Interior door panel

[Greybags]

To keep the resto blog thing going ..

This morning I have completed building the doors interior panels and the hardwood cappings ..

Not done any of the leather work yet, so please try to imagine its on there, and the hardwood has not been varnished...

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The speakers have not been fitted either ... 6" 3 way system..

Grahame

[Reddi-Eng]

Good work Grahame, what wood have you used for the door panels, is it ply or chipboard?

[Greybags]

They are 6mm MDF but with 2x3" strengthening bars laminated to to the back so the panel won't bend or flex when using the door pulls, which are from a Mazda MX5.

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The speaker ring mounts are from 3/4" ply glued and screwed to the ply, to stiffen and to give a solid mount for the speakers so there will be no vibration and a big space for a rich bass.

The top of the door has been strengthened with alloy under the hardwood trims to prevent flexing and the wood splitting.

Everything will will fixed with stainless screws and cup rings, as it's a method I like from the old cars, especially the old MGB's...

Grahame

[trippdl]

Hi Graham -

Before you do anything more to those door panels, give them a saturation coat of Epo-Seal, and a topcoat of Epoxy laminating resin - try a local marine supply shop, look for SP Systems. This prevents the MDF from turning to mush, when / if they become wet (it's a Gilbern, isn't it?). The epoxy reacts to harden, and doesn't allow water vapour to get in and soften the fibres.

Dave

[Greybags]

Dave ..

Already on the list to do ..

I normally soak it with a resin sealer.. Binds the edges and prevents it absorbing any moisture...

But thanks for the thought...


Grahame

[Greybags]

After all the the new bits made, all the repairs done and rubbing down, and I really do hate rubbing down, the OS door is complete and in primer and time to move on to the next one.

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This could take longer than I anticipated...

Grahame

[Greybags]

Near Side door completed, fitted and the gaps adjusted to be equal..

Windows whizz up and down like a good un, and the sound from the speakers is so rich and powerful, all in all a good few weeks work...

What to do next ... the damaged bonnet, the damaged tailgate the damaged OffSide door ...

Decisions decisions...

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[Reddi-Eng]

Looking good Grahame, I think the glass seals are next on my "To-Do" list so I may be copying those door panels while Ive got them off.

BTW I can't help but look at the whole of published pictures and your garage contents look a bit like mine. Lots of "usefull" things kept just in case, off-cuts, spare lights etc. etc. I'm dreading the day I have to downsize my house and start throwing things away.

[blue1]

I have interior panels made from marine ply and what is the best way to attach them to doors?

The last panels came off when I went to pull the doors shut and I need advice on the best method.

I have Invader mk1.

Your wise advice would be very much appreciated.

[rocketman]

On my Mk1 I used 3/16" ply, the nasty plastic chanel at the top was dumped in favour of a stainless steel 'J' section that a local fabrication firm made for me. I think that I had to slightly taper off the top edge of the ply to get it to fit into the 6mm chanel, the trim panel is then held using Qty 6 s/steel self tappers; the finishing touch was to use plastic screw caps from Screwfix, They only do white so I sprayed them with some Matt Black. The car has been in use for the last 18 months and nothing has fallen off!

regards, Stuart.

[Reddi-Eng]

When I first got my MKIII the door panels were held on (just) with a variety of self tappers and bits of wood stuck to the insde of the door. As an expedient I repaced these with the type of cavity wall fixing which compresses like a chinese latern and leaves a "Nut" clamped to the inner door skin. I compressed them with a long screw and without the panel in place then used a shorter screw when fixing the panel. I've had no problems with them for nine years and the panels have been off and on a couple of times.



Having said this, re-making the door panels is on the "to do" list this year and I might make some captive nuts from strips of 2 to 3 mm aluminium strip and fix them to the inside of the door.

As an aside when I was an apprentice in the Aircraft industry (No this was post bi-planes ) captive nuts were in common use on the aircraft but I've not seen them commercially available recently. Does anyone know a supplier?

[kyalamijoe]

When retrimming door cards you can avoid unsightly screws showing by using 'fir tree' fixings.

These are used in a lot of current cars like Ford and Rover (not so current) etc. They hold the plastic trim in the boot area and have a very thin face about 14/15mm dia. Best check your own new car to see what they use, normally they are 8mm dia. and come in differring lengths.

Once the door boards have been made, drill 8mm dia holes around the board edge every so often, align the board to the door ( locate it with a couple of pk screws so it doesn't move) and spot and drill 7mm dia holes in the door.

Remove the door board, fit the fir trees and trim as you will.

Offer the door board up to the door locating the fir trees into holes and press fit. Voila!

Along with sticky back plastic my Mk IIIe is held together with thse things.

[trippdl]

On my first Mark III, a previous owner had made a neat metal brace on the back of the door card that was bolted through one of the door handle mounting screws, and extended to slip behind the lower part of the door frame, such that when you yanked the door shut, it conducted the force to the frame directly, stopping the odd collection of self-tappers and bits of wood (!) from pulling out.

I'm making new door cards out of thin aircraft ply (sealed with WEST System epoxy) for my current cars; I've yet to make any of the braces, but when I do, I'll send some photos to Paul.

[Greybags]

Why not post them on here as well so that we can all see them in glorious colour ..

Also pictures loaded on here can be easily enlarged to be able to see far greater detail ...


We must start a new campaign....

"Share your Piccies"


GRahame

[Reddi-Eng]

You all probably know this but the following is a good source of many of the bits we all need..

http://www.nfauto.co.uk/download/catalogue.pdf

another site for door fixings like the Fir trees mention previously is

http://www.bresco.com/acatalog/BrescoCatalogue.pdf

Any more others members use for future reference?

Oh the joys of a wet Good Friday