CSL Aluminum Doors

[RogerB]

My 72 CSL came with steel doors I believe due to Swiss regulations. I purchased a set of aluminum door skins on ebay recently. Are there any differences in the lightweight doors other than the skins? Do the lightweight doors use the same steel frame and hinges?

I may never use these skins, but then again: I might! Thanks in advance for any info on this subject.

 

[RogerB]

Answer

I guess I'll have to answer this myself as told to me by one of my friends and long time CSL authoritiy:

"No difference in door frames. Although many race teams drilled a lot of large holes in the frame to lower the weight. Some CSL race cars had alloy hinges, ...... If and when you attach the skins, originally the factory used a type of mastic between the alloy skins and metal frames to keep them from direct contact."

 

[pmansson]

Plastic doors

Sorry to lower the level of your serious topic Roger. It is really an entirely different topic, but I just remember having seen the internet sight of a manufacturer of plastic doors, bonnet and trunk lid.
Anybody tried any of these?
Obviously not for a genuine CSL, but for somebody wanting to create a very light car.

 

[CSL 1973]

I'm not an expert on doors, but I think all CSLs have alloy door hinges and the same steel frames.

Cheers

 

[Gerrit]

CSL doors

Hello,
The Aluminum doors have the the steel frame but the inner upper reinforcement sheet metal is also aluminum, the holder for the door handle mechanism is glued instead of spot welded and so is also the nut for the triangular door frame screw. The rule for hinges is simple: steel doors steel hinges, aluminum doors aluminum hinges.