Hey Gang,

Long time no post. I finally finished and installed my reupholstered door panels. As many of you know it wasnt my original idea. Here's my question: Does anybody know where I might be able to find some prefabricated fiberglass door panels? I know PISA offers their Euro panels but I could have sworn I saw somebody offering a simple fiberglass panel for the Fiero?

Any help and/or direction would be great!

Thanks

SK

[This message has been edited by Sofa King (edited 11-27-2011).]

Only thing that I know of is the Grand Prix Interior door pannels (not fiberglass).If interested Im sure someone has an Install Link.

I'm looking for something more "plain jane". The PISA panels are very plain and I could probably work with those but as I mentioned, I thought I saw a simple flat fiberglass panel available...

I can make flat panel fiberglass, but shipping things that large is a pain & can get expensive. Greyhound may help with that if you have a station near you where you can pick them up.
But you can go to Home Depot & get wallboard for bathrooms & cut it to fit. It's smooth on one side so contact adhesive (for upholstery) sticks to it well. They're also more or less waterproof so they don't warp. Still make sure you have the vapor barrier between it & the door.
HTH,
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

Custom Fiberglass Parts

Why not just make up some simple panels from sheet aluminum like a race car. It could be made to look pretty cool. Ive seen a lot of show cars this past summer where they covered front under hood fenders with aluminum diamond plate. I saw one trunk entirely done in it. I had the Pisa door panels on my Ferrari kit, made a door pull and covered the bottom half with carpet material.

Plain fiberglass panels at Archie's

quote Originally posted by jaybug56: Plain fiberglass panels at Archie's

Really? Do you have a link? I don't see them on his site.

Thanks

quote Originally posted by Sourmug: Really? Do you have a link? I don't see them on his site. Thanks

http://www.v8archie.com/v8Archie/Prod9.htm but this is the entire interior kit, not just the door panels.

------------------
--Jeff aka mrfred8
88 Yellow GT

Those panels would require extensive modification - for what I want to do. hmmmmm... Do you think he would sell just the panels?

I did get a response from PISA and they said that the panels, which are ABS plastic, would have to have all the holes cut. But the pair are 225.00 (not sure if that was upholstered or not).

Here's a link - if you scroll down you'll see a pic of the black panel with white armrest
http://www.westcoastfieros....um_posts.asp?tid=402

Theyre raw material. I painted the part not carpeted with textured paint to look like vinyl. If I remember, you might have to cut out for the door handle. I also put a strip of black door edge protector across the top by the glass to give it a finished look.

I would just do rogergarrison's above idea of sheet metal as you're going to probably have to cut out any holes/etc anyways from anything you buy, plus you'll save A LOT of money. Cover in a thin material of choice, or paint it.

I would like to go back to my original design idea for the door panel. Metal would work but I'm not a metal fabricator by any means... I can work with the ABS and fiberglass. With a good ABS or fiberglass panel as a base - I just might be able to pull it off this time without all the warping or the screaming or the yelling or the crying...

I used textured paing on my 87 GT build here; https://www.fiero.nl/forum/F.../HTML/000074-14.html

Here's an exerpt:

The panels have been sanded and re-coated with the primer. The next step is to apply multiple coats of the SEM texture coat. There is some difference in the appearance of the texture depending upon how you apply the spray such as distance, number of coats etc. you will have to experiment to see what works for you. Here is a panel after multiple coats have been applied:

The texture coat dries flat black and it is almost impossible to see the pattern once dry. You can't really see it in this close up:

Once the texture is dry I applied the first layer of the SEM color coat. I'm using the Landau Black which is a matte black. You can now begin to see the texture:


Nolan

[This message has been edited by Sourmug (edited 11-28-2011).]

OH YES! I remember that from your build. I bought some of the texture paint. The nozzle popped off when I first tried it and blew paint all over the backyard... LOL

If you want plain Jane panels and have a decent set of, at least the upper curved part of some old panels, just use playwood like I did.

Mike

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/A...090219-2-082408.html

Hey Mike,

Those panels look great! You wouldn't by chance have template with measurements you can post? I'm more comfortable working with glass and the template would really make things easier.

Sorry, I don`t have a template, as I did those a few years ago.
I just basically took the measurements off of a stock panel.
I like the way you can lay fiberglass in different bends etc. but for one I don`t have the patience to make moulds and 2nd I like being able to staple the vinyl to the wood panel I`m covering because I have not had much luck with adhesive holding on fiberlass in hot weather.

quote Originally posted by TXGOOD: I like being able to staple the vinyl to the wood panel I`m covering because I have not had much luck with adhesive holding on fiberlass in hot weather.

Use DAP Weldwood Contact Cement (ONLY Original yellow) It holds carpet , vinyl, leather on anything permanently. One thing ppl dont do is let it almost completely dry before sticking it down. I use it for everything from replaceing carpet and headliners, to putting on vinyl and convertible tops. I even use it to upholster boat seats.

I have used the Weldwood yellow and I have seen it`s sticking power as I have used it to lay laminate.
I think the problem I was creating was that I actually needed two or three coats on the vinyl itself as the first coat seems to just soak into the vinyl.

Mike,

I noticed you cut the top of the door panel and then attached to the wood template you cut out. How secure were the two pieces after you attached them with the rivets?

[This message has been edited by Sofa King (edited 11-30-2011).]

Well, once you install the spring clips in the holes they are pretty sturdy.
I used small washers behind the old upper door portion to keep the back of the rivet from digging into the stock pressboard.
I uphostered the plywood part and painted the upper original curved part.

Actually, now that I think about it, I installed the rivets from the backside and pulled them tight because with the foam installed on the board that stuck up past the back of the rivet and allowed me to upholster the plywood first.

[This message has been edited by TXGOOD (edited 11-30-2011).]

Makes sense. I'm hoping to have a template laid out this weekend. My only concern is the top part of the panel that rests into the "channel". I can work with glass pretty well and create compound curves, etc... but sometimes I get a mental block and that area has me baffled on how to start...

I always make cardboard mockups of stuff im making, whether its fiberglass, plastic or metal. Lot easier to trim off or tape pieces back on till you have what you want.