chevynut
01-04-2014, 07:26 PM
I've been working a lot on the design, and now the construction of my custom door panels. I have been thinking about them for months, and finally came up with a design a while ago. Since then, I have been working on determining the process to build them. I went down to Denver before Christmas and discussed it with my upholstery guy, and we came up with a plan. He showed me some tricks he uses, and told me what was critical to make sure he can complete his work later. I am using an aluminum sheet, and will build the door panel shape using foam and fiberglass. Here's the cardboard panels he made for my doors a while ago, before I set the new course. Tey made for a good pattern to make the aluminum ones:
2832
The first thing I learned is that the tri5 doors are a lot more complicated in shape on the inside than they look. First I discovered that they're not flat ...nowhere near flat. Trying to make a piece of aluminum fit the door has been a challenge. There are all sorts of curves, and reverse curves. I have to get the panel to within 1/16" of the door at the edges so I've been doing a lot of shrinking and stretching and I'm really close. I just started on the passenger side tonight, after finalizing the design on the driver's side.
I'm using aluminum because I need to screw and weld parts onto the door panel. My upholstery guy usually uses waterproof cardboard, so I am using the ones he cut out as patterns to make the aluminum panels, but slightly oversized so they can be trimmed later. I don't think cardboard would have worked out very well for what I'm trying to do. Perhaps ABS sheet would have worked, but I didn't know where to get it locally and aluminum was the obvious alternative. I'm using .063" sheet, which may be overkill. ABS would have been 1/8", same as the cardboard.
2833
I thought I had a final component layout a couple days ago and when I put the panel in the car for a trial fit, I realized the inside surface of the door slopes over 10 degrees, with the top being way inboard. You wouldn't guess that looking at the car and I hadn't considered what this would do to my design. This affects the angle of the armrest, and everything has to be adjusted to compensate for it. I have already made the rear armrests, so I have to make the front ones match their height. I went out and looked at my other 56, and the armrests are not square to the interior door surface. So I had to move some parts around slightly and weld up some small holes. I think I have tweaked the design enough that I can get into more serious construction.
The only thing I'm not 100% sure of right now is where the inside door handle will go. I have two locations, and the location determines what kind I use. I have considered using a billet one, and I have an OEM one that I'm trying to fit as well. Either one will be cable-operated, so I have to make provisions to run a cable through the panel and to the door latch at the back of the door. I will also have a 6.5" speaker, a grab handle, and a courtesy light. I may install a "cup" on the armrest but I think it would be redundant with the grab handle. I am installing motorized vent windows, but I don't know where I'm going to put the switches. I don't think I want them on the door. The side window switches will be on the console.
I was going to use some foamboard and glue it to the aluminum panel, but I think it would be a PITA with all the curves and might not even work. So I bought some "pour foam" which is a 2-part urethane foam you mix and pour. It expand 30 times it's volume in a few seconds after mixing and the stuff I got is 2 lb/cubic foot. It works with polyester resin, unlike some other foams. I plan to build a dam around the area I want to foam, and pour it in. Once it cures, I can remove the dam and shape the foam. Two gallons of this mixture will fill a 55-gallon barrel!! :-)
http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mmtJOip3YELXPFHrWUue_qw.jpg
I also got some 1.5 oz chopped strand fiberglass mat to put over the foam when I get it properly shaped. I think I will add a layer of cloth as well, to smooth it all out and add some strength. I'm shooting for 3/32" to 1/8" of fiberglass, overall, and I've been told that two layers of mat will just about get me there.
http://i13.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/a0/89/123d_1.JPG
Oh yeah, I'm going to remove the doors and build the panels while they're on the door, to make sure they stay the proper shape. The panel clips will be buried under the foam, so they have to go in first. I have the holes drilled for the clips on the driver's side. I figure I'll have to remove the panel a couple of times at least during construction, so we're using metal clips.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR6SVpW1alqRIH2qkgBtly4ZDDdyFDm0 XXsFDENZIoBDnKXLwwW
We're building the door panels in "modules" so two of the pieces will be covered with leather and then attached to the panel. That's how OEMs do many door panels these days. Most of the door panel can be covered with leather before the modules are attached.
I am installing 6.5" Polk Audio component speakers in the doors, and Polk Audio tweeters in the headliner along with 6x9 Polk Audio 3-way speakers in the rear, on top of the "package tray" I built behind the Nomad rear seat. I haven't decided if I'm going to use an amp or not, and I just may add if later if I feel like it. Not sure about a sub either.
http://a248.e.akamai.net/pix.crutchfield.com/ImageHandler/fixedscale/400/300/products/2013/23/107/x107DXi6501-F.jpg
The tricky part is going to be clearancing everything. I need to sculpt the foam so I have room to add the fiberglass thickness, and the finished gap between sections needs to be .110" per my upholstery guy. He's really picky, but I like that. I will add fiberglass to make a slightly narrower gap, then sand it to final size. The fiberglass thickness will also affect the exact location of other components on the door. I think I'll spray the panels with Slicksand and epoxy when the fiberglassing is finished, to prepare it for the leather upholstery. The foam will stay in place.
I may post some pics later, when I get more done. ;-)
2832
The first thing I learned is that the tri5 doors are a lot more complicated in shape on the inside than they look. First I discovered that they're not flat ...nowhere near flat. Trying to make a piece of aluminum fit the door has been a challenge. There are all sorts of curves, and reverse curves. I have to get the panel to within 1/16" of the door at the edges so I've been doing a lot of shrinking and stretching and I'm really close. I just started on the passenger side tonight, after finalizing the design on the driver's side.
I'm using aluminum because I need to screw and weld parts onto the door panel. My upholstery guy usually uses waterproof cardboard, so I am using the ones he cut out as patterns to make the aluminum panels, but slightly oversized so they can be trimmed later. I don't think cardboard would have worked out very well for what I'm trying to do. Perhaps ABS sheet would have worked, but I didn't know where to get it locally and aluminum was the obvious alternative. I'm using .063" sheet, which may be overkill. ABS would have been 1/8", same as the cardboard.
2833
I thought I had a final component layout a couple days ago and when I put the panel in the car for a trial fit, I realized the inside surface of the door slopes over 10 degrees, with the top being way inboard. You wouldn't guess that looking at the car and I hadn't considered what this would do to my design. This affects the angle of the armrest, and everything has to be adjusted to compensate for it. I have already made the rear armrests, so I have to make the front ones match their height. I went out and looked at my other 56, and the armrests are not square to the interior door surface. So I had to move some parts around slightly and weld up some small holes. I think I have tweaked the design enough that I can get into more serious construction.
The only thing I'm not 100% sure of right now is where the inside door handle will go. I have two locations, and the location determines what kind I use. I have considered using a billet one, and I have an OEM one that I'm trying to fit as well. Either one will be cable-operated, so I have to make provisions to run a cable through the panel and to the door latch at the back of the door. I will also have a 6.5" speaker, a grab handle, and a courtesy light. I may install a "cup" on the armrest but I think it would be redundant with the grab handle. I am installing motorized vent windows, but I don't know where I'm going to put the switches. I don't think I want them on the door. The side window switches will be on the console.
I was going to use some foamboard and glue it to the aluminum panel, but I think it would be a PITA with all the curves and might not even work. So I bought some "pour foam" which is a 2-part urethane foam you mix and pour. It expand 30 times it's volume in a few seconds after mixing and the stuff I got is 2 lb/cubic foot. It works with polyester resin, unlike some other foams. I plan to build a dam around the area I want to foam, and pour it in. Once it cures, I can remove the dam and shape the foam. Two gallons of this mixture will fill a 55-gallon barrel!! :-)
http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mmtJOip3YELXPFHrWUue_qw.jpg
I also got some 1.5 oz chopped strand fiberglass mat to put over the foam when I get it properly shaped. I think I will add a layer of cloth as well, to smooth it all out and add some strength. I'm shooting for 3/32" to 1/8" of fiberglass, overall, and I've been told that two layers of mat will just about get me there.
http://i13.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/a0/89/123d_1.JPG
Oh yeah, I'm going to remove the doors and build the panels while they're on the door, to make sure they stay the proper shape. The panel clips will be buried under the foam, so they have to go in first. I have the holes drilled for the clips on the driver's side. I figure I'll have to remove the panel a couple of times at least during construction, so we're using metal clips.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR6SVpW1alqRIH2qkgBtly4ZDDdyFDm0 XXsFDENZIoBDnKXLwwW
We're building the door panels in "modules" so two of the pieces will be covered with leather and then attached to the panel. That's how OEMs do many door panels these days. Most of the door panel can be covered with leather before the modules are attached.
I am installing 6.5" Polk Audio component speakers in the doors, and Polk Audio tweeters in the headliner along with 6x9 Polk Audio 3-way speakers in the rear, on top of the "package tray" I built behind the Nomad rear seat. I haven't decided if I'm going to use an amp or not, and I just may add if later if I feel like it. Not sure about a sub either.
http://a248.e.akamai.net/pix.crutchfield.com/ImageHandler/fixedscale/400/300/products/2013/23/107/x107DXi6501-F.jpg
The tricky part is going to be clearancing everything. I need to sculpt the foam so I have room to add the fiberglass thickness, and the finished gap between sections needs to be .110" per my upholstery guy. He's really picky, but I like that. I will add fiberglass to make a slightly narrower gap, then sand it to final size. The fiberglass thickness will also affect the exact location of other components on the door. I think I'll spray the panels with Slicksand and epoxy when the fiberglassing is finished, to prepare it for the leather upholstery. The foam will stay in place.
I may post some pics later, when I get more done. ;-)