I have a 1930 Durant 6-14 and would like to gut the doors completely. The doors are solid metal (no wood). Can anyone give me advice on how to access these components?

Thanks
Shaun

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1930 614 De Luxe Sedan

Shaun:
First: Remove the garnish moulding from around the window. Fastened with slot headed screws. There is also a metal strip at the bottom edge of the window that is held on by a couple of small nails. Remove these carefully.

Second: Remove the upholstery. The upholstery should be held on by friction clips around the edge. If the upholstery has been tampered with, and screw nails are apparent, remove them.Otherwise, you need a flat tool (like a thin scraper) to fit between the upholstery and the door edge and pry gently. On the passenger front door, there will be a screw (or chrome headed bolt head) to remove on the inside opposite the door handle. This is because this is the locking handle and keeps this handle from being removed from the outside. Otherwise all the door handles are removed by removing the two screws on the escutcheon plates. Don't remove the door handles until you remove the window glass.

Third: The window glass can be removed by having the glass almost to the top, then bringing glass and felt window run channels forward. As you raise the glass up, you will be able to remove the window regulator arm from the window channel.

Fourth: The window regulator is held on by 3 or four screws and can be removed. Likewise the door latch actuator mechanism.

Your door should now be clear. There will be a small metal plate affixed to the inside of the door, under the upholstery noting that this is a "Budd All-Steel Door)

Hope this helps.

Gord

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 Frontenac

Aren't we lucky to have all steel doors and steel internal bracing the pre 30's didn't ?

That's interesting Gord. I wondered if the 30's cars all had that additional metal garnishing on the doors under the window garnish moulding at bottom of the window. My old 30 had that and I'll bet Shaun's does also. Its shown in the 1930 614 owners hand book with a sort of center spear design. That would also have to be removed. It more or less sits there anyway, held in place by the window garnishing being screwed down. I checked photos of Steve's 60 and Ron's 407 and neither have it. Ah ha Charlies 619 doesn't have them.

I had wondered about Dorothy having such a thing, but it would have covered the sewn decoration line going round the door panel. Guess it was just a pre Dominion item on the 614's that used mohair. Stephan's 31 614 didn't have them either and I wonder if your Frontenac has them.

Norm

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 Sedan