[cornfieldcars]

Dan, I was reading your post on door panels...very nice and well said. I have a question about the clips you use. You mentioned that you like them because you can install them after the panel is complete? I know I'm missing something here...how do you install them after the panel is covered? I'm building some panels for my 48 Chevy pickup and am looking for all the materials you mentioned in the post. On these doors the panel will kick out a little about 4 or 5 inches from bottom. Will putting clips just along the outside of the panel form along the whole panel or will I have to put some clips in the middle as well. Thanks

[DanTwoLakes]

How were the old door panels done? If there are holes for clips in the middle of the old door panels then you should put clips there. Most door panels don't have clips in the middle because the armrests, door handles, and window cranks hold them on.

As far as the clips, the holes for them are drilled into the door panel before you cover the panel, and they are offset 5/8" in from the holes in the door. If you don't glue the padding right up to the clip holes, you can upholster the door panels and slide the clips in after you're done. Lately I've been using Au-Ve-Co 12134 clips instead of the 10780 clips. The 12134 clips are my favorites now.

[ride00007]

Dan... What clip do you recommend for fiberglass cars using 1/8 pvc board? In particular, I have a glass 33 ford. As you know, the thickness of the fiberglass varies. We had used the x-mas tree style fasteners before but sometimes you can see the heads of those even thru the foam.

[DanTwoLakes]

Probably the 10780 offset spring clip. That's a little longer and should work well for you. I absolutely hate the christmas tree fasteners, they fail way too quickly for my taste.

[ride00007]

Thank you Dan. Do they telegraph thru the foam also? Or is it minimal?

So reading what you wrote above... drill the holes in the panel and avoid glue in those areas so you can tuck the clip in the panel from the backside (thru your predrilled hole) when it's all done?

Awhile back I had gotten in touch with ITW who makes the x-mas tree fasteners. They have ones that are "reusable". We had always used the ones that you'd see at swap meets and they'd work for awhile but would fail after going on and off a few times. But supposedly some of their designs are intended to be reusable.

[DanTwoLakes]

That's right, you drill the holes 5/8" offset towards the middle of the car's door from where you want the clip to go, pad the door panel, upholster the door panel, and when you're ready to mount the panel, that's when the clips go in.

You can't glue the padding down around the holes the clips are mounted in or they may show through, but that's true of any clip.

[ride00007]

Thank you! Maybe that's where we've gone wrong on the fasteners and gluing around them.

I appreciate the help!