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What about door panel patterns? My door panel boards are totally disintigrated half way up the door and am not sure where to get patterns to cut them when I do get the boards you recommend.

Probably about the best way is to find someone with a door apart that can trace a pattern on kraft paper. There are so many holes for the clips and mounting hardware and no specific constant dimensions that it would be difficult for a picture or description to help much. The other option might be to get some kind of thin transparent paper and tape to your door so you can see where the holes are to mark.

Any good upholstery supply shop will have the correct thick black cardboard material. It is not expensive. There are 2 common grades, the thin stuff stapled to the bottom of your kitchen chairs and a thicker grade for door panels seat backs and package trays.

For door panels you MUST line the back with plastic. Water always runs down the window and drips out the bottom of the door. If you do not seal the back of the door panel it will swell and warp.

If you see the way the factory does it they cover the back of the panel with thick clear plastic and even put foam rubber or calking around the holes. Plastic from the hardware store is fine for this.

If the original clips are missing put the door panels on with velco! It works great, it makes it easy to line up the panel perfectly. And if you need to get access to the inside of the door the panel comes off easily without damage.

Ignore the original clip holes and glue the velcro to the door and staple to the door panel.

The Velcro is about the best idea I've heard in 2009. The next time I pull my panels off I'm putting Velcro in there, at least on the lower quarter.

Wow, it's like having my own personal Bailout!

Untempered masonite is what was recommended by an old time local upholsterer for door panels. It is lighter in color and softer than the standard (tempered) type that is typically used for clipboards. It is not very waterproof, however, so some form of additional moisture protection is a good idea.

Rusty.

Thanks for the velcro idea! Didnt think of this excellent alternative to the finicky clips.

Thanks guys!
I now have a much better idea on what to do and what to avoid.
The velco idea is great too!

Glad you got some good ideas, but again I'd suggest staying with the correct original type board material (but the water-resistant version). And the Velcro sounds like an interesting concept but remember that by it's thickness it will make the door panel "stand off" from the door, the clips will afford a much snugger and proper fit.

Thanks, I think most of my clips are in decent shape, so to speak.
We have a couple upholstery shops around that I can check into.

Restoration specialties also carries the clips or if you are in a large enough town, look in yellow pages for Fasteners, Industrial and see if any local shops carry the Auveco line.

Auveco has just about any clip you need or a generic replacement available for almost any trim piece used --except for a few really strange ones that might have been specially made.