2nd Gen Door Panels Fabrication

[royster]

I'm going to use the door panels from my parts truck to make templates for new door panels. I have some ideas for fabrics and color that will spice up the pretty-boring original design.

I'd be happy to copy the template to craft paper and send it to anyone interested in fabricating new door panels. I'll send them for free, maybe you can make a $5 donation to the site so we can get a new coffee maker in the Customer Lounge. The template will involve taking off the naugahyde to trace holes for mounting pins, arm rest and window crank...essentially destroying the originals (which aren't worth saving). Mailing two pieces of craft paper wouldn't be expensive, and you can choose your own base material to build from. (I'm going to try Luann plywood, first).

I'll also look into what it would take to ship pre-cut panels. I'll post about that when the time comes: I'm a long ways away from any of this, at the moment.

If you're interested, just post here and I'll have a list, plus we can discuss ideas. Some of the Mighty Max nicer panels are very good looking. (My original panels were Baby-Poop Brown when I got the truck).

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[Fordubishi]

I stripped all the old material off the door panels then used 1/8" Fiberboard to make new ones. Did the kick panels as well.

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used spray contact cement to attach the fabric.

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The panels are laying on top of the fiberboard.

A 4x8 sheet of the fiberboard was $5.00 at home depot.

[royster]

Nice! Clean look, too.

[royster]

Photo from a Graigslist post (http://reading.craigslist.org/cto/4255444980.html) MyLittleShitty found. Nice looking panels with larger arm rests.

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Painting my door panels was only intended as a "quick fix": if I wanted to see Baby-Poop-Brown all the time, I would have had children. Not personally possessing a birth-canal, I opted to have cars, trucks and cats, instead. Neither of them demands college expenses or fashionable clothing. Sure: they talk back from time to time, but they won't put you in jail for smacking your truck. Unless you're drunk-in-public when you do so. And I know better than to smack a cat that can piss in all of my shoes.

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[royster]

I have templates for both the door panels and the rear-of-the-cab panel. The door panel pattern is simple, and only one template is needed: simply flip it over for the opposite door panel. As well, i have a template for the center of the panel so you can cut fabric that shape and keep it fairly original. An industrial-strength adhesive is holding the fabric onto my door panel, and it's working just fine, though 1/8" staples can be used, and originally were used by the manufacturer. Lowe's sells a 4' x 8' sheet of 1/8" masonite which is perfet for fabricating new panels...about $9 a sheet, and one sheet gets you two door "cards" and a rear panel and surplus.

If your present door panel is too shot to pull a template from...remember, you only need ONE good one...then send me a note and I'll be happy to mail you the templates on craft paper, gratiis. Lowe's also sells the plastic fasteners for these panels in the "specialty drawers" section of Hardware.

Below: on the work bench. The brand of paint I used was marked "satin". I learned "flat" for that brand (Krylon) looks a lot better. This gloss just sucks.
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I like the old-school look of metal door tops: easy to do with these panels.
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[geezer101]

The painted door tops are easy to live with and don't look out of place. The trim on them usually gets messed up anyway. The manufacturers' definition of satin is a long way off how anyone else would describe it (what was their gloss finish - a freaking mirror??!?) Cutting out the door card itself isn't that hard, but getting all the mounting lug holes right - well... I've made a set of these for my L200 but covered them in that fake 3D black carbon fibre vinyl wrap (I got it cheap as it was a roll of damaged stock) Your door cards have come up well enough to fool anyone into thinking they're factory items. Nice work Roy :thumbup:

[bobbyk]

I like them royster. They look really good with the painted metal top exposed. I think I might go that route also.

[royster]

Thanks, bobbyk. It's easy enough to do: just cut off that flap of cheesy naugahyde and thin foam padding, but be sure to leave enough material to wrap over the top of the panel, and staple to the back of the panel. I tried just taping it, and heat caused it to slip later on.

My experience is that the door paint is good under the covers, you just need to use some paint thinner to remove the ancient foam padding. Also, the strip next to the window (interior side) needs to remain. That's why I covered the gaps with a strip of self-adhesive chrome trimming, and it's holding up to this very day. (Same chrome trimming I used on the bumper - see comparrison at http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin/showthread.php/2956-Roy-s-Garage-90-2-4-4G64-5-spd-D-50?p=29012&viewfull=1#post29012 ).

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[bobbyk]

Thank you for the info.

[geezer101]

Here's my attempt at a replacement door card on my L200 -
http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i351/geezer1011/L200%20Express/L200Express195_zps230191a2.jpg
I used plastic 'scrivets' to secure the door card as it was an easier option to work with. (sorry about my image sizes, they are blocking out the sun lololol - got no idea how to resize them...)

[royster]

That's a nice, clean look. The scrivets were a good choice for the overall affect. And a chrome door handle! I can't find those, here. (Window cranks are much easier to replace with chrome ones).

The oversized picture is exactly the problem I had with my digital camera - hence my using cumbersome film-and-developing. This next digital camera I get I'll be sure to pay attention to downsize options and settings when it gets hooked up to the computer.

[geezer101]

The chrome handles were a mod I needed to make as the L200 door handles are notorious for snapping off - and it's always the drivers' side door that gets it. So I procured the door handles from my Colt hatch and modified the mechanisms. It required drilling and filing out holes to install the nylon threaded lugs and shortening the mechanism rods and bending them to lock into the backs of the donor assemblies. Then I had to redesign the door cards to suit the new handles and buckets. The Colt handles are really robust and easy to source. When I do the other door I'll take a few pics of the handle mod (it is relatively straightforward to perform but take a bit of time to file the holes out square).

[BradMph]

Nice work on the door panel Geezer! Looks like a carbon fiber material from photo and very clean looking.

[Jorge83]

Anyone have ideas that came from Home Depot or lowes? Lol

[woody__65]

What type of board did you use i like the look

[woody__65]

Here's my attempt at a replacement door card on my L200 -
http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i351/geezer1011/L200%20Express/L200Express195_zps230191a2.jpg
I used plastic 'scrivets' to secure the door card as it was an easier option to work with. (sorry about my image sizes, they are blocking out the sun lololol - got no idea how to resize them...) what type of borad did you use i like the look

[geezer101]

I've only just noticed the question on my door cards - sorry about the post lag, my bad :doh:I used sheets of that custom wood / MDF board and wrapped them in some cheap carbon fibre film. Make a template or 2 out of thick cardboard to get your door handle and window winder holes jigged correctly. Then use a piece of the MDF panel to mark and measure on so everything lines up on the finished door trim.
Got pics of the process here (just follow images in the album from this link) - http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i351/geezer1011/L200%20Express/L200Express190_zps9c4d4301.jpg

[DroppedMitsu]

If you guys need something to make new panels, go to the hardware store and get some hard board I think its called. Pretty close to what the factory used.