Interior Door panel plastic channel along window [SOLVED]

[Bugsi]

WHAT is that stuff?
It's a plastic U-channel that runs along the top edge of the interior door trim panel, and on our cars there's usually a number of staples driven through it from the inside into the door trim panel. Over the years they get brittle and crack. Virtually every one I see in the salvage yard is broken and cracked in many places. There *MUST* be a simple generic black replacement channel-molding for this. Does ANYBODY know any replacement part that works to replace this piece of trim?

[95naSTA]

The driver's front door piece is p/n 17994165.

I was able to order one back in Jan '15 from Tonkin.

[redfury]

https://www.trimlok.com/cat/All-Product ... es_92.aspx

[Bugsi]

I should have been more clear; while the Bonneville has this, I'm actually wanting it for both the driver and passenger front doors of our 2001 Grand Prix GT. To be really clear, the part I'm looking to replace is the black strip that the large red arrow is pointing to in this picture. I'm looking for anything: A name for this part. A part number. A generic replacement. Whatever works!

[Bugsi]

Two days and one helpful local Chevrolet dealer's part's guy later, I have the part numbers for both front doors for our 2001 Grand Prix GT.

The part is called a "Sealing Strip" and the part numbers are:
10241821 for the driver's door and
10241820 for the passenger's door.

While listed as discontinued, local dealers have them in stock, and they are available at GMPartsDirect for around $20 to $25. Why one costs more than the other is a mystery.

[redfury]

probably based on availability/number left in stock.

[Bugsi]

Yahtzee!

[Bugsi]

Okay, after getting the things I bought home, it's obvious that these strips go on the OUTSIDE of the door, along the top of the outer, metal, painted door. I can still use them and all, but I still don't know the part number or description for the trim part that goes along the INSIDE top of the INTERIOR DOOR TRIM PANEL. This is insane. It's a stupid U-channel made of thin aluminum, coated in black plastic.

[Roadrunner]

These are the ones I bought for my GTA.
Inner Window Sweep
If you cant find them new, maybe you could find someone in a moderate climate that has used door panels with good sweeps.
When you replace it, instead of staples you should oversize the holes and use moderately tightly twisted wire to attach.
This provides some give for thermal expansion.

[Bugsi]

These are the ones I bought for my GTA.
Inner Window Sweep

Thanks. The part on the Grand Prix doesn't have any sort of fringe that wipes against the window, it's just a U-channel that caps the top of the door trim panel and keeps the door upholstery from coming off the top of the door (because it isn't glued down or anything). [Edit: There *is* a rubber wiper strip against the inside of the window, but it mounts to the door, not to the door's trim panel. The thing I'm looking for is part of the trim panel.] The channel is made of lightweight aluminum and coated in black plastic. I have come to the opinion that it is not sold as a replacement part, and that the entire door trim panel is the only way to get one, and that's just not going to happen, considering my door panels are in pretty good shape, and the lack of availability of replacements, and the horrific expense if they were actually available.

In my search for some sort of cap-molding that stands a chance of fitting the top of the door and squeezing the parts together, (which is what the original part does), I've ordered the largest size door-edge-guard black molding I could find, which is 1/2" x 3/8" Trim-Gard. I ordered 12 feet of the stuff. I used to use a smaller size on the door edges of my Bonneville. The stuff has an adhesive bead down the center of the channel, which I actually don't care for in my planned usage, but this appears to be the only material that stands a chance of performing in the same way as the original part. Otherwise I'd be inclined to put down a trim strip of leather or something with hot glue or contact cement just for looks. This is what I ordered:
http://www.brandsport.com/trmg-22l-05.html

[Bugsi]

The 1/2" x 3/8" door edge trim that I ordered arrived today, and it's *perfect* in this application.
It's much stronger than the flimsy OEM thin plastic-coated aluminum trim strips. The shape appropriately squeezes the edges and holds itself on without the need for any staples. It's far more durable and I'd say it even looks better than the original, and you can't beat under $28 to do the entire car for 12 feet of the Trim Gard trim.

It is evident that it comes off a bulk roll that is wound in a circle, and the material has a bit of memory to its circular shape. I warmed it up gently with a heat gun while applying light tension to encourage the material to relax the spiral shape it had, and that softened it up which made it even easier to install. I believe letting it lie in the hot sun would have the same effect of relaxing the material. The material has a bead of weak adhesive down the underside of it, so it should stay put. I've used the smaller size edge-trim on car doors and they can still be pulled off with a determined tug. I think this is THE solution for restoring doors when this original part is cracked. I'll do this to all four doors on the car.

[jshow816]

Hey thanks man.

I recently picked up a GTP with the same problem. Going to order some of this to fix it.

[Bugsi]

I recently picked up a GTP with the same problem. Going to order some of this to fix it.

Glad this can help out others. (I can't remember if the Bonnevilles have the same trim or not on their doors.) Here's an edge shot so you can see how it's just the right size to cap the door edge.


While you're working on your door panels, if you need new fasteners, I recommend these, which got good reviews on the Grand Prix forums. I bought them, and they're very sturdy:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221816207599

[jshow816]

My order came in quick and installed easy. My trim was in pretty bad shape, and the previous owner already broke a couple of the clips so I was able to get mine installed without taking the panel off. Seems solid so far, I'll break out the heat gun to loosen up the adhesive if I notice it not holding so well. But worked perfect. I'm going to link this thread on the grand prix forum I've been using since I got my GTP.

[Bugsi]

I'm going to link this thread on the grand prix forum I've been using since I got my GTP.

Cool. Out of curiosity, which forum? I'm also on clubgp.com and grandprixforums.net, same username.

[jshow816]

grandprixforums.net