Roberts recommends using the...
Roberts recommends using the RodDoors shipping carton to make your door-panel templates. He cut one side out of the box, held it up to the door, marked the perimeter of the panel, and cut it out with a utility knife. This particular roadster has hidden hinges, so a modification will be made to allow for hinge clearance on the panels. Roberts marked the cardboard a bit wider than the width of the hinges and marked and cut the holes for the inside door handles. Be sure to mark and cut holes in the template for speakers, window cranks, and other extra items before making modifications to the RodDoors panels. Roberts recommends allowing 1/8 to 1/4 inch of extra space around the perimeter for upholstery thickness.
Roberts cut the slots for...
Roberts cut the slots for hinge clearance, then test-fit the panel to be sure everything lined up properly. Dont forget to test-fit the template with the door closed to be sure youll have adequate clearance between the doorjamb and the panel.
After triple-checking the...
After triple-checking the fit, Roberts transferred the pattern from the template to the new panels. He used white tape to indicate the cuts for the hinges. The process of cutting the panels is simple; once marked, the panels can be scored with a utility knife and snapped using the same technique performed on glass. The plastic is pliable enough that, with care, short cuts can be snapped without running across the entire panel.
Foam tape was then applied...
Foam tape was then applied around the perimeter of the panels. This sets the panels away from the door a bit and gives you a recessed area to allow for multiple layers of upholstery material without lifting the panel from the door. This will enable you to fold the covering material in the corners and make flat-mounting much easier. The RodDoors kit also includes a Dualloc mounting system. Dualloc works much like Velcro. Stick one half of the Dualloc to the back of the panel with the other half still attached, peel the backing from the other half, then press the panel to the door. Roberts opted to use steel clips for this install.
Properly locating and securing...
Properly locating and securing the panels to the doors is critical. RodDoors also supplies ABS mounting tabs with each kit, but youll have to hunt down the clips yourself. Dont fret; theyre readily available from upholstery-supply and even paint-supply houses. Theyre made by Au-Ve-Co Products and are commonly known as Christmas trees or Chrysler clips. Au-Ve-Co makes a complete line of automotive fastener clips, from door-panel clips to body side-molding clips. Roberts glued mounting tabs every 3 to 4 inches around the perimeter of the panel just inside the foam tape line. Be sure that each tab corresponds to a flat surface on the door, which will be drilled in a following step. Roberts usesand recommendsABS cement, which is available at your local hardware store or home-improvement center.
Roberts drilled through the...
Roberts drilled through the tabs and the panel from the backside of the panel. Using a 1/8-inch bit, the holes were drilled 1/2 inch from the edge of each tab, which corresponds to the mounted dimension of the clips.
With a helper holding the...
With a helper holding the panel in place, Roberts drilled through the just-drilled holes in the panel all the way through the inner doorskin using the 1/8-inch bit. Once all of the mounting holes are drilled, Roberts removed the panel and enlarged the holes in the door to 1/4-inch diameter.
Roberts wanted the hinge covers...
Roberts wanted the hinge covers to flow with the design on the panel, so he added a piece of scrap to the top of the hinge cover. He also added wedges at the sides of the cut to hold the hinge cover at the proper height. Once the pieces are glued into place, Roberts gave the glue ample time to dry, according to the instructions on the jar.
Roberts wanted the hinge covers...
Roberts wanted the hinge covers to flow nicely, so he mixed up a batch of mud and coated the covers to help round the edges of his custom work. Once the mixture cured, Roberts block-sanded the panel to his preferred shape. The ABS panel takes the plastic filler well and the ABS glue, once properly cured, is also sandable, making it easy to shape the panel to your specifications.
Once satisfied with the fit...
Once satisfied with the fit and finish of the bare panel, Roberts cut a piece of vinyl to fit, leaving a couple of inches in excess material around the perimeter. He laid the material over the panel, then peeled back each half and sprayed upholstery glue to the panel to secure the material. Check your local upholstery-supply house for spray glue. Most will have the good stuff available in a spray bomb, but in a pinch, 3Ms Super 77 should work fine. Just be sure to coat both surfaces.
With half of the panel glued,...
With half of the panel glued, Roberts went about adhering the vinyl to the panel. Work into the crevices to ensure total adhesion. Most upholstery material is flexible enough to allow a three-dimensional panel to be glued without wrinkles or stretch marks. Be sure that the entire panel is coated with glue before you start pressing it down. Loose sections will eventually sag and bubble.
Once the front of the panel...
Once the front of the panel was secured, Roberts moved to the back. He trimmed the excess material, leaving himself about an inch of overlap before spraying glue around the perimeter. The straight edges are pretty easy to glue down while the corners and curves need more attention. Its smart to start in one spot and move around the edge, gluing as you go to avoid the bunching thats bound to happen if you skip around.
Corners are handled by cutting...
Corners are handled by cutting slots in the material to help it conform to the curves. On outside corners, it may be necessary to cut a V in the material to avoid wrinkles. Be sure to stop the cut before the edge of the panel so the cuts dont show from the front.
These are the clips mentioned...
These are the clips mentioned in Step Five. They simply slip into the tabs and are aligned with the holes drilled in Step Six. Once all of the clips are in place, the panel is ready to be installed. The beauty of these clips is that they will allow the panel to be removed and reinstalled without causing damage to the clips, panels, or doors.
Heres the completed...
Heres the completed panel. This car obviously has kick-panel inserts as well as rear panels; all are available from RodDoors.
Door panels can be a real pain to build when you consider the types of materials available in sheet form. Most factory cardboard panels have long since rotted away or are warped beyond recognitionor are nonexistent in the case of a 30s or 40s car. Sometimes the only option is sheetmetal or more cardboard, so the choices come down to extra heavy or extra flimsy. RodDoors has come up with the perfect solution. Its ABS plastic door panels are not only light and rigid, theyre flexible and easily modified as well.
The panels are 0.125-inch thick and come plain or preformed with three-dimensional designsand RodDoors also offers thin sheet-foam that comes in precut designs or can be easily cut by you for custom 3-D effects. Each kit includes two panels, Dualloc installation tape, edge tape, tabs, and a detailed instruction manual.
RodDoors manufactures tons of designs for specific year, make, and model applications and can supply precut or do-it-yourself panels for almost any project. Its product line also includes firewall-insulating covers, rear cab covers for trucks, underdash covers, modular armrests, speaker pods, and various consoles and gauge pods for a complete interior system.
We had one of the owners of RodDoors, Blaine Roberts, demonstrate how easy it is to make custom panels for a Deuce roadster. Follow along as Roberts shows us the steps.