Interior door panels

pertyfly · Post by **pertyfly** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 1:53 am

Okay, this is about the interior panels.

My car is a '78, and the panels are in terrible shape (as seen). Mostly the driver's side, actually. Well, they are not totally flat along them, and I am trying to determine if the panels were originally flat or not. I'm pretty sure they were and moisture an abuse warped them, but I would just like to know for sure before I go and make my own out of press board.
Here are mine, so you can see the terrible condition.

The bottom of m driver's side (shown) is basically non-existent!

mdrburchette · Post by **mdrburchette** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 7:03 am

I tried making my door panels from press board and couldn't find any thin enough. I ended up using a sheet of plastic coated styrofoam that the local auto interior shop uses for door panels. It was far easier to cut and I found that it would contour better to the door. Also, it wasn't as heavy, so it didn't bend my clips. I didn't have the forsight to take pics while I made the panels, but here's the finished product:

ventura ace · Post by **ventura ace** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 8:36 am

That looks great, Denise! How did you make the diagonal pattern in the vinyl?

alvon

mdrburchette · Post by **mdrburchette** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 8:42 am

It was stitched with a thin piece of foam behind it.

mbouse · Post by **mbouse** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 9:17 am

That is one fine piece of stitching! Looks like you left the speaker out. Does that mean you've settled for listening to your exhaust, rather than the rantings of another overpaid, whinny teenybopper on a silver disc?

mdrburchette · Post by **mdrburchette** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 9:29 am

I'm afraid the only speaker my car came with was in the console, under the radio. I do have speakers in the quarter panels, but they're not to effective over the roar of the engine.

pertyfly · Post by **pertyfly** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 11:52 am

Okay, so the door panel is pretty much flat (aside from the top, of course)?

And, I was able to see the pic from mdrburchette the other day, and now it's not displayed

I wanted to look at it and compare a bit.

Also, did you do the stitching yourself, or have it done?

Thanks

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 12:04 pm

there are pics of my stock ones here:
http://www.fiatspider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=219

maybe that will help a little.

mdrburchette · Post by **mdrburchette** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 12:57 pm

Here's the link:

http://gallery.italiancarclub.com/1433-2/IM000219.jpg

The guy who covered the door panels did the stitching. I didn't think my sewing machine would appreciate such thick thread. I just made the panels themselves and drilled all the holes.