any interior guys here? door panel help

[ohiohoss]

im in the middle of building custom door panels for my 85 elcamino i need alittle help with the design the door panel is all one piece and will be flat i want 2 colors on the panel heres a few pictures of were im at and thank you for your help

heres the panel sitting on the drivers door


heres the passenger side panel i started laying out some design

[ohiohoss]

i was thinking of putting a grove were the lines are so i can push the material into it i dont want to sew the 2 colors together im planning on making a thin panel that will lay ontop of the door panel to get my other color

[ohiohoss]

this is what i kinda after if i can do the painted panel that would be awesome

[Keyser Sose]

If it was me (and I've made custom door panels before), I would make the smaller piece an insert.

shape and cover the smaller piece.

shape the bigger piece to lay on top of the smaller one. have the cutout in the bigger piece for the smaller piece to set into overlap the smaller piece by 1-2" all the way around it, then cover the bigger piece.

This way, you can use those plastic "christmas tree" clips on both pieces to hold them to the door.

Make a large paper template that covers the whole door that will be covered by BOTH pieces. mark on that paper where all your mounting holes/holes for the clips to go into are/will be.

Lay both pieces of the uphostery on the floor, upholstered side down, and properly oriented to each other, like they will be on the door. lay the paper template on the back side of the panels (be sure not to reverse it!), and mark the back sides of the panels where the holes will be made for the mounting clips.

If you do it this way, not only will the smaller piece be "embeded" or recessed into the larger panel, the overlap of the larger panel will help hold the smaller one in place.

ask again if I was unclear or you have more quex.

[ohiohoss]

im just alittle lost lol

i was planning on using a router to recess that center area maybe about 1\8th inch then use some thin sheet and cover that im planning on covering the panel with thin layer of foam but leave out the center were i recess the panel you see is 1\2in mdf

[Keyser Sose]

I'm not sure how you're gonna do that on a 5th gen door, since the top of the inner door panel (upholstered part) curves around to meet the window at the top. Is a fairly small radius (tight curve) too. That 1/2" mdf is gonna be too thick I think.

What you were saying above about the router would work, if you can figure out the curve at the top of the panel.
I was thinking 1/8 -3/16" composit, and you'd have to score that on the back, or soak it in water, to make the curve at the top.

The top of the door upholstery also has the inner window rubber seal stapled to it. How you gonna deal with that?

[ohiohoss]

what i did was remove all the cardboard from the upper panel and im now left with the curved metal section i will post pictures of how im taking care of that issue

[matty man]

Lookin` good Hoss,,, post those pics when ya can,, I like the ideas!!!!!! Matty man

[ohiohoss]

see the holes were the old cardboard panel was fastened to the metal? ''my screw holes''

[ohiohoss]

here it is screw to the new panel it has 4 of18 screws holding it in place and its very strong so i think once all 18 are in it will be good to go

[jlcustomz]

Sorry I know nothing here

Mine are inserts, similar to what keser described, But I used #4 t-nuts & screws from hobby shop to attach. Used 1/4" foam over main section, layed insert over & scored foam to remove under insert .Wrapped main section. Wrapped insert with 1/8 " foam & fabric & screwed together. I riveted the top alum to my panels. I used alum foil covered 1/8" home siding board for base, cut slots for factory type attaching pegs.Be sure you're not too fat near edges to shut door.

[ohiohoss]

back side

[ohiohoss]

ok heres the over lap the plan you ask? i plan on rounding over the wood then after that im gonna epoxy glue the area were it screws together . then i will cut the screws down and use short strand fiberglass filler to make the wood curve into the metal

[Keyser Sose]

I see now. good plan. when you blend wood into the metal piece, go down 4-6 inches on the wood to start your blend so it's not real obvious.

[ohiohoss]

i will do that thanks keyser your a big help