I'm not an upholstry guy but, I got a bunch of info from another board and made some PVC door panels for the coupe. It worked out great. My interior is the last thing to get done if ever but, I didn't want the inner doors bare. If anybody is interested I'll do a post about building them. I like this Hokey *** place and all of the ideas,info, and hokey **** on here. If I can p*** on what has worked for me and somebody add to it that would great. Let me know if youre interested and over the weekend I can do a post. Take care,Smokey
Don't mean to jack your thread but everyone want's pictures and I got pictures. Been using PVC and ABS for years, great stuff especially in roadsters. Works really good for rear quarters, install, warm with heat gun and let it cool. Holds its shape for easy covering. The PVC is also known as KOMATEX. Comes in colors to. A lot of sign shops use it. Hope this helps. Thanks, Roy.
Apparently the stuff is also known as Sintra? I would have understood Sintra, had to Google Komatex Lots of places sell it online, including: http://www.rplastics.com/komatex.html And: http://www.professionalplastics.com.../sesent/00/Komatex-®--Expanded-PVC-Sheet HTH, Tim D.
Hey nsideman, You are not hijackin the tread. Anything that anybody can add just helps us all. Thanks... The stuff that I used is Sintra brand closed cell PVC. $40 for a 4'x8' sheet. It is used in the sign making industry. I got it from a local plastic supply house. It's 2mm thick(.078")and cuts with a utlity or x-acto knife. Use two layers of it. The first layer holds the panel clips and the top layer gets glued over top of it to hide the clips. I'll be back later. I gotta go shovel some of this sleet/ snow **** that we got... I gotta check out the jb weld deal. I don't know what that is about. I type slow and it takes me a while to do this stuff...
I made my door panels out of it a couple years. My wife runs a convience store and brought home 2 HUGE sheets that were pop and cig signs. Looks like couragated cardboard but its plastic. Cut it with a utility knife and use some super trim spray glue to hold the vinyl on. Soo cheap and easy, plus its weather-proof.
I used it in my roadster, easy to gut with a jig saw. Also can be formed with a heat gun and super glue works on it too. I got the panels at the local upholstry supply store.
Jesus, where was this post 3 years ago when I was forming all my compound curve interior panels out of lath, chicken wire, and fibergl***??????
I use the abs like the rod doors stuff. I can buy it here in town and go thru my work i get a real good price. Its ***s.. It too can be heated and formed and glued . I cut my panels with a saber saw but you have to go slow or it heats up and melts back together. I just find it easier to control my cuts with the saw. Dave
Wow - what a great thread. Keep it going - the more the merrier. My interior skills end at swapping good parts from donor cars so far, and that really needs to change.
Here is a description of the Sintra 2mm PVC door panel job. No pics yet. I gotta get the picture resizin' stuff figured out yet. Tape clear plastic (the cheap drop cloth stuff) to the door to use as pattern. You can see through it to mark the holes and trace door outline with a Sharpie.(magic marker) Cut handle holes big and make "+" lines (like cross hairs) for their centers. Cut out the outer size. Tape the pattern onto the panel. Trace outline with pencil or greasepen. Poke through the pattern into the PVC with a scribe or an awl in center of panel clip holes. Cut out panel. Don't worry about finishin' up the outside edges yet. Mark and drill the holes. Drill a scap piece to see how the stuff drills. A Unibit works good but,back the board up while drillin' so the backside doesn't break away from drillin'. Remember that if you're usin' offset panel clips to move your holes to be drilled the amout that the clip needs.( I drilled 7/16'' holes offset 5/8" for the clips that I used). Put a few clips in and stick it on the door for a test fit. Now finish up the outside of the panel allowin' for your cover material thickness. A cheese grader type file takes off material pretty quick followed up with sanding block. Now the clip panel is done. Flip it upside down and trace the outside and clip holes onto what will be the outer panel. Cut the outer panel to match or cut it a little big and trim it after it's glued onto clip panel. (I cut it big and trimmed it and put handle holes in later.) DON'T drill holes for the clips into the second panel. The clip holes go into the first panel only. Now they get glued together. I used 3M #08090 Super trim adhesive spray( 24oz can) From what I understand it can take the heat better than 3M 77. What ever glue is used you want to let the clips float a little bit. If the panels are glued tight at the clip holes they won't move and you won't be able to put them in and out. (I put masking tape at clip areas of both panels before the glue was sprayed) That is why the clip holes got transfered to the second panel. That glue is a contact cement. Once the panels touched together they will not come apart or slide around. That's why I put the handle holes and trimmed the outside of the second panel after they were together. One door is done. Clean the Sharpie from the pattern. Flip it over and use it for the second door. I hope this helps somebody out and please add any other thoughts or ideas. Have fun,Smokey
OK, I think I'm gettin'this picture resizin' stuff. Pic 1: Door panel. It's a '34 Ford 5window with '38 Ford deluxe garnishes. Pic 2: Pattern. Clear plastic (Home Cheapo drop cloth) Pic 3. The board that was used to back up drillin', Offset clips that get the holes away from the panel edge. Other stuff
A little more on PVC. I will try to post a tech but might not make it for tech week. I had a fire just over a year ago and lost a lot of pictures on my hard drive. I am currently working on a 57 Chevy that I will be using it in. I will post pictures as I go. The PVC that looks like cardboard is not the same. That is just signboard. Komatex or Sintra is much stronger and forms well with heat. As for ABS, cutting it with a band saw works great, but if you score a line with a carpet knife and bend it, it snaps right of at your score line. No melting or h***le. And amazingly you can snap corners with the stuff. Promise I will do a tech soon. Roy. 1/8" Komatex used for rear window and quarter panels. Close up of panels being fitted prior to covering. The Clecos will be removed and a plastic Christmas tree clip will be installed from the back side. They hold in the wood on gl*** cars and old Chevy's.
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