Please bear with me i do have point. My husband and I watch these shows on the weekends Trucks, The TNN power block Etc. I was watching a one of these shows in the last week or so that showed you haw to create your own custom door panels. Which finished looked great. We are in the process of redoing our '78 Z28 Camaro from the ground up. The guys are currently working on the new frame and My project is the interior. i would loves to do something unique with it. But I want to do it right. Can someone with experience give me a step by step run thru. Also would it be best to use the vinyl or could I use fabric over the foam design. What types of adhesives and actual panel materials would you recommend? No detail is to small include any tips you feel might make this work out better for me. Thanx!

Hey Radcliff, while i'm not much on interiors, (mines all steel and 1 color) you might try looking here for some really good info, there are several guys here who do that for a living,and more that have done their own rides, and I'm sure any of them would have no problem helping you out......

theres a vast wealth of knowledge in the links i've entrusted to you...... use the knowledge wisely.....

Hey, RK

Here's a GREAT book that explains everything in detail! It'll get you there every time!
Custom Auto Interiors

And here's another one that explains all the tools and basics about sewing techniques:
Automotive Upholstery Handbook

I bought both and sure am glad to have them to refer to!

Alan
54 Chevy Pickup

Clicked submit twice...

I have a question about the foam used for "carving" door panels. I've never done an interior, but plan on doing it one day when I get to that point. I was just curious on how dense this material is. My biggest question is, what happens when you install it and push on a part that is higher (such as a tip of a flame). Does it squish down and them come back up, or is it so strong that it doesn't move?

Its pretty dense, but when you cut a flame out of it, when its covered the very point will slope down (if that makes any sense).
It will almost almost always return to its shape. I sandwiched a roll of tape inbetween two panels that had this foam on it over an entire winter of storage. After months, a portion of the foam was completely flattened with a ring shape from the roll of tape, but after about a day, it returned to its shape, with no sign of the ring from the roll of tape.

And THAT'S the result of the closed-cell foam ... right, Shawn?

Alan
54 Chevy Pickup

Right. Closed cell foam is like the name says, the individual cells in the foam are closed, so when it is compressed, it doesnt let any air in unless it is punctured. So it will almost always reutrn to its shape. Thats also why closed cell foam is very stiff, the tiny closed pockets of air wont compress very easily. Likewise, open cell foam should always keep its shape, as long as there is a place for air to re-enter the foam after its compressed. Thats why you see holes on the bottom side of like a kitchen chair, for the re-entry of air. If they didnt have these holes, with a non-woven material (like a vinyl), when you compress it, it will return to its shape very slowly.

Good info. Thanks, man.

Do you ever use open-cell foam in interiors?

Alan
54 Chevy Pickup

Yes, i use open cell foam a little in my interiors. Open cell is always used on my seats, in the form of sew foam. And my custom built seats are always carved from open cell foam. Every once in a while ill do a headliner and use open cell foam as a backing but not very often at all. I have some 1/4" thick open cell foam that i bought a huge roll of years ago and still have probably 20 yards left, and when its gone, i probably wont buy anymore. Other than the sew foam, i really dont use open cell for padding on panels.

Thanks for the info Krist, I don't know where I'd be without this board! (probably in my garage with a roll of duct tape and a confused look:laugh: )

If you have a car where flat door panels will suffice just get some of the seat material and the 1/4" open cell or sew foam. I always cut a 1/8" thick masonite panel (last time I could only find it as peg board) instead of the thick cardboard original stuff, cut for the original clips. Pad the panel with the foam about 1/4" from the edges, then apply the seat material (vinyl or fabric, or something in a matching/contrasting pattern/color, whatever suits your taste). Paint the original arm rests or get/make some custom ones. You can layer wood to make impressive arm rests/door pulls. Keep them from looking like wood by painting a couple layers of the thick usrethane or use fiberglass resin. Sand that and paint and it will look like molded plastic or metal.

Hey what kind of design are you looking for on your door panels?
You can use either cloth or vinyl or leather on the panels.
There are a couple of ways to create a design. The best way I have found for good defintion on the art is using a board called "Chip Board" to draw out your design, cut the design out of the chip board,then glue that to your door panel board and then glue the material over top and use a tuck tool (Dull edge putty knife) to push the material around the pattern edges that you cut out & glued to the board.

I am currently doing a 1970 Saab 95 wagon that has a 522C.I. engine tucked under the hood with a ford 9 in. rear end. I think the car looks like the grim reapers hot rod (Junior sized) so i designed a skull with flames for the door panel ( Just a quick one to show the customer my idea) it took maybe 15- 20 min to draw cut & cover the design useing the process above and the flames and lines are crisp & they wont squish down like foam. I did it in a black vinyl & even jazzed it up a bit by cutting the eyes first and placing red vinyl there. if you want i can e-mail some pictures of the process and the finished product .

Hey, UniqueAZ

That's what most designers do with foam ... isn't it kinda hard looking and feeling without any foam? I'd like to see your pics!

Alan
54 Chevy Pickup