The time estimate for performing door panel restoration depends on how much work needs to be done.  Repairing minor damage, like a small nick, might take an hour.  Panels that are in need of moderate or major restoration can take a day or longer, especially if the backboard needs to be replaced due to water damage.  The good part of this project is that it doesn't cost a whole lot of money.  The price of a vinyl repair kit, enough backboard to redo both door panels, or enough vinyl to recover them is typically under $50.

TOOL LIST

We have all seen warped panels with good upholstery.  This usually happens because the panel's backing has repeatedly gotten damp, so one solution is to remove the vinyl upholstery and transfer it to a good backing from a donor car.  A second option is to make a new backing. This is a little more difficult to do, but it is not that hard, and it will enable you to use that jigsaw and several hand tools no one thinks you ever use.  You will need some woodworking skills to make new backings, mostly the ability to draw and cut in a straight line.

Next, pop the door panel clips from the door by inserting a wide object, such as a putty knife.  There is a correct tool for this, but the putty knife will do the job.  Do not use a screwdriver alone on a good panel, it can damage the backing by tearing out the clip socket if not properly placed.  Placing the blade next to the clip and twisting, while prying the panel clip outward should easily release the panel from its hold on the door.

Work around the perimeter of the panel until all of the clips are free.  Remove the interior door lock knobs and the window handles.  Once all the pieces are off, lift the panel off the door and note how the remote mirror reattaches, so you can reinstall it later.  Save the clips and determine if they are reusable.  Any clip that has become distorted or has a leg bent over should be replaced.  There are two different length clips depending on the model year, so be sure to take one of the old clips with you for comparison when buying new ones.  In my experience, most 1969-70 door panels use the longer clips.

To make your own water barrier, use the door panel as a guide to cut the correct shape from plastic or tarpaper.  The barrier should be slightly smaller than the door panel.  Use an Xacto or sharp utility knife to cut openings for the window cranks and door handles, as well as for any speakers.

The liners originally were applied to a butyl that was spread on the doors into grooves in the metal of the door frame.  This is easy to duplicate and probably a good idea for all years except 1969 or 1970 with glue-in glass.  For models with glue-in glass, use masking tape along top edge and tuck the paper or plastic liner into the groove in the bottom of the door, itself.  Using tape allows easy access to the glass when we need to effect a repair and still saves our panels from unwanted moisture.  The liners were originally tucked in along the bottom to allow moisture to fall into the door and out the drains, rather than onto the door sill or carpet.

Use the old backboards as templates for your new ones.  Large openings can be cut out, but smaller ones, like those for the armrest screws and the retaining clip holes, should be drilled.  Obviously a woodworking background or friend with those skills will be helpful in making new backings, but isn't required, as the panels do not have any complex cuts.

Attaching the metal lip at the top can be especially tiresome, as each of the four tabs in the holes that connect the metal to the backboard have to be straightened before the new backboard can be hammered back onto the metal lip.  An application of construction adhesive in this seam will improve the bond, but make it a thin layer or it will fly out when being hammered.

If, however, you can locate a correct model year used panel that is torn or the wrong color for your Cougar, but has a straight backboard, you won't need to make a new one from scratch.  You can simply remove the existing upholstery using the method described above, then reapply the correct upholstery you removed from your warped backboard.

Needless to say, this alternative is a lot less work and you will be recycling a good backboard.  Known sources of good backings are, of course, your shed, basement, garage, attic, used parts vendors (West Coast Classic Cougar would be a likely source), clubs, or on-line parts swap boards.

Next, repair any nicks, cuts, or scratches to the panels before re-dyeing.  I recommend VLP (Vinyl Liquid Patch), available at auto parts stores, upholstery shops, boat, and RV outlets.  While there are cheaper versions, VLP works the best in my experience.  Nicks are easily repaired by applying a little VLP to the area and then pressing the edges together.  Use clear Scotch type tape to hold the pieces together and let stand overnight.  Once the VLP glue has dried, lift off the tape.

This is the time to consider your panel's condition.  Does it really need to be dyed?  Sometimes a thorough cleaning will remove what appeared to be imperfections in the vinyl.  If dying is necessary, take the panel to an automotive paint store to ensure that the dye is a correct match.  Depending on the color of your interior (black, for example), you may be able to purchase a matching dye right off the shelf.  Another source of matching vinyl dye is Mustangs Unlimited.  M/U carries a line of vinyl dyes specifically for Cougars and Mustangs.  If you go this route, be sure to test the color match against other interior components, rather than assuming it will be a perfect match.

In some cases, you may have to get the paint shop to scan the door panel and custom mix a dye to match.  They may even be able to put the dye in a spray can for you.  If not, there are gas charged, reusable spray devices available at relatively reasonable prices.  It probably goes without saying that a custom mixed dye will be more expensive than what you can get off the shelf.

I have found that with red, blue, and green panels, often it is only the top that has faded, so blending in the color across the top, leaving the original on the lower half, produces a good match.  For panels faded across the top, spray only the topside area from a distance of 14-16 inches in a downward motion. This fades or blends the dye to the original hue or pattern.

Good lighting, combined with a clean and dry, work area will help ensure a quality dying job.  While vinyl dyes should only be used in a well ventilated area to avoid fume build up, you must also be sure there are no contaminants blowing around that will end up in your wet dye and mar the surface.

If you are dying the entire panel, apply the dye from the distance recommended for the spraying device you are using (usually about twelve inches, except when blending as described above).  Maintaining the recommended distance is important because vinyl dye is thicker than paint and it will build up, giving you blotchy areas if your spray distance is inconsistent.  Apply the dye in smooth, overlapping passes, beginning and ending off the vinyl surface.  Starting and ending your spray pattern beyond the vinyl will prevent build up along the edges.

After the first coat of dye has been applied, wait about fifteen minutes and evaluate the results.  For darker colors, one coat is often enough to give you a consistant finish.  If a second coat is necessary, follow the dye manufacturer's instructions for when to apply additional coats.  This will usually be within twenty minutes.

There are a few panel colors I do not like to dye.  If you examine some colors closely, like dark red and ginger, you will discover that they aren't a solid color, but a mixture of colors.  The red is actually red and black, for example.  Ginger is particularly difficult to match because it is made up of several colors.  In these cases, if your panel looks dull, but the color is uniform, applying a coat of low gloss or satin finish clear vinyl dye from SEM will restore the panel's original luster, possibly eliminating the need to re-dye.

You may also want to apply clear vinyl dye to panels you've dyed entirely or panels on which you've blended colors.  The clear dye gives the panel a little extra protection and results in a consistent finish that looks more like the vinyl did originally.

When applying clear dyes, work from a distance of 10-15 inches and spray the face of the panel directly, not at the angle we demonstrated with the blending technique.  This will give the panels a new appearance.  You can also use this product on seats and dash pads.  Apply the clear dye sparingly so no build up occurs to mar the original graining pattern.

Here's a trick I learned many years ago for redoing molded panels like those found in later model classic Cougars.  You will need a sheet of vinyl, a heat gun, a knife, some spray adhesive or contact cement, and spray foam insulation.

Begin by masking the mid-section so no glue reaches this area.  This is the area in between the trim above the arm rest that is molded.  Spray the foam into the areas that are cracked out and trim with a knife, then sand smooth with coarse sandpaper.

Once the foam is dried and sanded, spray glue on the old panel and the back of the new piece of vinyl.  Get the vinyl and the panel wet with many coats of glue and let stand until tacky—a maximum of 15 minutes.

An extra set of hands is very helpful for this next step.  Stretch the vinyl over the door panel.  Use the heat gun, stretching and gluing down the new vinyl to the original panel.  Once the vinyl has been stretched and glued down, cut out the center to expose the area you previously masked.  Remove the masking and reinstall the trim.  This might take a few tries to get it right, but it is what a quality restoration shop would do in the event of no panel availability.

I have found SEM products have some outstanding color matches, Napa Red and Dark Teal being two examples.  The Super white is my recommendation if you have a white interior and don't own spray equipment.  If you have a spray gun and want an exact match, you will need to buy 1991 GM Camel Beige interior dye—a quart for whole interior or a pint for just the two door panels.  Spray this on your panels and surface coat with SEM satin or low luster clear and you will have an exact match to the original white in 1969-70, and quite possibly other years as well.  If in doubt as to your panel's correct color visit your local automotive paint supply shop and get your panel scanned for correct color.
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