52 pickup door panel (interior)

[oldman3]

This will show how I do some door panels. This one is again a no sew, it is all done with glue and staples. I will take you through the entire build. First I will show you the materials I used. I started this panel back on April 1st for a friend, took this pic the other day. This door panel will be made to match a pleat design in his seats. It should be noted that the pics show it took a little over a month to finish the job, it was actually 8 days work, with life getting in the way the rest

[mongocanfly]

ill be watching

[oldman3]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

ill be watching

Hey Greg, just getting started will take a few days. Will post a link for the other guys later..Jim

[oldman3]

I normally use 1/8" lauan to make my panels. Ed could get only 3/16" so this makes it a little harder to bend the way I want, but still doable. (forget to mention that the panels were made out of one sheet of 4'X8' lauan sheet)

Pic 1. I have already cut the lauan to fit the door, and drew up how the panel should look. I had placed the arm rest shere Ed wanted, drew the outline, then I put dots where I wanted to drill holes for mounting of arm rest.

Pic 2. Taped arm in place on panel.

Pic 3. Drilled back thru holes to mark arm rest.

Pic 4. I then followed instructions for arm rest. Drilled holes out to 3/8" so I could install inserts.

Pic 5. View from back side.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 View from back side of panel with screws installed to hold arm rest.

Pic 2 Arm rest attached to door.

Pic 3 Started cutting 2" wide stripes to make up pleats, total of 28. I know they look short, but they're not.

[oldman3]

The next 3 pics are showing the arch I made to match the arch of the arm rest.

First pic is bad, but the next two shows what I did.

After looking at the dates on the pics, I should tell you that I have other things going on, and I work on the panel when I have time (plus I'm and old fart).

[oldman3]

Pic 1 Another bad pic, I took some printer paper and traced out the design of the arch. I then placed all the 2" pleats in place and traced the shape for each and also numbered.

Pic 2 Better pic showing the same thing.

Pic 3 Now I've taken the paper and laid on left over from the 4'x8' sheet to make up the upper panel.

Pic 4 Here is the upper panel to show how it will lay on the bottom panel.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 I've removed the upper panel and getting ready to glue pleats in place.

Pic 2 Laid pleats to double check.

Pic 3 Here I've sprayed glue on panel and on the pleats. I only do about 4 or 5 at a time.

Pic 4 This is the glue to use if you don't have a spray gun to use other glue.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 Here all the pleats have been glued to the panel.

Pic 2 Here is the back side of the panel where I've staped each pleat to the panel, just to make sure nothing comes apart.

Pic 3 I just laid the upper and lower panel to give you the ideal of how it will look.

[oldman3]

Have to go thru the pics and write what I want to say for each, so I've be back later...Jim

[mongocanfly]

I take it you bought the armrest...care to share where they can be had...still gonna be awhile before I need stuff like this for my AD ...but all good info...

[oldman3]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

I take it you bought the armrest...care to share where they can be had...still gonna be awhile before I need stuff like this for my AD ...but all good info...

I think Ed got them from the company that bought out Rod doors. Maybe Chevy's of the 40's...Jim

[oldman3]

Pic 1. This is the passenger panel, ran short on lauan, but had some old stuff in the basement to use. Just a different type of wood, light is birch, dark is walnut. Again about a week has gone bye.

Pic 2. I've cut material to fit all the panels. Take you time and measure twice or more before cutting, if you only have a small amount of material. On the pleated part, make sure to have extra length to go into the pleat, plus normal length.

Pic 3 Top section cut

Pic 4 Bottom section and for arm rest.

All of this was cut from 1 yd of material for each panel, 36" X 54"

[b-mac]

Subscribed

[oldman3]

Pic 1 I start out doing about 4 pleats at a time. Spray the panel, then the material, use a brush to get in the pleat. Let everything set for about 5 minutes to tach up. Start smoothing the material on the flat surface, then feed material into low spots. I'm sorry I got ahead of myself and forgot pics of how to do this, but I show it on the drivers panel later.

Pic 2 Here is the first 4 pleats, that have been pressed into the low spot with bondo spreader or screen door roller. Continue doing about 4 or 5 pleats till finished.

Pic 3 Then glue to back side and staple down.

Pic 4 Remove extra material.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 This is the bottom section, I've stapled material at bottom of pleats. Again I forgot pics showing glueing bottom lauan section then glueing the material to it. It's the same for the top section, which I did take pics. When your doing this work you forget that you need to take pics, just get caught up in the glueing etc.

Pic 2 How the bottom section came out.

[oldman3]

Originally Posted by b-mac

Subscribed

Thanks b-mac

Well it's late, will post more tomorrow...Jim

[8man]

Those turned out great, very nice work.

[oldman3]

Originally Posted by 8man

Those turned out great, very nice work.

Thanks...Jim

[oldman3]

Ok, back to finish up this panel. This is the same way the bottom panel went together.

Pic 1 Stapled material at top of pleats, and sprayed glue on main panel.

Pic 2 Sprayed glue on top panel.

Pic 3 Glued two panels together, then stapled to hold together.

Pic 4 Glued material and panel together, and smooth out.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 I've worked the material down in the panel and cut off excess material.

Pic 2 I cut and fold over material, so it's not to bulky.

Pic 3 Again fold over material, and staple.

Pic 4 Cut off excess material.

Pic 5 Here's the finished panel, need to cover the arm rest.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 Showing glue on arm rest and material.

Pic 2 Folded over and glued down rest of way around. This is the hardest part of this job. Can't staple down, only glue holding everything. Hard to work out wrinkles, I'm not happy with the arm rest, but no left over material to try again.

Pic 3 Complete door panel.

[oldman3]

OK, this time I'm putting material on the drivers door panel. I did remember to take a few shots of how I do things.

Pic 1 This is the tucking of material into the pleat, that I didn't show in post #15.

Pic 2 Then you turn over material and roll it down tight in the pleat. Continue until you reach the edge.

Pic 3 Glue down material on back side, and staple

Pic 4 Cut off excess material.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 This is the excess material at top of the panel.

Pic 2 Cut off most of the excess, but leave about 1".

Pic 3 Top section of material layed over the excess and stapled in place.

Pic 4 This is how it will look, when turned over.

[oldman3]

Pic 1 Turn material back over, spray glue on top section of panel.

Pic 2 Spray glue on main panel, let set for about 5 minutes.

Pic 3 Make sure to butt the top section against the pleats, and glue panels together and staple.

Pic 4 Here I've sprayed half the top section and half the material. Makes it easier to smooth out the material and no wrinkles.

Pic 5 This shows entire top section smoothed out. Now you can roll over the edge, staped, and remove excess material, as shown on passenger panel.