hupshall
09-21-2015, 03:59 AM
I've been putting a JDM interior in my 2000 Legacy GT and I thought I'd just do a little writeup on how I modified the LH (now drivers) door panel to accept the full switch assembly. I basically tried to mimic what the RH door panel looks like - which is instead of having a seamless moulded plastic door panel, it's obvious there is a small plastic shroud secured to the panel to cover the lower part of the switch assembly.
The first thing I did was to drill out all of the melted plastic rivets on the back of the JDM panel to release the arm rest.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2015/09/20150831_144609-1.jpg
After removing the armrest, I'm left with a door panel which looks like this:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2015/09/20150831_144530-1.jpg
I then completely dissassembled and cut up a spare US drivers side door panel - Specifically, I wanted the US arm rest and a section of the attached plastic which covers the bottom of the switch assembly.
Here is a rough test fit:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2015/09/20150907_221725-1.jpg
I then spent some time with a belt sander and some fine sand paper feathering all the edges and getting a nice flush fit - the final look is here:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2015/09/20150920_142354-1.jpg
I painted the gray plastic with SEM color coat Landau Black. That color is a very good match for the black of the JDM interior plastics:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2015/09/20150920_155029-1.jpg
Here is the final product, all screwed back together.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2015/09/20150921_003011-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2015/09/20150921_003158-1.jpg
Anyway, I hope this gives some people some different ideas on how to use the RHD parts in a US car.
The first thing I did was to drill out all of the melted plastic rivets on the back of the JDM panel to release the arm rest.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2015/09/20150831_144609-1.jpg
After removing the armrest, I'm left with a door panel which looks like this:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2015/09/20150831_144530-1.jpg
I then completely dissassembled and cut up a spare US drivers side door panel - Specifically, I wanted the US arm rest and a section of the attached plastic which covers the bottom of the switch assembly.
Here is a rough test fit:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2015/09/20150907_221725-1.jpg
I then spent some time with a belt sander and some fine sand paper feathering all the edges and getting a nice flush fit - the final look is here:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2015/09/20150920_142354-1.jpg
I painted the gray plastic with SEM color coat Landau Black. That color is a very good match for the black of the JDM interior plastics:
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2015/09/20150920_155029-1.jpg
Here is the final product, all screwed back together.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2015/09/20150921_003011-1.jpg
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2015/09/20150921_003158-1.jpg
Anyway, I hope this gives some people some different ideas on how to use the RHD parts in a US car.