Door impact bars... What year did they start? Options

[SirAndy]

There were some early 73 cars that did not have the door bars or updated window winders.

If they did, then they were using the old early doors & regulators (winders), because the later regulators won't fit in the early doors as someone noted above.

Early '73 doors have the later style windows regulator mechanism but *no* door bar reinforcement beams.

They have the best of both, the light weight of the early doors and the better regulators from the later doors.


I happen to have a set of those early '73 doors in my shed that will one day go onto my real /6 ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[Dave_Darling]

This brings up another question for me... (briefly) what are the differences of the early/ late regulators?

Early: A cable does the lifting.
Late: A scissors-type mechanism does the lifting.



Early:
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.pelicanparts.com-121-1427860374.1.JPG)


Late:
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.pelicanparts.com-121-1427860376.2.JPG)

--DD

[horizontally-opposed]

FWIW, 4732900193 has early doors, early windows, early top, etc. No beams, and the bad windows, in other words.

So were there three doors used in 1973 model cars: Early, hybrid, and late? Very curious what the VIN ranges were.

Paul (project 914 3.6 for Excellence) added late windows and window gear to early doors. It took some welding, I think?

pete

[914_teener]

There were some early 73 cars that did not have the door bars or updated window winders.

If they did, then they were using the old early doors & regulators (winders), because the later regulators won't fit in the early doors as someone noted above.

Early '73 doors have the later style windows regulator mechanism but *no* door bar reinforcement beams.

They have the best of both, the light weight of the early doors and the better regulators from the later doors.


I happen to have a set of those early '73 doors in my shed that will one day go onto my real /6 ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

So I am confused by these posts.

If the body build tags assigned mean nothing about when the chassis was shipped from the factory, then you have to go by the vin number right?

If the car was shipped and then tagged with a date, then would that mean that of that date the car met US FED DOT regulations for automobiles?

I can understand the window regulators being different but if the DOT reg for a car sold in 73 must have side beam protection....then shouldn't the doors have had them?

[SirAndy]

I can understand the window regulators being different but if the DOT reg for a car sold in 73 must have side beam protection....then shouldn't the doors have had them?

MY (Model Year) and selling date are not the same.

The production for MY '73 started in summer of '72, so my best guess is that the regulations regarding the door impact beams for the US didn't go into effect until after the MY '73 production had already begun.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[SirAndy]

If the car was shipped and then tagged with a date, then would that mean that of that date the car met US FED DOT regulations for automobiles?

Yes. Sorta. The DOT stickers were applied in Germany before the cars were shipped off to the US.

Many of the early '73 cars have DOT stickers showing a '72 build date, meaning, they didn't have to conform to the '73 DOT regulations.

More confuzzled now?
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[914_teener]

If the car was shipped and then tagged with a date, then would that mean that of that date the car met US FED DOT regulations for automobiles?

Yes. Sorta. The DOT stickers were applied in Germany before the cars were shipped off to the US.

Many of the early '73 cars have DOT stickers showing a '72 build date, meaning, they didn't have to conform to the '73 DOT regulations.

More confuzzled now?
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Naw.....I think that actually makes sense. Thanks Andy.

[Olympic 914]

OK to drag this out a little further....

if you have a 73 with the late window mechanisms and early roof what is the difference in the windows. do the windows go with the mechanism early/late.
my roof fits snug with no large gaps.

kind of wondering in case I have to buy some new seals.

I have early 73, (4732902387) no door bars, late window mechanism and early roof.

2nd owner so all parts are original. original owner just drove it, no wrecks, no modifications.

[SirAndy]

OK to drag this out a little further....

if you have a 73 with the late window mechanisms and early roof what is the difference in the windows. do the windows go with the mechanism early/late.
my roof fits snug with no large gaps.

kind of wondering in case I have to buy some new seals.

I have early 73, (4732902387) no door bars, late window mechanism and early roof.

2nd owner so all parts are original. original owner just drove it, no wrecks, no modifications.

I'm not sure about the glass used on those doors. I guess i could go out to the shed and compare them to the ones on my car and see if the glass is any different.

The later style top seal are a better design compared to the early ones. All the reproductions i have ever seen are of the later style anyways.

As long as you align everything correctly, they should fit your top and seal well enough.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[altitude411]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/dead horse.gif) These are the doors on my '70 six. I assume they are not original since they have crash bars yet they have original signal orange paint. These are the crash bars pictured. Yes? I also have early regulators ( thanks for the pictures Dave) I'm looking to replace drivers door so question is... do early regulators fit in late doors? I'm thinking yes unless these are hybrid or modified? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[whatabout1]

My '73 has bars and late regulators.

The interesting thing is that the bar in the driver
door is wider and thicker then the bar in the passenger door.
The passenger door bar doesn't look like it would stop much.

But then I can't prove either door is original.

The drivers door also has a early/mid mirror. The flag is early (small)
but the elbow looks late. But the elbow is not the same as all the other
late elbows I have seen. (I have about 12 mirrors right now).

I will see if I can get some pics of the doors

[SirAndy]

do early regulators fit in late doors?

Nope, completely different mechanism and mounting.

And those doors don't look like Signal Orange to me ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[altitude411]

So these aren't late doors? Those are impact bars aren't they? I'm beyond confused. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) But, I do know what signal orange is and there is signal orange hiding behind the re spray & grime...I know it's tough to see in the photo's.

[SirAndy]

So these aren't late doors?

They are LATE doors with LATE impact beams and mounting for a LATE window mechanism.


Look at Dave's images above to see what an early door looks like ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[altitude411]

Humm... I pulled the regulators and they are cable type just like the first picture that is labeled "early"

[SirAndy]

Humm... I pulled the regulators and they are cable type just like the first picture that is labeled "early"

The mid-size oval hole in your first picture looks like the mounting for a late regulator. The early doors only have a tiny opening for the crank handle in that location
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[altitude411]

I completely understand & agree w/everything your saying Andy and appreciate your knowledge and wiliness to teach. I seem to have late model doors w/early regulators...and I can't tell that they've been butchered so that's why I'm cornfused... I just thought they were interchangeable. I'll have another look at my regulators to see if they've been modified at all but the windows were working fine when they came apart. Now I'll wish I had taken a "before" picture...

[Olympic 914]

Maybe someone put the early inner panels on later door skins, so you could keep the window regulators that were already there.

[altitude411]

Oly 1.7; I would think it would be much easier to just source the other regulator.

Regardless, I know nobody gives a shit at this point, but this is the best pic I could find of my assembled door. If you zoom in you can see early (cable) regulator on a obviously late door.
* also note the highly sought after triple crack dash*

[scotty b]

early door, early regulator. ( Cairo's - 6 )