The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors interior card board door trim panel

I was thinking of getting a better door trim panels for my 54 3100 besides the cheap card board type. I can use the old one for a template. I thought of say something like a 1/4 inch plywood and then have them upholstered.. Any ideas what have you guys done ???... thanks Peter

I used .050 aluminum for mine and covered them wtih this material...

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Someone here did that not long ago with plywood....I think. It may have been RustyRod or maybe Horvath??????

My 1 ton had a thin mahogany plywood made into door panels, by the time I got it they had gotten wet one to many times and started to fall apart, in fact they are still falling apart..

Have not done it yet, but my plan is to use brown canvas Micarta sheet, about 1/16" thick. Micarta is a composite made of layers of cloth and a phenolic resin, often used as an electrical insulator, sometimes for gears, like a cam gear, and knife makers like it for handles.

I would like to put the original type metal edging on it, is that something I can buy, and who sells it?

Grigg

Classic Parts sells the metal edge (door panel frames) in regular steel and stainless steel. Jim Carter sells them also (however, his stainless frames did not fit his cardboard panels - go figure).

I use "Masonite" which is a 1/8" tempered hardboard available at most all lumber yards. Have found that this is a really great product....can be dampened on the rough side and formed into curves that remain when the product is allowed to dry. It's cheap by the 4X8 sheet (under $10.00), easy to cut and I've used it for headliners, interior firewall panels, and door and kick panels. I picked up a whole roll of automotive grade velour at a swap meet ($10.00)and with a little spray adhesive applied on the smooth side, you can cover panels like a pro.

On the interior firewall, I beat the cost of the expensive sound deadening products, by gluing foam carpet underlayment to the rough side of the Masonite. Had to make it a "two piece" but it's been in for 2 years and looks as good as the day it was installed, and it works!! The foam underlayment is available from the dumpsters at most carpet stores and also works great under rubber floor mats and carpet.

Dave

Whatever you use, if it's affected by water be sure to protect it from the rain water that will get on it. Most door panels I've seen had a coated paper deflector on the inside of the panel. Those didn't last well so they eventually went to plastic.

1/4" is going to be too thick, but 1/8" would be ok. If you've ever taken apart a modern car door you will see a plastic sheet held on by a tarry goo substance. If you can duplicate this it will keep the moisture that is in the door away from your panel.

Hi,

I used kitchen counter Formica for new door panels after being disgusted with the paper versions. It's waterproof, comes in many colors, and you can cut it easily with shears. It will chip along the cutting edge but you can cover this with the steel edging that Carter and others sell. Just use a paper panel as a template. It comes in rolls and is probably only 1/16" thick. You can buy it at any hardware store. It looks slick!

Wilber

I used the replacement cardboard panels and covered them with some seat cover vinyl material to match the original replacement seatcovers. I think it adds a touch on class and has continuity as its all the same.

You can see it on the Picturetrail site below.