The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Tired of Ugly Door Panels for AD Trucks

Last year I finished the cab off restoration of my 53 3100. When I got to the interior, I ordered a nice maroon seat cover from Jim Carter and a new headliner and door panels. I seemed pretty happy with it at the time but now was not happy with how the cardboard door panels wore in just a year. The quality of cardboard is not really good, if you get water on them when you open the door, you will see what I mean. Eventually the cardboard started to pull out of the frames and started to look bad. I ordered 2 pieces of 12" by 36" sheet aluminum that is .050 thick from McMaster Carr and a roll of maroon vinyl from Jim Carter. I then removed the old panel and traced it over the aluminum sheet with a sharpy. Cut out the aluminum with a nice new metal blade for thin metal with a jigsaw and then drilled the appropriate mounting holes on my drill press. Did a quick test fit. Removed and to the workbench to clean the aluminum with some paint surfacer cleaner. I then applied some contact cement to the aluminum and the back side of the vinyl and set aside to dry for 20 minutes. After the contact cement was dry, I carefully laid the vinyl over the aluminum panel and rolled it in with my linoleum roller to press it in and get out any bubbles. This part it is best to have a helper hold the vinyl off the sheet and just touch one corner of the vinyl to the sheet and slowly start rolling the vinyl on as your helper allows more of the vinyl to touch the sheet until it is completely attached. Once attached, you can trim the excess off with a new razor blade and cut out the holes with an exacto knife. Next assembled the metal frame around the door panel and secure the frame on the backside with some duct tape. Then install the panel to the truck, arm rest, window cranks and door handles. It took a couple hours and cost about $80 but looks far better than it did. The key is to get alluminum sheet that is no thicker than .050 so when you add the vinyl it still fits in the metal trim. Hope this helps somebody down the road, cheers.

Steve