Suggestions on how to upholstery door panels?

[Isaiah92260]

Hey everyone, I want to have some fun with upholstering my 63' door panels myself. I saw that spraying adhesive and wrapping them with vynil works, using a heat gun, does that help getting the contours to stay on the lines shapes of the panel? How is that done? Also, where do you get vynil at?
Any suggestion and designs would be awesome, I want to go with a factory look, I was getting inspired looking at corvette interiors.

thanks for reading and commenting!

[Isaiah92260]

@fatluckys Sean Johnstun door panels are amazing

[Isaiah92260]

@fatluckys Sean Johnstun door panels are amazing

[BR3W CITY]

I did mine in a simple vinyl/leather wrap to match my seats, and made a very basic lower door panel wrapped the same way w/matching hardware. I have pics in my build, and honestly it was fairly easy if your not aiming to "Build" your own style panel.

[robber grin]

Local guy took pleated vinyl over 1/4 plywood to make mine. Drilled the stock tins to allow 1/4" self-tapping screw mounting from the back side.

Re-pop arm rests with beige painted white - re-pop zinc and clear door panel screws

cheap single stage enamel white paint

Cheap and easy... I'm happy

[vin63]

Since I never liked the original arm rest/door pull (stretched the deform the inner door panel since the previous owner never adjusted the door to close properly), Ron Mangus helped me with building out some structure out of wood and foam to replace the original arm rest. Then covered it in leather with contact cement. It took a couple of days to relax the leather.

[par4tom]

I don't know if the 63's have the same raised center section as the 61's but I agree with one of the previous posters in that I never really liked the shape of the earlier door panels.

I have been covering interior panels for almost 20 years and the best material that I have used is Katzkin Vinyl. It will be just as good in 20 years (and better then leather because leather tends to crack) and it has excellent texture on the surface...unlike some of the cheaper vinyls. Looks just like their leather products.

Plus, it is cheap and you can get it in about 30 different colors. SAR (online store has it for about $22 to $25 a yard). You could probably get by with about 3 yards.

For adhesive, I would not use the spray can variety. There has to be some upholstery supply stores around you that will sell you a vinyl top adhesive by the gallon (the darkish yellow glue). Probably about $30 unless you live in California.

Degrease and scuff the panel with Scotchbrite and then BRUSH on the adhesive to both the panel and the vinyl. Let cure to the point that the glue doesn't come off on you finger when you touch.

Press the 2 pieces together starting at the deepest part of the panel. Use a heat gun or a portable space heater to stretch some of the places that may need stretched. This vinyl works very well when it is warm and doesn't contract too bad if the weather gets below freezing. Should last for years...

If you use spray can glue...the first warm day that comes along and the vinyl will start to lift...

To get an idea, here is a center console I just wrapped in Katzkin. Single piece with no stitching. Heatgun, glue and vinyl...kickpanel at the top of the photo is the same thing and has a lot of stretching in order to cover the bottom section below the midbass driver. No wrinkles. That's why I like the Katzkin vinyl...very forgiving!

I thought your second photo looked really good...nothing wrong with that panel!
T

[par4tom]

Originally Posted by robber grin

Local guy took pleated vinyl over 1/4 plywood to make mine. Drilled the stock tins to allow 1/4" self-tapping screw mounting from the back side.

Re-pop arm rests with beige painted white - re-pop zinc and clear door panel screws

cheap single stage enamel white paint

Cheap and easy... I'm happy

That is the best looking application for those earlier door panels I have seen...nice work!!!

[Isaiah92260]

Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts! I can't wait to start doing some work to my truck! I'm gonna start with the door panels and paint the. Tan and white in the center if I am feel ambitions I might try to do the whole dash!

[Isaiah92260]

Originally Posted by par4tom

I don't know if the 63's have the same raised center section as the 61's but I agree with one of the previous posters in that I never really liked the shape of the earlier door panels.

I have been covering interior panels for almost 20 years and the best material that I have used is Katzkin Vinyl. It will be just as good in 20 years (and better then leather because leather tends to crack) and it has excellent texture on the surface...unlike some of the cheaper vinyls. Looks just like their leather products.

Plus, it is cheap and you can get it in about 30 different colors. SAR (online store has it for about $22 to $25 a yard). You could probably get by with about 3 yards.

For adhesive, I would not use the spray can variety. There has to be some upholstery supply stores around you that will sell you a vinyl top adhesive by the gallon (the darkish yellow glue). Probably about $30 unless you live in California.

Degrease and scuff the panel with Scotchbrite and then BRUSH on the adhesive to both the panel and the vinyl. Let cure to the point that the glue doesn't come off on you finger when you touch.

Press the 2 pieces together starting at the deepest part of the panel. Use a heat gun or a portable space heater to stretch some of the places that may need stretched. This vinyl works very well when it is warm and doesn't contract too bad if the weather gets below freezing. Should last for years...

If you use spray can glue...the first warm day that comes along and the vinyl will start to lift...

To get an idea, here is a center console I just wrapped in Katzkin. Single piece with no stitching. Heatgun, glue and vinyl...kickpanel at the top of the photo is the same thing and has a lot of stretching in order to cover the bottom section below the midbass driver. No wrinkles. That's why I like the Katzkin vinyl...very forgiving!

I thought your second photo looked really good...nothing wrong with that panel!
T

Thanks for sharing your advice, I'm gonna follow your comments for reference when I'm wrapping my door panels....
Btw that center console is awesome! How did you make that??

[ol_skool_chevy]

I would like to see some that cover the whole door..top to bottom

[Isaiah92260]

Originally Posted by ol_skool_chevy

I would like to see some that cover the whole door..top to bottom

I've been thinking about it, I've been thinking about doing most of the cab. I'm gonna pick up a roll of vynil and supplies

[par4tom]

Here is a set we slapped together to make a show...they are being redone now. Picture is bad but just an idea...best picture I had...

[par4tom]

Originally Posted by Isaiah92260

Thanks for sharing your advice, I'm gonna follow your comments for reference when I'm wrapping my door panels....
Btw that center console is awesome! How did you make that??

I'll build a thread and add it here in the next couple of days...

Thank you for the compliment...
Tom

[Isaiah92260]

Originally Posted by par4tom

I'll build a thread and add it here in the next couple of days...

Thank you for the compliment...
Tom

Awesome thank you for sharing!

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by ol_skool_chevy

I would like to see some that cover the whole door..top to bottom

i made these full door panels for my 58 truk
plywood backer, mdf frame, fiberglass structure, carpeted insert and wrapped in vinyl
i wanted speakers in the door as well as the kicks and an arm rest where my arm actually went



kicks to match

[par4tom]

Click on my signature links...one has the center console build in it...
Tom

[par4tom]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

i made these full door panels for my 58 truk
plywood backer, mdf frame, fiberglass structure, carpeted insert and wrapped in vinyl
i wanted speakers in the door as well as the kicks and an arm rest where my arm actually went



kicks to match

I saw your truck... Very good ideas and really really really well done...

[_Ogre]

thanks
i had a very detailed build thread over on fiberglassforums.com
sadly that forum died... rip fiberglassforums.com

[Isaiah92260]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

thanks
i had a very detailed build thread over on fiberglassforums.com
sadly that forum died... rip fiberglassforums.com

Bro that's a bad ass door panel! I really want to learn how to do my own upholstery

[_Ogre]

i learned everything about fg and door panels over on fiberglassforums.com
read my 58 truk build thread, i recreated most of the build here (link in sig)

[par4tom]

Ogre's thread is a good one. A lot of outside the box thinking...

I had the upholstery shop do my door panels...thinking that after seeing Ogre's, I need to add a bit of fabrication to them...we'll see

[Isaiah92260]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

i learned everything about fg and door panels over on fiberglassforums.com
read my 58 truk build thread, i recreated most of the build here (link in sig)

Thanks for sharing, I'll take a look!

[Isaiah92260]

Originally Posted by par4tom

Ogre's thread is a good one. A lot of outside the box thinking...

I had the upholstery shop do my door panels...thinking that after seeing Ogre's, I need to add a bit of fabrication to them...we'll see

Thanks for mentioning, I'm gonna look thanks!

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by par4tom

Ogre's thread is a good one. A lot of outside the box thinking...

thanks, outside the box does take longer though