Interior door panel fabrication

[bigDcruiser]

i've searched and to my surprise have not found a thread on this yet. if anyone knows of one let me know please. i pulled the door panel from my driver side today to try and gain an understanding of what it would take to fab some new, sturdier panels. mine are ragged and loose and due to the weight of the speaker flop around when i open or close the door. i was concerned with how i would manage the curve at the top of the door but found that there is a metal piece that could be re-used. i'm looking for suggestions on what materiel has been used to build the panels from. anyone tackled this before?

 

[sirenmoses]

got mine used from cruiserparts.net.

be curious to see what you come up with. good luck!

 

[Acadia]

britklr made some sturdy looking ones.
link to thread https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/141773-almost-done-pix.html

 

[bigDcruiser]

thanks for the link Acadia. i've always like that rig but hadn't seen the door panels. that's a definate possibility. i want something clean and simple like that. now i just have to find a source.

 

[Roark]

what look are you going for? stock or not so stock .
I think 1/8" masonite would be about stock thickness but I would use the 3/16" stuff and if your cloth parts are ok then remove and reglue.

 

[bigDcruiser]

i'm not set on stock but could go that way. i've considered removing the cloth and re-attaching it but if i find something that isn't too butt ugly i would go that route. my interior is fairly rough and i plan to update all of it over time since she's my dd. carpet looks like hell and the seats are in rough shape. i've been looking for replacement seats or a nice set of covers but haven't settled on anything yet. whatever i go with i just have to plan ahead so when it's all finished my interior doesn't look like joseph's coat of many colors.

 

[rondog]

door panels

I used 1/8" aluminum plate, it met up with the top piece perfectly where it curves and has that break in the metal.I have recently tore down my cruiser, but will try to scrounge up some pics for you.

i've searched and to my surprise have not found a thread on this yet. if anyone knows of one let me know please. i pulled the door panel from my driver side today to try and gain an understanding of what it would take to fab some new, sturdier panels. mine are ragged and loose and due to the weight of the speaker flop around when i open or close the door. i was concerned with how i would manage the curve at the top of the door but found that there is a metal piece that could be re-used. i'm looking for suggestions on what materiel has been used to build the panels from. anyone tackled this before?

 

[bigDcruiser]

i'd love to see some pics if you can find 'em. i thought about some diamond plate but don't wanna go broke making door panels. i've got to many other more functional projects to tackle on this thing (knuckles, suspension, v8 swap, etc.). so i'm trying to do something budget conscious.

 

[DblTap]

Sheet rock screws fix EVERYTHING!!! Just Kidding! I have a good friend who has made custom door panels for several vehicles (not Cruisers to my knowledge). They turned out pretty cool. After watching/helping him, I realized they were not quite as hard to do as one might initially think. He used different density pieces of foam, cutting them in different shapes (making a second one for the other side) and then using spray can glue to put them on the panel. Then he used the same glue to attach whatever material he was using to cover it all. If memory serves me correctly, he used the little plastic pop-in clips to attach them to the door. You can pick those up at NAPA. Here are a couple links to other places on how to make custom panels (I just did a quick google search for CUSTOM DOOR PANELS, quite a bit of stuff popped up):

Eternal Rollerz C.C. - Custom Tweed Door Panels

YouTube - custom door panels

Google Image Result for http://www.customtacos.com/tech/files/recover_doors/tabslg.jpg

Recover a door panel, Auto upholstery

Custom Auto Interiors: Seats, Door Panels, Armrests, Trunks, Carpets, Convertible Tops, etc.

USE YOUR HANDS: November/December 2000

 

[bigDcruiser]

thanks dbltap. i hadn't even thought to search google. i just immediately hopped on my fav cruiser site and started searching. guess you could say i'm distracted w/ the school semester nearing an end. i really shouldn't be messin' with this project until it's over. i was thinking of leaving them bare if i can find an appropriate material. took some measures this morning and the stainless steel sheet behind my stove is pretty close to being a fit. of course that would make each panel about $50 and if i'm spending $200 on anything right now it's gonna be a tuffy console.

 

[AdventureToolCompany]

I used 1/8 black ABS. You can get it in any color you want...By using the old panels as an outline you just trace and cut. The plastic rivets came out of a car parts catalog and can be unscrewed to remove the panel. As for the curve on top of the door, the ABS is very easy to work with simply by heating it and you can mold it to whatever shape you have. I left mine exposed because I like the metal look.

Good luck!

 

[bigDcruiser]

thanks for the pics. i've always like your rig. i realized after getting the panels off that the curve over the top of the door isn't necessarily a problem b/c it could be left exposed, which i'm sure i will do. i was actually looking at removing the plastic molding in the cargo area as you've done. i'm just looking for input b/c i haven't actually seen a lot of these materials in person and don't know where to source them. i would hate to go through the trouble of making new panels only to find another material i wish i had used later.

 

[AdventureToolCompany]

I understand. Since you live in Dallas I'm sure there is a plastic company locally. A 4x8 sheet of ABS should only run about $27. You'll need two sheets if you do the tailgate. If you remove the rear window frame plastic, just cut the headliner and tuck it up into the headliner and glue it in place. The nice thing about the cost of the ABS is if you do find something you like better you haven't invested a lot of money into it.

Good luck!

 

[chukardog]

sounds like your speakers aren't installed correctly. they need to be screwed into the sheet metal of the door, not just the flimsy fiberboard the door panel is made of.

 

[bigDcruiser]

yeah, i know. i'm just trying to repair years of neglect and 1/2a$$ work by the po.

 

[2mbb]

I've made new trim panels for the rear quarters and the tail gate using an ABS backing with vinyl diamond plate glued on top. Pic's are here: IH8MUD.com Forum - View Single Post - New Door Speakers! and here: IH8MUD.com Forum - View Single Post - Marine Board for rear side panels. One "problem" I've encountered is that after gluing it all up, the vinyl shrunk. When I made the quarter trim, I knew this was going to happen (I made the tailgate one first), so I left them out in the sun to bake for a couple of days before cutting off the excess. However, they still shrunk about 1/4"...

Anyway, I've thought about doing the same for door panels. Either using the OEM metal part or making my own, then attaching the ABS to the metal and gluing the vinyl to the top. I don't know if it would all end up being too thick for the window cranks. Plus the diamond plate is a little rough, even though it's plastic, and it might be too hard on the hands.