Gary Lewis Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 Let's have a discussion about door panels and the boots that go on/in the door panels and surround the interior door handle. I'm looking for info to help us nail down some differences I've seen. Basically, I believe that the door panels from 1980 through 1982 had studs to hold the door handle boots, and for 1983 they changed the boots to a grommet style that mounts in the opening instead of on the studs. I don't know when the studs were dropped from the doors, but by 1985 they apparently had been dropped as none of the 1985 panels I have include the studs. I come to this conclusion by looking at the part numbers for the boots/grommets, shown below Note that through 1982 they mixed and matched E0, E1, and E2 part numbers, and since the early boots mounted on studs, apparently they all did through 1982. But, in 1983 the earlier part numbers were no longer used, so I think that's when the boots became grommets and mount in the opening in the door. In fact, note that the black E0 boots were replaced by E3 boots, which can be popped into the opening of the door panel with or without the studs. So, I'm asking y'all if you can help figure this out. Do you have original door panels and boots? If so, what year and what style of boot do you have? Do your door panels have studs? Here are the details: On Dad's 1981 truck the boots are flat and mount on a stud on the back of the panel like this: And they look like this from the front: But the door panels I have from 1983 and later trucks don't have those studs, and the boots are actually grommets that go into the opening in the door panel and look like this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kramttocs Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 The panels I have handy aren't from middle years so not that helpful... 80 - studs 85(x2) - insert (no studs present) 86(x3) - insert (no studs present) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted November 5, 2020 Author Share Posted November 5, 2020 The panels I have handy aren't from middle years so not that helpful... 80 - studs 85(x2) - insert (no studs present) 86(x3) - insert (no studs present) Scott - But at least yours fit with my theory. So good data points. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old55pete Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 Scott - But at least yours fit with my theory. So good data points. Thanks! My Bronco, built in Feb of 86 also has the inserts and no studs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford F834 Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 Hi Gary, the E1 part number medium duty NOS door card that I am holding for you looks like it has the rear mounted boot. So it fits the pattern. On a more anecdotal note, the door cards in my F150 came from a 1983 Bronco. That was the last year for black interior, and the Bronco appeared to be very original. It has the grommet type of boot. I can pull a door card later and verify the lack of studs, but I have no reason to believe the boots are not original. Your black weave bezel set also came from this Bronco. Funny thing, I didn’t realize the boot type changed. I just thought the early trucks had an additional inner dust/noise control boot and that the outer color-coded grommet type boot must be missing 😅. Learn something new every day ha ha... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1986F150Six Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 Hi Gary, the E1 part number medium duty NOS door card that I am holding for you looks like it has the rear mounted boot. So it fits the pattern. On a more anecdotal note, the door cards in my F150 came from a 1983 Bronco. That was the last year for black interior, and the Bronco appeared to be very original. It has the grommet type of boot. I can pull a door card later and verify the lack of studs, but I have no reason to believe the boots are not original. Your black weave bezel set also came from this Bronco. Funny thing, I didn’t realize the boot type changed. I just thought the early trucks had an additional inner dust/noise control boot and that the outer color-coded grommet type boot must be missing 😅. Learn something new every day ha ha... Here is an 1983 [E3TZ-1023942-B7U] from eBay and it is w/o the posts. https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-OEM-Ford-E3TZ-1023942-B7U-1984-1985-Ford-Door-Inside-Panel-NOS/254768592899?hash=item3b51643803:g:iMQAAOSwHHxforih Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted November 5, 2020 Author Share Posted November 5, 2020 Hi Gary, the E1 part number medium duty NOS door card that I am holding for you looks like it has the rear mounted boot. So it fits the pattern. On a more anecdotal note, the door cards in my F150 came from a 1983 Bronco. That was the last year for black interior, and the Bronco appeared to be very original. It has the grommet type of boot. I can pull a door card later and verify the lack of studs, but I have no reason to believe the boots are not original. Your black weave bezel set also came from this Bronco. Funny thing, I didn’t realize the boot type changed. I just thought the early trucks had an additional inner dust/noise control boot and that the outer color-coded grommet type boot must be missing 😅. Learn something new every day ha ha... Steve - Thanks. That fits the pattern. Jonathan - If your grommets are pliable you might be able to pull one w/o pulling the card/panel and reach inside to determine if there are studs. You can see their position in the pic above, and the one at the bottom of the angle where it starts back up should be easy to reach. But don't break the grommet! I have two blue ones that are as hard as a board and would surely shatter if I tried to remove them. On the medium duty one, that fits the trend. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted November 5, 2020 Author Share Posted November 5, 2020 Here is an 1983 [E3TZ-1023942-B7U] from eBay and it is w/o the posts. https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-OEM-Ford-E3TZ-1023942-B7U-1984-1985-Ford-Door-Inside-Panel-NOS/254768592899?hash=item3b51643803:g:iMQAAOSwHHxforih David - Excellent! Fits the theory perfectly. Now if we had an '82 door panel we might be able to nail it down as it should have the studs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kramttocs Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 Steve - Thanks. That fits the pattern. Jonathan - If your grommets are pliable you might be able to pull one w/o pulling the card/panel and reach inside to determine if there are studs. You can see their position in the pic above, and the one at the bottom of the angle where it starts back up should be easy to reach. But don't break the grommet! I have two blue ones that are as hard as a board and would surely shatter if I tried to remove them. On the medium duty one, that fits the trend. Thanks! Recent one David found: E1 but an insert - assumes package is correct. https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-1980-1986-FORD-F100-F150-F250-F350-BRONCO-LH-DOOR-HANDLE-OPENING-TRIM-BOOT/392964586758?hash=item5b7e83bd06:g:MPwAAOSwIrNfdYDo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted November 5, 2020 Author Share Posted November 5, 2020 Recent one David found: E1 but an insert - assumes package is correct. https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-1980-1986-FORD-F100-F150-F250-F350-BRONCO-LH-DOOR-HANDLE-OPENING-TRIM-BOOT/392964586758?hash=item5b7e83bd06:g:MPwAAOSwIrNfdYDo I seriously doubt that is the right package. Dad's truck, a 1981, has the studs and the black rubber piece that mounts from the back. I'm willing to bet that's an E3TZ-D. Unfortunately the matching ones I have don't have any numbers on them that would help us solve this, other than the "L" you can see in the pic above, and an "R" on the other one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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