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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ anyone made their own door panels?
Posted by: 914Mels Jan 21 2022, 05:03 PM
I'm continuing the interior rebuild, moving on to the door panels. The old ones are pretty basic construction, press board, foam and vinyl. The press board is shot after fifty years plus the big hole for a door speaker I'm not putting back in. I can get the board for cheap at HomeDepot so I plan to trace the old ones and try my luck. I'm not worried about durability so much as the car never sees rain so If I can duplicate them so much the better. One thing I noticed, the vinyl is sewn together at the bolster but the vinyl I see for sale shows two separate pieces. There is a channel they tuck into so how do you hold em together?
Posted by: Root_Werks Jan 21 2022, 05:12 PM
I think you can if they are the early panels? Don't those have the separate metal piece along the top?
Posted by: rjames Jan 21 2022, 05:14 PM
Yup. Not hard at all, just takes some patience and a lot of staples.
I have a late car, but instead of trying to recreate the late version where the pressboard is formed at the top to replicate the metal strip (if I recall correctly), I bought the metal top strips from someone that were from an early car and just cut out a pattern using pressboard from home depot and vinyl from the fabric store that matched the seat bolsters. I could've gone with the original basket weave material, but I hate that stuff and thought the door cards looked better matching the seat material.
Don't forget the vapor barrier.
I didn't take pictures of how the 'tuck' at the top strip is done, but there's a thread on the site somewhere showing detailed pictures of how it's done.
I'm happy with how mine turned out. 
Posted by: 914Mels Jan 21 2022, 05:19 PM
I think you can if they are the early panels? Don't those have the separate metal piece along the top?
Yup, there is a separate metal top.
Posted by: rjames Jan 21 2022, 05:37 PM
Thread showing how the top strip is done:
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=54608&hl=tuck++roll
Posted by: 914Mels Jan 21 2022, 05:41 PM
Thread showing how the top strip is done:
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=54608&hl=tuck++roll
Thanks!
Posted by: Costa05 Jan 21 2022, 09:31 PM
Did mine using light gauge aluminum sheet metal. Same for the top trim bent to shape. Foam sheeting, glue, and vinyl tucked around for the finish. It worked out well for me anyways.
Posted by: hndyhrr Jan 22 2022, 07:17 PM
The husband made mine out of plexi glass about 8 years ago. Then took them to the upholstery shop along with back pad and drive seat. Getting the metal pieces back on before upholstery was done was the hardest thing and I can't remember why. any how they look great.
Posted by: 914Mels Jan 22 2022, 07:41 PM
There are some creative people on this site. Aluminum and plexiglass I wouldn't of thought of. Maybe some Lexan panels to up armor the doors!
Posted by: troth Jan 23 2022, 11:31 AM
There are some creative people on this site. Aluminum and plexiglass I wouldn't of thought of. Maybe some Lexan panels to up armor the doors!
Upholstery guy at the shop here made a set of door panels up for an E-type jag out of lexan. They came out looking great and felt nearly bulletproof. The challenge was that the lexan was slightly thicker than the original material so it made fitment a challenge but not impossible. I would recommend the lexan but try to find it as close in size to original as possible.
Posted by: vintagethunder Feb 5 2022, 06:22 PM
There is waterproof door card material out there now. I don’t know, but I would think it should become the go-to material for the industry. I'm hoping an auto upholstery shop will sell some to me. I have not been able to nail down if it is a waterproof treatment on the surface or if it is all the way through. Hopefully the shop can tell me. I have seen where some treat the holes for the snaps in door card with superglue for strength, as the panels can be popped on and off several times during the life of the material.
I’m also assuming the foam being used these days is closed cell instead of the water absorbing foam rubber used in the past.
Has Scotch 77 spray adhesive replaced staples?
Posted by: Costa05 Feb 5 2022, 07:57 PM
There is waterproof door card material out there now. I don’t know, but I would think it should become the go-to material for the industry. I'm hoping an auto upholstery shop will sell some to me. I have not been able to nail down if it is a waterproof treatment on the surface or if it is all the way through. Hopefully the shop can tell me. I have seen where some treat the holes for the snaps in door card with superglue for strength, as the panels can be popped on and off several times during the life of the material.
I’m also assuming the foam being used these days is closed cell instead of the water absorbing foam rubber used in the past.
Has Scotch 77 spray adhesive replaced staples?
Foam for me was same used on car headliners. Upholstery shop grade, 1/4" thick IIRC. And yes high temp pro quality spray adhesive.
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