to use a different door I'd measure them and use whichever is closest. I would suspect that a 2-door would interchange on the bottom, obviously the top would have to be changed. The hollander interchange manual only lists what is an exact interchange not whats closest. Good luck, Mike.

 

I used a hardtop door and a 2 door sedan door on my 60 elcamino.
It is a real pita to get the elcamino window frame out, but it can be done.
the hardtop door has an extra strengthening brace welded on where the door panel clips by the window.

so here is the break down: the skin is the same on 2 dr hdtp, conv, sedan , 2 dr wagon, sedan delivery, and elcamino, the inner structure is basically the same on all these doors as well, except for the extra brace on the hdtp, and conv.

the upper window surround is : elcamino only, 2 dr sedan only, and 2 door wagon and delivery share the same. Obviously conv, and 2 dr hdtp have none..

 

I have a set of el camino doors, That I do not need. if your still looking send me a pm