The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop '50 chev doors

Looking for options....the cardboard panels on each door have long since disintegrated. I see that replacements from the various vendors are also "cardboard". Has anyone used something different for this aplication?
TIA!

You might try an uphostery shop for cars, they might have cardboard you could cut yourself, or they might have other ideas.

get paneling, and turn it over... it usually turns out to be the same thinkness, and is much strong / sturdier.

I got this tip from a really good body man up there, and I'm using it on my k5's.

Deaner, Be sure it is the thin cheap paneling. With the card board, there is a thin grooved edge that goes around the panel. You will want to be sure the panel is thin enough so you can finish off the edges. That is a small detail but easy enough to do. I have the replacement cardboard, I think it is ok, but I noticed I scratch it sometimes with a finger nail or something. As far as that goes, you could cover your own piece of heavy cardboard with any material. If you get a new cardboard Head liner, it will be made out of the same cardboard.And it will match your side panels. I went through two of them before I got it looking good. I cut it to fit, but you are not suppost to. second one I just got the razor blade thingy out. Here is a picture of my wheel. You can see the medal edge that goes around the cardboard. I used grommet like things with the big headed screws. That dressed it up a bit too.
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[ 01-05-2002: Message edited by: Joy ]

Go with the aftermarket cardboard if you want the stock look. If you take care of them they will last, if you don't they are cheap enough that you can afford to replace them every coupld of years.

If you don't want stock look, the sky is the limit.

Thanks for the ideas gang! Joy thanks for the picture, I like how yours turned out. There is also a great picture in the seatbelt post in the Lounge that shows an upholstered look. I had purchased the panel (cardboard) to put on the back of the upper seat section to keep it a little cleaner. But the piece was ended up being too long lengthwise and to short from top to bottom. I can recycle this into a test set of door sections. I also have some of that thin paneling up in the attic of the garage. I am limited this time of year to what can be done in the house as we tend to hibernate up here this time of year.

Nadine
Maybe I can return the favor i will email you pics of full length padded door panels and they cost about $10.00 a side to make.
and they are very attractive not original though.But you could pad and put material if you so desire just like the original panels also.

Nadine,

I used formica scraps. They hold thier shape better and you can use contact cement to hold the upholstry on the back side. I also laced the back side top to bottom and side to side with fishing line just in case the glue decided to let loose on a hot day. Behind the door handle and window crank I cut plastic washers from frosted coffee can lids. It didn't take but a few hours to do both doors and they looked great for the couple years I had the truck after that.
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