Badrs2810

What board would be best to use for custom door panels? I'm gonna give it a go, I was gonna use vinyl wrap on the panels:

Anyone who has attempted this, I could use a small amount of info to get started... Thanks

acliad

iTrader: (1)

You can get the same material that these are made of originally, but its still fairly week. I used a material we found at a local junk yard, apparently its for making gas station signs. Its some sort of soft plastic core with aluminum sheets sandwiched around the plastic. (Not my picture, but same stuff) Its maybe an eighth inch thick, and very sturdy, but was a little thick for the clips(The ones that hold the panel to the door). I had to use a router to trim down slots for my clips, but it looks just fine installed. I also considered using an old pool liner we had laying around. You might just go to a Home Depot and look for something that looks like it would work. The original material is expensive, and thus many have tried to find a good substitute. Maybe someone else will chime in with a better idea.

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

I went to a hardware/home improvement store, I think Lowes or Home Depot, one of those 2. Got some of this 1/8" thick particle board stuff thats pretty much like the stuff used in the factory panels. Not exactly a cardboard but its kinda like that. It worked perfectly for me. It is cheap too, like 8 bucks for a gigantic sheet. Only needed half to make panels.

I first used foam poster board from a school supply section at a local store to make a template for the panel before transfering it to the particle board.

I wrapped it with matching material from the seat company and it turned out ok. I dont have a door handle/arm rest... its shaved since I have the roll bar installed. I just grap the top window area of the door and close with that.
Is simple, very basic but I like it and it matches the rest of the interior.

Badrs2810

What did you use for the wrap? How did you get it to wrap so well? I tried a dash repair on my fourth gen.... Looked awesome til the next day, it started bubbling and unwrapping. And how did you put your clips in? Looks pretty awesome

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

The upper is matching cloth material from Corbeau to match the seats which use the same stuff

The lower is vinyl from corbeau so the black would go with my black carpet and black painted plastics in the interior. I was gonna go cloth there but the seats have black vinyl/leather like wear patches on them so I figured I'd match that.

With the board flat, I layed the material out and just used adhesive to stick it on. I used it around the edges and not the middle of the board. The seam line between the red and black was actually stapled. Black vinyl layed on board, and the red folded over, stapled on the back side. Then glued down carefully.

Clips I believe I drilled holes in the board and got them to stick thru, then hot glued them in place for support/strength. I believe I did that first, then layed the material over the board.

It worked well and looks good IMO, for what I was after anyway.

Badrs2810

Sweet!! That's not hard at all, I already have the clips and the glue/ glue gun... Now I need to shop for the materials, probably going ebony on vinyl... I have grey interior, so actually I'll probably do light and medium grey shade. Also thinking of getting some stitching put on the panel as well.

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

You can get as fancy as you want. stitching would be very nice but I dont know how to stitch and didnt want to pay for it. But then again my car didnt need it. Its not a luxary show car, i just wanted something basic that looks good and gets job done.

I believe my panels are lighter than factory so weight savings all adds up

tlandoe

I'd get ABS plastic. I love my abs headliner, I'd think it'd be just as good as a door panel

micktroup2

I got some panel board from a foam shop- same cardboard crap as OEM, but as long as the moisture shields are in place, it should work. Don't just use ANY glue- get 'landau adhesive'. You can get it from upholstery suppliers(unless you live in California like me and it is ILLEGAL in bulk cans). It is a high quality contact adhesive- it comes in cans that you normally have to use a spray gun for, but you can get it in aerosols I believe. I have found a supplier of it here in California I think- I will confirm that when I go to see what they have. Use your old panel as a pattern, by the way- I just peeled off my old upholstery and traced around it on the new boards.