How to Restore your Squarebody Door Panels for Less than $50

WHAT YOU NEED

• Dawn Dishwashing Soap (or similiar)

• Scotch-Brite Pad (Available at most parts stores behind the counter, Part Number 7443 is really good)

• Dupli-color Vinyl and Fabric Paint

• Screwdriver

• Pick or really small flathead

STEP 1: REMOVE DOOR PANELS

Don't know how? Read our article here.

STEP 2: REMOVE TRIM PANEL (IF EQUIPPED)

Once the door panel is removed, some squarebodies have this removable trim piece that comes off with these speed nuts on the back. This is typically because the piece has a chrome finish around it, other squarebodies were just paint-matched, and the piece is not removable.

STEP 3: REMOVE LOCK CHROME TRIM

There is a chrome ring in the hole of the lock pull, it is held in by 4 tabs that can be bent up with a small tool or, in some cases, your hand.

STEP 4: WET SAND THE DOOR PANEL

Put it on a table or some sawhorses near a water source, and start getting it wet and begin sanding with the scotch brite pad, then begin adding Dawn Dishsoap or something similar; keep sanding and cleaning the door panel.

You don't want to do this for so long that you begin to lose the texture of the panel, probably just a few minutes for most doors.

STEP 5: DRY

Either let it dry in the sun, blow-dry it, or wipe it off; just get it dry.

STEP 6: PAINT

We used the Dupli-color Vinyl & Fabric spray paint for this. You can get it at O'Reilly.

Just spray on evenly around 6-8 inches from the door panel; two heavy coats should do it pretty well. Let it dry for around 45 minutes to an hour.

This was our final result. This is just my Blazer that I play with; we wanted to test it before trying it on a nicer rig. We think it turned out pretty darn good, especially for how cheap it was.

This job was performed in August 2025, in February 2026, this article will be updated to let you know how the door is doing.