I've been slowly getting my coupe ready for interior. Just finished up the wood and now it's time for panels. I don't plan on having the panels covered for a while, but I would like to get them cut. My question is, what kind of material do you suggest making the panels from. ABS, wood, masonite, what have you used successfully? Feel free to chime in Mr. Fatlucky.
I used 1/8" masonite for the panels in the roadster and the coupe. Has worked fine. I drove the roadster for a couple of years with just the bare masonite. I kinda liked it. You can countersink the areas around the panel clips so they don't stick up. The masonite has held up well. I can get the panels off and they don't tear. The cardboard did not inspire me and the plywood seemed too hard to bend.
Andy, I was figuring that masonite or ABS would be the way to go. I've used that "waterproof" interior board before and it always ends up warping. I like the masonite idea, cheap, easy to cut and easy to bend. Must hold up well, you drive the hell out of your roadster. That's what Marko used too.
None of the local building supply places here had MDF thinner than 1 inch so I had to use 1/8 masonite too. I bought a couple of 4x8 sheets of bathroom paneling. Guaranteed to be waterproof and only $9 each
[ QUOTE ] so I had to use 1/8 masonite too. I bought a couple of 4x8 sheets of bathroom paneling. Guaranteed to be waterproof and only $9 each [/ QUOTE ] It never hurts to get a liquid sealer and apply it as well.
'scuse my limey ignorance, but what exactly is 'masonite'? Any ideas what it might be known as over this side of the pond? I will hopefully be into some sort of interior trim on my Morris in the next few months, door cards, maybe roof panel etc
God Morrisman, I should know this, but I've forgotten. It's that brown fiberboard stuff made from highly compacted fibers. It's very dense. It's used as drawer bottoms and wardrobe backs. I'm pretty sure Anglias and stuff had them as door panels.
I will take some pictures if it ever quits raining. The back of the seat is a piece of plywood. It has sides on it so the seat does not curve to the back but curves to the front. Kind of a semi bucket seat on the sides. I really like it. The plywood top also has an attached lip that is attached to the 32 tack rail. The top of the seat wraps around this. The screws that attach it come up from the bottom so I can take the whole thing out if needed.
Crease. Why don't you just glue nalgahide(sp) to the inside of your sheet metal and pad the posts? and yes I am a perfictionist, thats why my car is taking so long. I've riped one section of cowl modification six times and now i"ve lost the piece and I have the doors torn apart and spread all over the shop. Thanks for asking Pogo
Thanks for all the info guys. Al, Eventually, I am hoping to have Fatluckys cover the panels in white with black piping. That's why I want to make sure that they come out really nice. That dude does some phenomenal work.
I have been using ABS foam board. waterproof, takes paint well, you can curve it around a corner and set it with a heat gun, cuts with scissors, and if needed, you can bend it in a sheet metal brake for corners. you can even sew through it with a good machine.
Enjenjo, Can ya give me some more info? Im familiar with ABS and I am familiar with foam, but never heard of that stuff. What is this material typically used for? Where might I find some? Where do babies come from?
Yeah - - I'd like to know about that stuff. I'm about ready to do the doors in mine and something waterproof sounds like a winning deal - - since it'll take another year to get around to having windows....
I used the masonite (I believe that is what it was) in my wagon but it does not seem to bend easily. So what do you use in the corners. I am at the point on my sedan to start building panels but the rear corners have me baffled. How about posting some pics of what you guys have done...
Morrisman,I Googled Masonite+Great Britain and cam up with listings for Masonite doors and clipboards-so somebody must call it that over there. You might also look for 'Hardboard". We're talking about stuff that comes in 4'x8' sheets. Over here, you can get it unfinished,but very smooth on one side,or finished with some sort of pressed in oil finish. I've seen 1/8" and 1/4" thick panels. We also get it as pegboard-lots of evenly spaced holes you hang tool holders in. It's used for lots of drawer backs and cabinet backs in really cheap furniture. Here's a site that might help: http://www.masonite-europe.com/
Hey Boones, This old posts showing up 2 years later stuff is scary! Anyway, I cheated in the corners of my 33 coupe. The transition from the roof to the package shelf is actually a black material that looks like poster board, but it's thicker and water proof. You should be able to get it at any interior shop. I made relief cuts along the edges so that it could be pressed into the corners. Doesn't give a true radius, but looks pretty darn good. My masonite has been in for about a year with no problems. I have found that the 3M 77(?) doesn't always work really well with it, but the maonite is holding up great. If my camera wasn't lost I would take some pictures.
If the radius isn't too tight, you can also use a bendable plywood called "wiggle board". It is about 3/8 of an inch thick and might come in a thinner size too. Good luck with this.
The plastic stuff is available at most sign shops, it's basically 1/8 inch pvc. Goes by different brand names. You can really manipulate it with a heat gun to do some neat stuff.
The Jalopy Journal
