How much for an extra set for me?
Dude, I swear that it is not worth it for you to have somebody else do this for you. No welding is involved. If you have one weekend day to yourself, this is an easy job, at least if you've got the originals to use as templates. Only laziness would get in the way, not skill or know-how. If you own or have access to a 4" grinder (you can get a cheap Ryobi at Lowe's or H.D. for like $30) and about four cutoff wheels, you can do this, I promise. No Toyota Landcruiser owner could possibly be retarded enough to not be able to handle this job. Really.
A few details:
The snap plugs from the original panels won't work well if at all, so you just go to the hardware section and buy speed nuts. In the couple of corners where speednuts won't fit, simply use drywall anchors; they'll do, but not as tough. I'd recommend the non-threaded speednuts to allow for various size screws and different thread pitches. It will also allow you to get away with less than perfect hole placement if you aren't totally precise with the measurement and drilling.

I bought a half sheet (half of a 4'X8') of this diamond plate from a local metal supply for something like $75, as scrap (maybe it was $125). A full sheet of this stuff (in aluminum) is not cheap, like $250 or so, depending on the thickness. Aluminum Diamond Plate by the Piece | by diamondLife™
I'd not use the 1/16" stuff, it is way too thin. 1/8" or 3/16" is ideal. 1/4" is overkill and cost-prohibitive. Don't worry about whether it is 3003H22 or 6061 (or 6006) unless you plan on welding--but shouldn't (both are good for welding I understand, but one is not good as good for MIG welding, but rather only TIG, not sure which).
The little touches like the bottle jack panel quarter turn knobs or the rear washer bladder filler neck hole just take a little time and planning (i.e. careful measurement and a slow hand).
If working with metal is intimidating to you (and it shouldn't be) you could easily do this in plywood or plastic, as many of others have done. The best option for ease of use, weight, toughness, cost and chemical resistance is probably ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) plastic or Polycarbonate/ABS (PC/ABS), and a few other types of plastics that come in sheets, but I happened to have the aluminum on hand. If I were to select a material specifically for this application, I'd go the plastic route.
Last edited: