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Anyone made thier own door panels ?

62440

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My door panels are good enough to use as a template and that's about it. I was wondering if anyone has made their own and what did they use ?
 
I used a pattern of my old ones a d redid mine in leather as I redid the whole interior in leather. Looks great. Just no longer had the wood grain section of the traditional 68 GTX. Sorry no pics
 
I have seen some doors panels made by an upholstery shop that were really well done.
They were formed/swaged like originals (not sure of correct term)
They obviously were not original but they looked sharp.
Something to look in to.
 
I made 4 new panels for my 65 Belvedere using 1/8" Masonite board. When it came to the rectangular panel clip holes I took note of the clip installation direction and used round holes for the clips as they were much easier to form. I also pop riveted the Masonite to the curved steel top pieces (originals were stapled). The sun-fading is optional!
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Mike
 
I have made my own also. I used water resistant door boards from an upholstery shop. I used a round hole punch for clip holes then had a upholstery shop sew up the covering.
 
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I made the boards just like 493 Mike. Then made them similar to the factory Super Stock panels but a bit fancier with a little padding for more defined depth
Doug
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I have made my own. I too used the Masonite board. Mine are a bit different though with Audi bits and pieces and custom bump outs. Have not covered them yet. Needed to fab a bunch for mini speakers and electric locks and windows in the Audi panels.

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Thanks guys, l thought about the masonite panels, but thought they might be heavy compared to the original panels. The original ones are remarkably light. I'll check some upholstery shops. I'm obsessed with reducing weight. Cheers

I have made my own also. I used water resistant door boards from an upholstery shop. I used a round hole punch for clip holes then had a upholstery shop sew up the covering.
 
I've made them from the cardboard as well. You can buy it at upholstery stores. The rear panels were made that way. In the past I have used existing vinyl peeled from the original cardboard. Then reapplied it to the new cardboard as a repair. I did masonite on this front to stiffen the door. I too am obsessed with weight.
Doug
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Agreed. It takes horsepower to move weight. Someone was telling me about using sheets of ABS
I never thought about that
I've made them from the cardboard as well. You can buy it at upholstery stores. The rear panels were made that way. In the past I have used existing vinyl peeled from the original cardboard. Then reapplied it to the new cardboard as a repair. I did masonite on this front to stiffen the door. I too am obsessed with weight.
DougView attachment 782630
 
I made 4 new panels for my 65 Belvedere using 1/8" Masonite board. When it came to the rectangular panel clip holes I took note of the clip installation direction and used round holes for the clips as they were much easier to form. I also pop riveted the Masonite to the curved steel top pieces (originals were stapled). The sun-fading is optional!View attachment 782278 View attachment 782279
Mike
Wow! Those look great. I have to do the same to my wife's 65 Belvedere wagon. How is the masonite with warping?
 
I purchased some panel material over the internet/mail order. The stuff is black and supposedly treated to be water resistant and made for door panel restorations. I guess it is some kind of masonite (don't quote me on that). It arrived in large sheets which I stored for over a year and during that time one sheet warped some and the other not so much. Could have been the way the sheets were laying.

We used rivets to attach them to the metal upper pieces (painted the metal Rust-Oleum with their rusty metal red primer). It was tricky getting the slots/holes made for the door clips but in worked out in the end. Only problem was the upholsterer had a bad day and stitched the pattern for the driver's door and passenger door differently (see foto).

Links:

https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/71-74-door-panel-whoops.162974/

https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopa...on-plastic-door-panels.167358/#post-911178324

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Made these out of Luan plywood but the upholstery shop did the covers. I've got the right armrest on it now.:thumbsup:
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I hate to think how much the shipping would be.
I purchased some panel material over the internet/mail order. The stuff is black and supposedly treated to be water resistant and made for door panel restorations. I guess it is some kind of masonite (don't quote me on that). It arrived in large sheets which I stored for over a year and during that time one sheet warped some and the other not so much. Could have been the way the sheets were laying.

We used rivets to attach them to the metal upper pieces (painted the metal Rust-Oleum with their rusty metal red primer). It was tricky getting the slots/holes made for the door clips but in worked out in the end. Only problem was the upholsterer had a bad day and stitched the pattern for the driver's door and passenger door differently (see foto).

Links:

https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/71-74-door-panel-whoops.162974/

https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopa...on-plastic-door-panels.167358/#post-911178324

View attachment 788626
 
I shipped to my brother's place in California and brought it back with me (to Mexico) in the trunk of my '72 Satellite during one of my extended road trips.
 
I made all new panels for my '55 Plymouth using masonite-like material that I bought from Home Depot. After I got the shapes and cutouts the way I wanted them, I coated them with POR15 to seal them from moisture. Then I glued sheet foam to them and trimmed that to the shape of the panels. I followed that with the houndstooth cloth we picked out. I'm happy with the result. However, I may redo the door panels as I used the existing panels as patterns and they weren't perfect by any means.
 
Back in 1980 my buddy replaced his 70 Roadrunner door panels with sheet aluminum.
 
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