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Need body guy opinions - new door skin or used door

Discussion in '1st Gen Tundras (2000-2006)' started by bing5, Jan 21, 2025.

  1. Jan 21, 2025 at 7:46 PM
    #1
    bing5

    bing5 [OP] New Member

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    I'm the original owner on my 04 DC Not six months after driving it off the dealer lot I was driving across an open field and did not see a piece of steel / rebar sticking out of the ground about 8 inches or so. Needless to say, it raked across my rear passenger door and placed quite a deep, nasty gash into the metal.

    I took it to a local body shop. They had the truck for, let's say, an "extended" period of time and finally called me to come get it. Within a day or two, I realize the repair has a crack at the top of the door through which I can see daylight. Not good. Back to the shop. 1 or 2 weeks go by. They do the job...again. It's been twenty years, so I don't remember with absolute certainty, but think it had to go back a third time.

    Finally, exasperated and sickened by the experience, and no longer seeing daylight (waterproof seal), i decided to just be done with it.

    Here's the catch: The skin was never installed properly. I say that because the belt moulding has never fit properly since it was repaired. The belt moulding sits at the bottom of the glass and is that piece where the sun eats away the black polymer material. You know of what I speak....(by the way, vinyl wrap is brilliant way to fix this problem. I unfortunately didn't think of that a few years ago and shelled out the $400 for new ones). I digress...

    So, body dudes, do I buy a new door skin and have someone who knows what they're doing paint and install it (I have some other paint work to do as well), or do I just go to the junk yard and find a phantom gray door, move over necessary components, and be done with it?

    I lean towards the former.....

    Thanks
     
    G_unit3000 likes this.
  2. Jan 21, 2025 at 8:27 PM
    #2
    whodatschrome

    whodatschrome New Member

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    North of North Plains, Oregon
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    lots of dents
    Body dude here. Search junkyard, craigslist, or facebook marketplace for a replacement door
     
  3. Jan 21, 2025 at 8:31 PM
    #3
    bing5

    bing5 [OP] New Member

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    Seems like a less expensive option seeing as Toyota wants $650+ for the skin. Only thing I'm thinking I will need to re-work in the replacement door is my speaker. Agree? Thanks
     
  4. Jan 21, 2025 at 8:42 PM
    #4
    shifty`

    shifty` We skipped the light fandango

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    Yup. But if driver door, be sure to transfer over the door/VIN stickers so you don't fuck yourself or a future owner.

    Only rework is transferring EVERYTHING (including your current door's harness) over to the new door.
     
  5. Jan 21, 2025 at 9:19 PM
    #5
    bing5

    bing5 [OP] New Member

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    Rear passenger door thankfully. Transferring everything sounds like a fair amount of work. If you guys think the skin would be just as good, but hesitate due to cost, may go the skin option. Sounds like a trade-off between labor / bloody knuckles and $$$? Thoughts on which would turn out "better" notwithstanding cost?
     
  6. Jan 21, 2025 at 9:30 PM
    #6
    shifty`

    shifty` We skipped the light fandango

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    I’d swap door, personally.
     
  7. Jan 21, 2025 at 9:50 PM
    #7
    Cruiserpilot

    Cruiserpilot New Member

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    No brainer. Go get a door from a wrecking yard, swap your speakers and whatever. Paint
    as required. Re-skin a door? No way.
     
  8. Jan 21, 2025 at 9:59 PM
    #8
    bing5

    bing5 [OP] New Member

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    Fair point. Didn't turn out so well the first time

    My list of junkyard body items keeps growing ;)
     
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  9. Jan 21, 2025 at 11:37 PM
    #9
    Jack McCarthy

    Jack McCarthy Working remotely from the local pub

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    I had a similar issue with my truck but with the passenger door in the first 5000 miles of ownership. Handicapped woman in a van freaked out while backing up in a parking lot when a bee was in her face. She floored the gas, ran over the parking lot island, hit a 69 Harley which got knocked into my door.

    Insurance company would only pay for a new door skin and the work to repair. Ended up buying a new door and painting it since my father did the work.
     
    shifty` and bing5[OP] like this.
  10. Jan 22, 2025 at 12:25 AM
    #10
    bing5

    bing5 [OP] New Member

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    Yes, but did she get stung?

    After doing a bit of search and thinking about it, I figured out the difference between a door skin and a door shell. The part Toyota is selling for $650+ is the full shell. Suspect this is what shifty and others had in mind....a shell from the junkyard and I move all components into it. I'm wondering if I can't just buy a complete door, with lock, handles, window regulator, glass, etc from the junkyard and save most of the labor of moving stuff.
     
    Jack McCarthy[QUOTED] likes this.
  11. Jan 22, 2025 at 12:42 AM
    #11
    Jack McCarthy

    Jack McCarthy Working remotely from the local pub

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    No, I don’t believe she was stung. If you bought a complete door from the junkyard you’ll want it torn apart, painted and reassembled anyway. You’re not going to paint just the outside door skin and door jamb.

    Now if you could find an identical door of the same color that’s aged about the same as yours so the paint isn’t too faded, that would be a huge cost savings benefit as you wouldn’t have to paint or transfer over anything.
     
    koditten likes this.
  12. Jan 22, 2025 at 1:07 AM
    #12
    Kerktam

    Kerktam Lexus truck wanted

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    Used door, if you have a garage you can do it yourself easy. Just take your time
     
  13. Jan 22, 2025 at 5:46 AM
    #13
    shifty`

    shifty` We skipped the light fandango

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    Issue is, the shell of a door probably won’t include any of the rubber seals, glides, felts, trim pieces, etc. that the used door would already have, and thus don’t need to be bought and installed or transferred. And it doesn’t necessarily need to be from a junkyard, there are plenty of people parting out trucks, and in nicer shape than what you’d find at the junkyard! Hit Facebook marketplace and Craigslist, search things like:
    • 2004 Tundra parts
    • 2004 Tundra door
    • Tundra double cab door
    I just did this for both FBM and CL in my area and got ample results. You may also find 2005 and 2006 produce color matched results.
     
  14. Jan 22, 2025 at 6:59 PM
    #14
    bing5

    bing5 [OP] New Member

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    Hoping to locate the later. Will keep you guys posted. Thanks for the input. Definitely not going the replacement skin route.
     
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  15. Jan 23, 2025 at 6:38 AM
    #15
    shifty`

    shifty` We skipped the light fandango

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    When I was hunting for Noah, I was able to find about 2 dozen in great shape, original single stage white. And most, for a complete door including the interior panel, were $300 or less, with the average being $175-250 in price.

    I regularly see doors for sale on Facebook in every color of the rainbow to this day around the same price. AC/RC and DC alike.
     
    bing5[QUOTED][OP] likes this.
  16. Jan 23, 2025 at 6:53 AM
    #16
    koditten

    koditten I am easily distract...look! A squirrel!

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    Can you even buy a door skin from Toyota?

    I'm betting the ones you are looking at are aftermarket. They are not primed to the quality that Toyota requires.

    With that said, installing a door skin would be way more work than finding a donor door.

    I do a lot of body work, but door skins are not ever done by me.
     
    Kerktam and bing5[OP] like this.
  17. Jan 23, 2025 at 9:25 PM
    #17
    bing5

    bing5 [OP] New Member

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    I'll have to do some hunting. Suspect Albuquerque doesn't have as robust of a market as Atlanta. Thinking I have to find it locally, as shipping would be ridiculous. I'll find it....
     
  18. Jan 23, 2025 at 9:28 PM
    #18
    bing5

    bing5 [OP] New Member

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    Near as I can tell, you are correct. No door skin option from Toyota. Like Jack McCarthy, my cheapskate insurance company used one back in 2004 for the original "repair..". That's where I got the (bad) idea. Full shell from Toyota or used door for me....
     
  19. Jan 24, 2025 at 6:25 AM
    #19
    shifty`

    shifty` We skipped the light fandango

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    I can't recall if the front and rear DC doors are the same as the Sequoia, but if so, and they share color codes, you may have a bigger pool than you think.

    You may need to be willing to drive a bit, like here's a great example that matches your truck:
     
  20. Jan 24, 2025 at 6:28 AM
    #20
    shifty`

    shifty` We skipped the light fandango

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    Also, www.car-part.com is your gateway to salvage yards, and you can usually see pics to verify color in advance.
     
    bing5[OP], Cruiserpilot and koditten like this.
  21. Jan 24, 2025 at 8:05 PM
    #21
    bing5

    bing5 [OP] New Member

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    Wasn't aware of that site. Thanks!
     
    koditten likes this.

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