What changed about the doors in the 80s?? Something about the hinges or latch or something?
I have an 85, passenger door is all beat up, I have a couple of sets of doors here and don't remember what years they were from.
At this point it'll be so much easier to swap doors than to try and straighten the original. (Or a reskin, do they even make door skins these days?)
What will I have to take off of the original door to swap over to the replacement to make it work?
I don't remember what year doors I have, I think 1 set is from an 88 and my son has a real nice one off of a 93 he said I could put on there as well.

And does anyone know what the before/after on whatever dis change between them?

Can't you just compare the doors you have?

Iirc there were numerous changes throughout the 80s. Vent windows, latches and regulators. Not sure when each happened but, I believe the parts fit all shells.

they're in storage 30 miles away so can't see em from here

I believe latches and regulators changed sometime in 1985.

Interesting. Since mine is an 85, built 6/85. But everything will swap out from before/after and back the other way, right? (Latches handles, hinges, glass, etc)
I know that mirrors changed over the years. Those I will definitely be changing out I have some tiny ones on there that (if those had to stay) would look better at the tops of the doors like they did some of the 50s customs. They're stock, original and that small. I'm thinking about putting the newest style ones on there (newest as that body style went anyway) and if I happen to run across a set of "power" ones in that configuration all that much for the better!!! My original driver side door is in fantastic shape. The passenger side door looks like it went thru a cheese grater as the past owner couldn't seem to get into or out of the garage without hitting. That side rocker is caved in, too. (But not rusty)

I'm just going by the part numbers and then the information I've found. I've got a January built 1979 so lots of a little oddball stuff. Even in 1979 the hood cable change part numbers for the later run of 1979s at least according to the parts book anyways. Doesn't surprise with Chrysler Corporation though.

I believe the door latches were relocated slightly, or the posts got smaller, or something like that, but I'm not so sure of the change over date, but 82 sounds about right. The body lines on the doors are different, the doors fit the holes, but would not latch without modifications. Things like handles, latches, window lift setups, and striker posts changed over the years. Usually with Dodge, the parts interchanged as a unit, but modifications may have been required to make them function. Very few things were a direct bolt in place and use as is exchange, once you start crossing over years. To assume you can take any part off a 73 Dodge pickup and bolt it directly in place of a similar part from 93 Dodge pickup without something having been changed is dreaming. Manufacturing processes changed, parts suppliers change, government regulations changed, improvements happened, nothing went 5 years without something changing, some things didn't make it a full year.

All the extra doors I have are 81-up, I know 80-older are different. But the changes I mentioned were sometime in the middle-ish of the 81-93 range. I have a set from (I believe) 83-84, another set from (I believe) an 88 and my son has some from a '90 and from a 91-93ish truck. I only need a passenger side door for my 85, original driver side door is perfect. I do want to end up with the newest style of mirrors used in that series of trucks when all is said and done.
I also know they changed interior door panel design somewhere in the mid/later 80s as well. I need a nice pair of those I. Maroon, and don't care which style as long as I have both that match each other.
My original 85 door isn't rusted but wrinkled from a fight with a garage door jamb over the years... Since I have extras it's easier to just swap on a nice one, the original door would be great to donate all innards.

Just to add to the mess and something to think about, you can buy vent window seals for the up to '86 doors. 87-93, none, and they all leak.

the main bolt on and go difference was the diameter of the door striker bolt. It changed mid 80s I dont remember the year. But you just need to change the striker bolt to match the door you are using.

I believe it changed in 1986? The numbers I have for the latch shows fitting from 1979-1985? I believe the latch for those years was the same number for the Dodge B-Series Vans as well.