HMMWV Doors/ Tops

[Mattguy]

They are nice looking doors. And actually very solid and I haven't had any issues with the latches.

 

[Mattguy]

First coat going on.

 

[T9000]

First coat going on.

I saw those door’s before painting and the surface is a little grainy, not exactly flat, like the OEM X-doors. Did you have to do any surface preping to smooth it out or left it like it was delivered?
How does it look closer?

 

[Mattguy]

I saw those door’s before painting and the surface is a little grainy, not exactly flat, like the OEM X-doors. Did you have to do any surface preping to smooth it out or left it like it was delivered?
How does it look closer?

I sanded with 600 scotch Brite pad. Used some boat fiberglass primer and just shot it with rapco 383. They are not completely smooth. They look just like any military x door I've seen at least in pictures.

 

[jake20]

First coat going on.

That looks fantastic, how many coats do you plan on putting on the doors? Read somewhere that the fiberglass absorbs some point and slightly more coating on the doors may be better? Not sure how true it is.

I’m planning on painting the whole truck with green 383 Rapco and then coming back with their brown and black rattle cans to do the camo pattern. That was at least the recommendation from them.

Did you paint using their rattle cans or gallon bucket with a spray gun?

I’m thinking I’ll start mid March when it’s a little warmer.

 

[Mattguy]

That looks fantastic, how many coats do you plan on putting on the doors? Read somewhere that the fiberglass absorbs some point and slightly more coating on the doors may be better? Not sure how true it is.

I’m planning on painting the whole truck with green 383 Rapco and then coming back with their brown and black rattle cans to do the camo pattern. That was at least the recommendation from them.

Did you paint using their rattle cans or gallon bucket with a spray gun?

I’m thinking I’ll start mid March when it’s a little warmer.

Thanks! I put 3 coats on the doors. My shop is heated at 74 degrees plus I have a few big fans that run so the dry time is shortened. I used my HVLP gun. Lately the spray cans from Rapco have had an issue with squirting out large dots of paint.

 

[T9000]

Thanks! I put 3 coats on the doors. My shop is heated at 74 degrees plus I have a few big fans that run so the dry time is shortened. I used my HVLP gun. Lately the spray cans from Rapco have had an issue with squirting out large dots of paint.

Your paint jobs always look phenomenal!
What size CFM/HP/GAL/PSI compressor do you use on the HVLP gun? (I know it’s your experience and not the compressor

 

[Mattguy]

Your paint jobs always look phenomenal!
What size CFM/HP/GAL/PSI compressor do you use on the HVLP gun? (I know it’s your experience and not the compressor

Thank you! The latest gun I bought is a harbor freight spectrum. Uses 9cfm at 28 psi. I use an atlas copco xas185 which is overkill at 185cfm. It's a diesel pull behind compressor.

 

[Mattguy]

Half way done with door install.

 

[TNDRIVER]

Half way done with door install.

Let us know how you handle the rear door upper rear corner................Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Mattguy]

Let us know how you handle the rear door upper rear corner................Inquiring minds want to know.

My truck came with a piece of aluminum flashing riveted to the corner. I can get pics later, taking a break from paint fumes. While waiting on replacement door from West Kentucky, I'm finishing the armor piece for the slant back.

 

[Mattguy]

Rear door corner pieces.

 

[Autonomy_Lost]

Mine has them too. But it still doesnt seal super great in that area.

 

[jake20]

I’m working on an 1151 at the moment but I haven’t actually checked those corners, are they usually stripped out and leak? Looks like something you can remedy with some sheet metal, rivets, and silicone though

Got me thinking so I’ll take a look tomorrow heh

 

[jake20]

Seems I do have these pieces as well

 

[TNDRIVER]

Rear door corner pieces.

THANK YOU!

 

[belted_guns]

My 1151a1 has those flashings as well. The doors seem to have some compression on the seal at that corner, but I had to monkey with the latch position to draw in the door.

 

[belted_guns]

A couple of notes on door installation I have found.
1) drilling the bracket mount holes. It is dangerous to free hand drill because you have to go thru the door body and be in line with all three holes, or the backing plate will not line up with the screws. My low tech solution was to buy a drill guide at Lowes. Cheap and it worked ok on alignment. But I still had to drill out a few of the backing plate holes.
2) the dang door latch and weather seal. By removing the extra plate behind the inner latch, it brought the door at the back that much closer weather seal wise.
- oh you have to remove that spring to get to one of the nuts.
A few pictures

 

[belted_guns]

My 1151a1 has those flashings as well. The doors seem to have some compression on the seal at that corner, but I had to monkey with the latch position to draw in the door.

Yea, the front driver side flashing is a gap from the front. Rain will flow thru. My truck someone put a bit of foam in there. I decided to weather caulk that hole. I have caulked several gap areas. I am not real interested in being wet during downpours.

 

[Mattguy]

Passenger side all finished up! For the price and the service, the West Kentucky doors worked great.