DIY interior panels for doors. How to?

[George]

I'd like to make door panels for my car, in close to factory style


Original ones can't be sourced in any condition other than trash. They are made of cardboard base, foam and vinyl cover. I assume some old Toyotas would use the same technology.

Can anyone point to a good write-up on making things like these?

["Z" UTE]

Hi George, the problem with the door cards is that they are hot pressed. The cover is literally laid on the cardboard/wood backing, then a heated press is lowered into place, within a couple of seconds the vinyl is imprinted with the design and fused to the backing board. To achieve a result similar to factory finish will be nearly impossible.

For some cars with a metal skin at the top of the door trim, we can replace the backing wood with 3mm MDF, then simply have someone stitch up a nice hot rod style skin you can mount to the board.

cheers Chuck.

[ToyTA22]

Basically as ZUte said. The pattern is HF welded with dies to the backing board, which is usually 3mm masonite. I was a motor trimmer for over 35 years and was asked many times to do same as factory, until I informed the client machinery and dies cost average $30,000 to purchase so they would have to bear some of the cost. I would suggest the same pattern be sewn into vinyl or fabric.

[timbosaurus]

so was it heat pressed, or HF welded back in the day? I assume the material is a standard thin PVC/Vinyl, and not something special that reacts a particular way to the heat/welding (think heatshrink)?

I've often wondered about this because machining a die is not that difficult.... heating a die reasonably evenly is also not terribly expensive. But I assume that buying an HF welder is, lol.

[ToyTA22]

They are HF welded. The vinyl is not your normal fabric backed pvc, it has a synthetic fibre much like dacron or tontine fibre bonded to back which melts from heat created by heat from molecular friction by HF waves. As timbosaurus said the HF welders can cost a fortune and you need high amperage power supply, or three phase to operate. I used to have dies I made for Torana LC LJ door trims but sold them after closing my business. Also you need to glue pvc on to edges of door panel before welding, so it is pretensioned.

[George]

Thank you guys! I think sewing a pattern into leather or vinyl is the way to go. I will use 3mm aluminum or some plastic as base because these materials are lightweight and extremely water resistant. I will make them fit perfectly and then use some vinyl workshop's service for a pattern of my choice.

The original cards are thin vinyl covered indeed, with some sort of substrate between it and the card itself. The patterns looks like melted plastic.

One way I was suggested was making a 3D drawing and then miling the pattern in aluminum/plastic cards. After that a decent vinyl workshop would press vinyl into the milled grooves. While this isn't a bad idea, I think it's overcomplication. I only need era-correct design and not a 100% copy. Maybe I will go for diamond pattern like that https://c-a.d-cd.net/93d091cs-960.jpg

[timbosaurus]

Good info toyTA22.

[andrewzuku]

George, take a look at what my brother made for his Datsun 1000. Oh, and excuse the masking tape on the ends of the chrome. They still needed to be mitred on a 45° angle.





He posted a "How to retrim door cards" write-up over on datsun1000.com

[George]

Thanks Andrew! I will go check it out right now. Right at the moment, I'm stuck with the availability of proper sheet plastic which I would use as the base instead of cardboard. Best choice would be composite panels (aluminum+some plastic) but turned out they're far from flat when looking at them from warehouse rather than from the web )

[andrewzuku]

I'm not sure if it will be too thick, but you could try something called "foam core board". Sign-writers use it a lot, and you can get it at Bunnings and art supply stores (like Riot Art and Craft).

[George]

check mu location at profile ))
I tried 3mm foam PVC but it's too flexible. I'll check out how solid PVC works. Maybe I will try sheet polystyrol as well.

Read your brother's thread through, the grooves making idea is ingenious. Also liked the aluminum insert.

["Z" UTE]

The backing board (Door Cards) on most cars, is from factory a 2.5mm thick sheet of wood, but depending on where in the world you live it can be variously be called Masonite, Cardboard, or even Compressed Strand Oriented Fibreboard..

I have used 3mm Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) in many cars as replacement panels for the door cards, the extra 0.5mm makes virtually no difference to the finished product. This MDF has all the strength and rigidity you need, with the additional benefit of being able to be curved or rolled with nothing more than a little steam!

I generally construct door trims from 3 pieces of vinyl/material and some indoor outdoor low plush carpet.

The top section is made from relatively tough UV resistant vinyl, the centre section with all the pattern work is also UV stable but in a more lightweight material enabling greater flexibility in design and construction of the desired patterns.The bottom section is generally the same material as the centre section with the carpet stitched onto the face to provide a highly durable kickboard, the 3 sections are then stitched together then glued and stapled to the backing board.

Mind you this is from a guy who is totally self taught with no formal training in upholstery work.

cheers Chuck.

[allencr]

Sheet of plastic from a dropped ceilings florescent light cover is 100% water proof.
Also, don't forget when cutting material that the sides are mirror images, NOT identical. BTDT!

[George]

Chuck, thanks for the advice, but I'll stick with plastic "cards". We see lots of humidity along with temperature changes. The cards will be trimmed by some skilled person, so I'd like to be sure not to go through all of this in a year or two.

allencr, in my car, base panels for both sides are identical. Trim differs of course, but having read this topic I decided to leave trimming for someone skilled in the art. And thanks for the ceiling light plastic idea ) Surprisingly though, sheet plastic of appropriate size has better availability here

[TurboRA28]

Relevant to my interests.. Keen to come up with something more interesting than just plain velour covered trims..