Yorgee Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 I'm the kind of guy that doesn't really like buying a lot of things brand new. I'd rather find stuff at the junk yard or something, dust it off and make it good as new. But when it comes to door panels, you can't do the same. So I just decided to make my own. Found a good fabric place pretty close to my house and they happend to sell some nice waterproof doorpanel material. The process of making the door panels was a little frustrating but I can't complain with the results. Making your own door panels is something everyone should consider (if you need them that is). Just thought I might share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuntry Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Looks good, I was thinking of doing the exact same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Looks pretty good The bottom of the old Z panel has a bend in it, but I notice that yours are flat. Do you think this will be an issue? Let us know how it fits! Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Here is a little different twist using the stock backer board once it has been repaired. http://s170049317.onlinehome.us/V8-240z/Files/Datsun/Doors/Z_Car_Door_Panel_Recovering.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorgee Posted October 18, 2006 Author Share Posted October 18, 2006 Looks pretty good The bottom of the old Z panel has a bend in it, but I notice that yours are flat. Do you think this will be an issue? Let us know how it fits! Davy Yeah, I know what you mean Davy but I'm hoping the material is flexable enough to form to the door once I put the armrest and everything else. Then using clips to hold down the edges, I think it will be alright. But I'm going to try to mount them this weekend. So I'll find out soon enough and keep you guys posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger.svoboda Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 Has anyone ever tried to buy the cardboard stuff they make the original panels from? that would be really nice as it is more flexible than plywood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z-TARD Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 I'm pretty sure that it's just particle board, like the peg board stuff you get to hang tools on. You could probably take the doors off of the car and lay them out flat, then put some wet particle board over the inner surface of the door followed by lots of sandbags for weight. This would force the particle board to conform to the contour of the inner door surface. Of course you would probably need to sandwich the particle board between some layers of plastic dropcloth to keep the water and sand out of the doors. After it's pressed for a few days or weeks, just take it off and cut it to final shape before upholstering. I'm sure there are a few more steps that would be involved, like drying for instance. Like any other plan, this looks good on paper but the actual execution is almost certainly more difficult. Just an idea though.... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexideways Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Still, it sound like a very good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 http://www.zfiberglass.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 280ZForce Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 i'm taking an upholstery class right now at my community college and i'm gonna be working on doing my door panels in a custom manner. they are not in bad shape right now, so I might find some donors to use. i'm gonna sketch up a concept of how I want the colors. should be a fun project. tonight I just finished my 1st real upholstery project of my 6x9 speaker boxes... how they looked when I got them... And when finished w/ some black and red vinyl...the left 1 was my 1st tester, before I learned some tricks of the trade. I think I'm ready for door panels... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spotfitz Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 I had considered replacing the backer, but the post by Dave about fiberglass repair was intriguing. I have been in the process of redoing my door panels for acouple months on and off. This is one of my last projects to finish my interior. I have all the fabric it's just the backer I'm still thinking about. From looking at my door panels, the backer appears to be a product called masonite, which I use at work often. This is the same material that is used for the pegboards mentioned acouple posts up by Z-TARD. This is not exactly a particle board. It's actually closer to MDF(medium density fiberboard), but less dense. Wetting particle board is not a good idea as the water will be soaked up by the wood particles and it will release from the glues used to hold it together. Look in the sink cabinet of an old home and you usually see evidence of this. Wetting a piece of masonite could be an option though. Like MDF, masonite has a good resistance to moisture deterioration. Getting the new backer to conform to the door panel appears to have been done with a press, of sorts. Possibly a steam press. I know in the making of plywood, particle board, MDF and masonite that each has to go through a pressing process. Head liners are done in the same fashion. Different manufacturers use different pressures for different densities. The tighter the density the better, but usually more expensive. The factory backer appears to be pretty dense. 1/8" masonite is pretty rigid/dense. I had considered using 1/8" masonite, but cutting in specific places to allow the backer to conform to the door in the desired fashion. Taping/hot melting the cut areas back together once completed. This would still lead to problems in the curvatures. I'll be testing several different ways and materials. I'll try to touch more on the process I use at a later date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 YORGEE... Very nice job on the door panels!! When I get around to replacing any components, I'm dumping the fiberboard in favor of fiberglass or carbon fiber. Fiberboard warps and breaks... it has no place in a car, IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spoon Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 I have recovered door panels before in other cars I've had but didn't really think about ding it in my z until I saw this post. Now i think I might give it a try. I think i'll get a little creative and my have a big Z inlayed under the material or maybe have it sewn into them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badjuju Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Waiting for an install pic, I think i'm going to do this and follow Yorgee's method, If i remember right, a 280zx panel is a pretty unbent one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorgee Posted October 22, 2006 Author Share Posted October 22, 2006 I finally got a chance to try and put one of the doorpanels on. I think it looks pretty good besides the fact that I ran into a little problem. You were right Davyz, about the whole curve in the door. I actually just decided to dremal ( think thats how you spell it) a line on the backside of the doorpanel so that when I put the door handle, it would bend. It kind of worked but then I ran into another problem and ended up with some wrikles under the doorhandle as you can see in the picture. After I some clips to hold the corners down, I'm hoping to get rid or those wrinkles. Oh ya, those are some nice speaker boxes 280zforce. I wish I could have made some of those. All I had was a home theater sub I found in the trash and some speakers =). haha. Still works though. If you decide to make doorpanels, they'll look sick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 You were right Davyz, about the whole curve in the door. I actually just decided to dremal ( think thats how you spell it) a line on the backside of the doorpanel so that when I put the door handle, it would bend. It kind of worked but then I ran into another problem and ended up with some wrikles under the doorhandle as you can see in the picture. After I some clips to hold the corners down, I'm hoping to get rid or those wrinkles. Yorgee, The panels look better mounted than I had anticipated. They look pretty good despite the wrinkles and I think you can be proud of your work. You can even try out some more of that fiber board, wet it, and then bend it into place with C-clamps around a mold of some sort. Allow to dry and voila, you're there. Still, you can just use these---they look alright. Good work, man. Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorgee Posted October 24, 2006 Author Share Posted October 24, 2006 Thanks Davy, I might try out your idea with some of the interior panels I'm going try making since I have so much of the board material left and seeing as how the inside of the z cars are pretty rounded, I will need to make a lot of bends with it. I never thought of wetting it. Even though the people said it was water proof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted October 28, 2006 Share Posted October 28, 2006 ...I never thought of wetting it. Even though the people said it was water proof. Ah, this will depend on the type of board you are using. If they say what you are using is waterproof, it probably is. You'll most likely need something else. Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naviathan Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 A heat gun would help. Don't burn just warm it up till it forms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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