door card material?

[swisherred]

I'm looking for a place that sells waterproof panel board so I can make new door panels. Apparently everyone is switching to Aluminum, ABS or luan...none of which I really feel comfortable with using given how these are constructed. Id prefer a place in or near Winston Salem, NC that sells it....online prices are decent, but shipping is more than the boards.

unless anyone has decent experience using another material and attaching the upper steel structure..

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Try Restoration Specialties and Supply.

 

[Big_John]

This is what I used.
Panel Board-Waterproof-Kraft Tan for Auto Upholstery

And if this is any help: Door Panel repair

 

[CBODY67]

I'd check with the local auto upholstery shops. In another thread in another forum about 20 years ago, a poster found some in stock via a trim shop in San Antonio, for reference.

Remember, too, that BEHIND the trim panels should be a sheet of clear plastic as a "water shield". Small slits/holes for the various linkages in it, too. Usually held to the door frame with tape, or in my case, black silicone adhesive from a tube. GM used a black-coated paper which disintegrated with age, by observation. Chrysler's clear plastic held up MUCH better! Replacement plastic can probably be found at the home improvement stores. Or even upgrade to a thin sheet of insulation/sound absorber instead? Like some of the underlayment for the snap-together hard wood floor planks, some with a vapor barrier metallic side.

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67

 

[david hill]

Menard board that is the correct thickness that you need. The price is right too.

 

[swisherred]

I have already replaced all the old vapor barriers...they were literally dust in the floor pans...sealed with 1/8"x 3/4" butyl tape. taped with aluminum tape at the bottom with the plastic slipped in the slot. water tested and passed. new cat whiskers are in all around..I have all the water leaks fixed except one in the cowl intake gasket which I have...just haven't replaced yet. I need to replace the intake itself because its warped. SO....I'm on the door panels next. I just dont feel like paying $30 for boards and then $45 in shipping to get them. I will see if I can find a local shop...I dont know what Menard board is but i will look into that. I just know the metal tabs have to be pressed into the board at the top and I dont think ABS would work well for that...unless someone has another trick to getting them pressed in??

 

[65sporty]

You mentioned Luan and didn't want to use it. In my experience it will warp easily if exposed to any moisture.

 

[david hill]

I have already replaced all the old vapor barriers...they were literally dust in the floor pans...sealed with 1/8"x 3/4" butyl tape. taped with aluminum tape at the bottom with the plastic slipped in the slot. water tested and passed. new cat whiskers are in all around..I have all the water leaks fixed except one in the cowl intake gasket which I have...just haven't replaced yet. I need to replace the intake itself because its warped. SO....I'm on the door panels next. I just dont feel like paying $30 for boards and then $45 in shipping to get them. I will see if I can find a local shop...I dont know what Menard board is but i will look into that. I just know the metal tabs have to be pressed into the board at the top and I dont think ABS would work well for that...unless someone has another trick to getting them pressed in??

My bad, spell check got me. Menard's wall board is what it should have said. Will PM you a pick. Menard's is a home improvement box store.

 

[CBODY67]

On my '77 Camaro door panels, one thing I like about them is that they can be totally trim shop replicated. Flat "board" for the basic panel. The vinyl and cloth components can be sewn as normal upholstery, and the chrome trim is a part of it, too.

The curve at the top of the panel is a curved piece of ABS that's stapled to the board (top pf the board, bottom of the plastic) appropriately. Not "staple" like from a normal staple gun, but the "trim staples" which are more round in cross section then the "piercing parts" bent over to hold the plastic piece in place. Of course, the plastic is attached before the upholstery is overlaid/glued to the board itself. You don't know the plastic piece is there (which the "cat whiskers" is attached to) until you pull the panel off. The retention of the top of the panel to the inner door body is also a part of the plastic piece, too.

The next project is to determine how to install the retention clips at the bottom of the panel. Might use some Velcro spots rather than metal or plastic clips?

In the section at Home Depot where they have the Masonite and Peg Board 2'x4' plywood sections, the plywood is in various thicknesses, along with the Peg Board/Masonite boards, and some "press board" that's only in one thickness . . . which is about 3x thicker than the OEM "board" for the door trim panels. ANY wood product would need to be fully coated/painted BEFORE it could be used as a door trim panel, for good measure, I believe.

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67