Tech 1950 Ford Door Panel

I decided to do my door panel today. I am pretty happy with how it turned out since this was my first time. Here's how I did it!

Here's what it looked like to start with. Does anyone know why it had plastic over the whole thing?


First I stripped of all the old panelling


I was very careful when I took the panel apart because I wanted to retain the original design.


I am cutting out a piece of the underlayment that the fabric attaches to after I transferred my pattern to it. I am using foam project board. The underlayment is used to help keep the shape of the pattern.


I used 3M Super 77 spray adhesive to attach quilting batting to my underlayment. I decided to use batting to make the doors more "plush"


Here I am attaching the underlayment to the batting.


After attaching the the batting I cut of the excess material. I then sprayed the batting with Super 77 to attach the fabric


I'm attaching the fabric to the just sprayed batting.


Check to make sure the pattern is straight. Mine was a little off but I caught it before the glue dried.


Here I am tracing the old wood panel onto new particle board.


Cutting out the new panel.


Back to the underlayment, I'm getting the second piece ready to go.


Forgot to take some pictures, so there is a bit of a jump. All I did from the last step was finish the second pattern section like I did the first and attached it to the particle board. I attached the pattern by using the Super 77 and staples on the back side. In the step shown i am attaching piping to give contrast between the two fabrics.


Almost done! I just need to finish stapling down the excess fabric. I reused the original chrome trim piece. If anyone has the drivers side chrome please let me know because I need it ^_^


All done. Here it is mocked up with the door handle, arm rest, and window crank.

 

hey great post SweetPea!! The panel looks GREAT! Wish You were My neighbor. Im ready to get started on My shoebox interior soon. FEDER

 

very nice !

 

my mother and i took the same approach in the summer...

 

Great tech pictures, I will be able to use this on my next project.

 

A chick who loves hot rods? And and can work on them? And does a TECH article after only 10 posts? AWESOME!

 

Great job! Wonderfully informative tech post with lots of photos and step by step details. Thanks for posting!

 

Thanks, this post will help me. Did you just use the foam board for a pattern or is the fabric attached to it for the insert? Sorry to be a dolt but I don't have any sewing background so some of the terms are foreign.
Great post!

 

awesome job! i used the same leopard fabric on my interior, cept i used the stock panels and painted em with vinyl paint and stapled the inserts on.
creepy

 

Congratulations! That's a great looking door panel!

 

nice work! what did you use for your "underlayment"? it looks like foam core. What kind of paneling did you use? Is it regular wood paneling like you'd use in a house? Don't forget to put some plastic sheeting between the door and you panel or it will get damaged from water

 

Thanks for all the great comments. It is foam board that I used for the underlayment. I copied my pattern onto the board then cut it out, put on the batting, then my fabric over the top. I am glad that this post was helpful!

 

Thanks for the tech..this will help on my project.

Let me see if I follow the steps: Foam core, batting, fabric. Then that is attached to the paneling? What thickness of paneling? How do you attach the foam, batting and fabric to the paneling? Is the batting cut the same size as the foam? Is the fabric rolled under at the edges of the foam or does it roll over the paneling on the edge?

 

Ditto again on that.

It also probably had plastic on the outside to keep it looking nice, just like grandma's plastic covered couch.

 

great tech. glad to see you aren`t waiting years to post like some.

gary

 

Greatjob Sweetpea! You ve inspired me to do mine on my 62 Ford.Thanks Mike

 

What about that pie on the stove? MMmmmmmmmmmmmm P I E !
how did you do all that work and not eat the pie? I would have been dying for a coffee and chunk of Pie
FRITZ

 

Awesome job! I have a fifty and am about to do my panels as well, thanks for all the photos.

 

Ohh it was good pie. Good pie indeed.

Primo

 

Thanks for the advice on the plastic between the panel and door. That is one of the small steps I would have over looked ^_^

 

Nice Tech! I've got that same leopard patterned material in blue all over my '54 Chevy seats. Got it from Wal-Mart a while back along with some white gremlin fur. It's just d****d on them until I get around to making a "real" interior.