i just got a set finally off of ebay and i was hoping to take out the carpet insert and refinsh it but this seems to be harder than i thought anyone have an idea?

 

Need help removing the carpet? Removing the door panels? Reinstalling carpet / door panels? What exactly do you need help with?

 

need help with removing the carpet with out wrecking the door panel im thinking heat gun!

 

Signed on

 

nobody???

 

The carpet thats ON the door panel, or on the floor? I cant see anyone wrecking a door panel removing the carpet off the floor, I am not sure how to remove the fabric off of the door panel. It IS cardboard like material and is relatively fragile. You can buy Blank door panels from Paddock, if thats the case, Good Luck.

 

I don't see door panels for any year at the Paddock.

I would take a utility knife and carefully cut around the carpet, then peel it off possibly use a little heat and then figure out something to replace it and make it look good. But be careful, like said they are pretty fragile.
I plan on recovering mine in a fake leather or a nice fabric eventually. Maybe make a mold of the panel its self and make some fiberglass ones.... but that is a long way away. I have 2 pairs to use/try on

 

IIRC, Jim85IROC restored a set of "GTA" panels and posted some pix. You might try doing a search for it or sending him a PM about it.

 

Since the fabric section is actually under the vinyl section and attached to it, you pretty much have to cut it out or install a new section on top of it. I built a new insert and put it above the original, but it didn't come out as great as I had hoped. Here are some pictures.

assembling the new insert:



the door panel after dying black (was gray)


new insert installed


what I don't like is how the impressions show from where the pins are pushed through holes I drilled in the door panel. If I were to do it over, I would cut out the insert and adhere it to the bare panel. I will probably do just that in a year or so. The material I used is headliner material. It matches what I used on the headliner and to cover the rear speakers in the sail panels.

 

I am guessing you did not use any padding under the panel on top of the pins or what ever you used? I think if you put a thin pad underneath it would look better afterwards, just a suggestion

 

The pins are actually adhered to the back side of the board. When I tried to put the pin through the board, the headliner material wasn't plush enough to mask the bump. The headliner material has an 1/8" foam backing, but that doesn't hide much. The real problem that I didn't anticipate is that the backing board I used was too flimsy and was "sucked in" by the pins causing the divits to appear.

 

wow jeremynyr thats still impressive i like it

 

subscribe mearly cause i have practice panels and you just gave me some inspiration!!! thanx

 

What you NEED to do is make some new panels, cover them in 1/4 inch CLOSED CELL FOAM and cover THAT with a fabric like the headliner/sail panel material. Closed cell foam is soft but dense (I could make a political joke but I shall refrain...) and is easy to work with. Just make sure you scuff it with some sand paper so that the glue will adhere and use the
3M heavy duty contact cement.

 

thank you :-) I'll be sure to post when I eventually improve them

 

Nice job mate, I may have to steal your idea for my GTA

 

you can use 1/4 plywood for the insert and wrap it with a quality vinyl or i used synthetic ostrich. use a spray adhesive for the vinyl and construction adhesive for the plywood. clamp the plywood to the panel after its wrapped and let it set for a few hours. I have a few pics of the panel i just finished up under ws6 door panel