No-Sew door panel tech...

One of my favorite things about the H.A.M.B are the tech posts… so, I thought I’d take a stab at one. The following is the breakdown for fabbing your own door panels from scratch. Since not everyone has a sewing machine sittin’ in the corner of the shop… and because we all dig 2 inch pleats… I’ll show this example using press pleat vinyl. All of the supplies described are available from your local trim shop, hardware store or online.

First up, you need to prep your door for the pattern. Make sure all old clips or screws are removed as well as your inside handles and garnish (window trim) mouldings. From here, it’s a good idea to run a 1/4” drill bit through the existing clip holes. (Use a drill stop….trust me!!!!) This is to make sure your clips will snap into place with little effort. If your door doesn’t have holes yet… mark them in about 5/8” and roughly 5” apart all the way around the door. Next up, cut a piece of butcher paper or contractors paper (available at the hardware store in rolls) larger than your door. Spray it on one side with a liberal amount of 3m Super77 spray can glue (another hardware store item). Once you have it good and sticky, take it to your door and stick it with plenty of paper hanging past the edges. Now trace the edges with a pencil and poke all of the door panel clip holes. Also mark any door handles or window cranks.

 

Next, remove the paper from the door and head to the work bench. Stick the paper to your door panel board. Shown is “waterproof” cardboard available from trim shops… but we use 1/8” luan from the hardware store. (It’s cheaper) Either will work just fine. Stay away from masonite as it will wick moisture and will warp. In the photo, I’ve highlighted the pencil markings with black marker for better detail. Smooth the paper out on your board. Trim the paper on your pencil marks with a razor blade and mark all of the clip & handle holes. Remove the paper and cut the door panel out with a razor knife.

 

From this point, you’re gonna want to mark for punching your clip holes. You need to move in 1/2” from the marks you made with your paper pattern and make an X at each clip mark… this is due to the offset in the clips (we use Au-ve-co #1720’s) Punch your holes on the X using a 3/8” hole punch…. Once the clip slides in the offset hole, the spring part will be centered in the hole. You’ll also need to cut or punch holes for your handles.

 

Now, install the clips and pop the panel on the door. Your paper pattern should have your panel fitting pretty good, but additional trimming may be needed. It’s a great time to close the door to make sure things don’t rub… and also a good idea to fit the garnish moulding to be sure your panel fits properly under it.

 

Next up,remove the panel (a flat putty knife pops the clips great) and remove the clips. Design the panel… my favorite part! For this one we chose a simple pleated center with smooth vinyl at the top and bottom. You could also do carpet on the bottom…. But since this is a NO SEW design the vinyl works best.

 

This step shows the pleats installed. Cut ‘em the width of your design and leave a few inches hanging past the edges of the panel. You will need to use a good contact cement to attach the pleats. You can get it from the local trim shop, but the stuff you get from a hardware store works just as well (we’ve used it in a pinch). Lowes and Home Depot carry DAP brand in quarts. It can be sprayed through a cheap paint gun or brushed. Follow the directions on the can….. STAY AWAY from the Super77 or aerosol glues. I don’t think they are heavy duty enough to handle the weight of the vinyl or heat the panel will see. ALSO in the pic is 1/2” wide C-chrome. It comes in 6 feet lengths from trim shops….it’s the stuff they used to put around the vinyl landau (fake convertible) tops on late 70’s and early 80’s production cars. It’s anodized aluminum and is really easy to work with….. More on this later….

 

Now the smooth sections….. You’ll need some 1/2” poly foam (local trim shop). Cut it oversized and spray it & the panel with contact cement. Wait for it to dry, then butt the foam up to the pleats and press into place. Trim the foam even with the edge of the board with a razor blade. Follow with the smooth vinyl as above… repeat as needed, leaving the extra vinyl stick past the edge of the panel.

 

Flip the panel over and glue the back of the board and vinyl. Trim the vinyl within’ 3/4” of the board…. On the corners, trim it on an angle (as pictured). Wrap the corners first and then roll the rest around the board. You’re almost finished.

 

There are no pix of this step, but… cut the C-chrome to length. 10/32 Truss head machine screws fit perfectly into the back of the chrome. Slide them in, positioned 4 or 5”’ apart. Once you’ve trimmed the chrome, you’ll find the ends of it bend easily for a finished look (you may have to file and polish them a bit for a smooth edge). Position your trim between the pleats and smooth sections… locate the machine screw and punch corresponding holes…. Poke ’em through and attach them with nuts. It’s a good idea to use Lock-tite

 

Finally, re-install the clips and head to the door… Pop, pop, pop and you have a panel. Cut holes for the handles and install...

Rinse, and repeat....

 

Thanks!

 

Skip, super tech for us down and out lo-buckers.The interior is always the hard part and sometimes never gets done on my stuff.I think this needs to go in tech -o-matic. Thanks!

 

Very cool! My interior is too cherry on the Buick to do this little mod, but I might actually use the idea on my cabin cruiser. It might liven up my dull side panels.

 

Wow. I've read those how to books, but I've learned more from these posts. Alot more.


By the way. The updated website rocks.

 

I may be a little dim... but how were the pleats done? How were they made to be pleats?

 

This was kind of glossed over but it's here: "I’ll show this example using press pleat vinyl"


Which you can find online here for example:

http://www.garysupholstery.com/foamback.html

 

Thanks Buick... guess I didn't think about that.... But the pleats are part of the vinyl. It's foam backed and the pleat is created by die-electric stamping (atleast thats my take on it) a 1/4" wide impression every 1 1/2 inches. No exposed stitching to worry about cutting and unraveling... That website is an excellent source for the stuff.

JohnB...thanks on the website... I do it in all my "spare" time

 

Thanks for clearing that up... I wasnt sure if you had done some magic with foam under there or what. That stuffs pretty cool.

And thanks for the great tech, too.

 

bitchin, man. seeing this guy's work in real life, he's a freakin genius.

 

Cool man, pretty good stuff, It looks like you have this subject COVERED

 

I might just give this a try,..... Thanks !

 

Good post! I'm gonna have to give the c-chrome a try.

 

I did my Plymouth door panels using that pre-pleated stuff from Gary's Upholstery. It's great stuff. I could'nt find it here in kiwiville, and Gary does'nt ship overseas, so I had to get a friend who lives State-side to get it and ship it to me. It was worth it.

 

You can curve it too...

 

red no red WTF no red,
]Ya i know some place on another site,!
Thanks for the tech cool info

 

I'm glad I found this today !!!!!!!

 

Would it be possible to put a 3"-4" radius in that c-chrome to do a floating rectangular insert in a panel?

 

Sweet. Ck your mail, Skip.

 

Fantastic thread. Anyone in Australia know where to get this "C-Chrome"?

I found where to get the pleated vinyl, but can't track down the C section trim.

 

great post! I just had my first upholstery lesson from my mom yesterday. This was a perfect time to find this post. Nice job very inspiring.