Door Shells + Skins

The door on a typical car or truck is constructed from 2 pieces. An outer panel or “skin”, the visible part of the door, is spot-welded to a frame. Along with the outer panel, all other door components are also attached to the frame including the hinges, lock, latch, window mechanism and inner door panel. In the aftermarket, doors are serviced with replacement door skins, and door shells, which are preassembled with the skin bonded to the frame.

Whether you repair your vehicle with a skin or a shell depends on several factors, including the extent of the damage to the existing door, parts availability, and the labor you are prepared to do or pay someone else to perform. The door should be disassembled to determine the extent of damage from rust or impact. Skin replacement is an option if damage is confined to the outer panel, but if it is more extensive a complete shell should be installed.

Door skins can be bonded to door frames by welding, brazing, or with adhesives. The availability of modern, high-tech adhesives makes it possible for a DIYer to do the job in his garage. Nevertheless, even without the need for brazing or welding, there is still a lot of skill required for the door to come out right. If not bonded properly, not only will the appearance suffer but an imperfect seal can allow moisture and contaminants to get inside the door and cause corrosion. However, the cost of labor to pay a body shop to attach a skin to an existing frame may exceed the cost of a shell if one is available.

For many vehicles availability is not an issue because both door skins and shells are obtainable, but some vehicles are serviced only with complete shells and for others only door skins can be purchased. In the latter scenario, the existing door frame must be salvaged or a good used part must be located. To review, you must consider damage, skill, labor cost, and parts availability when making your door skin or door shell purchase decision. But no matter what you decide, we have the quality parts to restore your vehicle’s appearance.

We offer door skins and shells for both late model and classic cars and trucks. Our late model parts are manufactured by companies that focus on providing quality, original equipment specification body parts without the high OE price. These parts are indistinguishable from dealer parts in fitment and appearance. The classic body panels you’ll find on our digital shelves are made by companies that specialize in restoration parts. They know their reproduction panels must be identical to the originals in every detail to survive scrutiny from both dedicated enthusiasts and show judges.