My car really needs a new interior. The headliner and carpet I can just order for fairly cheap, the seats I'll probably need to have professionally done. But, I think I can redo the door panels and post coverings and stuff on my own. I remember reading in a mag awhile ago that RodDoors or whatever the company is uses ABS plastic sheets for their custom door panels. I don't want one of those, but the ABS is a good idea for sure. Once you have it shaped right it's sturdy, won't rot, and you can just glue the material onto it. I can't find any how-to stuff online, though... I doubt you need any special tools, but where do you even get the stuff? Are there any books on the subject? I know there's resources available for working with fiberglass and carbon fiber, but that seems like it'd be more complicated and expensive than I'd need.
Fatluckys has used it. He told me a local plastic supplier could get it for anyone. We've used RodDoors before with no problem. Next month we have a roadster we are gonna use some for. Check around your area for ABS and Styrene suppliers and you will find someone who sell four by eight sheets in about 1/8" thickness reasonable. It cuts well with a utility knife and contact cement sticks well to it...Stitch
I put together a catalog for a company that made ABS covers for expensive car door armrests (Caddys and lincolns). According to the guy making them, the ABS holds it shape in the heat of the interior, and can be painted. He used to vaccu-form the caps.
most of the ABS door panels are vacuum formed... BUT, you can grab a sheet of ABS from your local sign or plastics supplier, and a heat gun... form it by hand over just about anything (i used a pole in my shop, and a 2x4 for a tight bend). Dont get it too hot, or it'll melt. Once it melts, it burns like crazy, and sticks to your skin. Dont ask how i know. ABS cement from your local hardware store works wonders for glueing it together... like glueing mounting tabs made out of ABS to it... As for books or resources... dunno, never really looked into it. Just got some ABS and started playing. Easy to work with... -dan
I spent quite a bit of time with the Rod Doors guy in kalamazoo this year. THere are lots of things you can do with it as far as formiong it youself.
wallymart sells a clear heavy plastic sheet by the yard.use this first as a pattern on your door panels to mark the mounting holes correctly with a fine black marker and then transfer this to the abs for drilling the holes or just gluing the christmas trees to the back of the abs door panel.the marks will wipe of, so you can use the plastic for other areas.you could trim the plastic exactally for nice fit and no guessing where the mounting holes go.hope this trick helps. chris
I use ABS foam board, I have done several cars with it. Built some consoles too. most trim shops can get it in 3' by 4' sheets, it's UPS friendly.
ABS plastic full of bubbles It's used to make temporary signs, and for panels by trimmers. Lighter than solid panels, nearly as rigid, but you can form it cold if needed. You glue it with plumbers glue, or a hot glue gun.
Ah, I know what you mean now How much should I expect to pay for this stuff? I found one place in the phone book, I'll give them a call tomorrow, but I'm looking on the web now and this place says it's $60 plus shipping for a sheet of 2'x4'x1/8" ABS...seems kinda high just for plastic...
It's been a few years but I think I paid about $30 for a 4'x8'x1/8" sheet. Score it with a hook blade lineoleum knife, fold back and crack it off, then sand the edge. It does not look bad to use trim screws with the washer that has a raised circle around the screw. HELP at the auto parts has them in 6 or 8 packs.
Yeah, I found another place that has 4x8x1/8 for closer to $30. Wonder why that other place is so expensive. I was planning on using velcro, yeah I hate trim clips.
The cheapest I can get ABS close to home is $38 for a 4x8. Compare that to less than $5 for a 4x8 sheet of masonite. Obviously, I use masonite when I can. I use ABS on convertibles, roadsters, cars that I know are going to leak, etc. And whenever I want to make some fancy curved or molded stuff but I don't want to deal with fiberglass. Here's the only "in progress" ABS pic I could find. It's some 60 Olds rear armrests/panel bottom parts. They still need some trimming, but you can see how the stuff bends with a little heat.
Most signs shops will carry a product called trovicel. It's a thin PVC plastic that I think is quite a bit cheaper. Might be worth a call.
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