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last night I started assembling the door panels. I have the cardboard and folded the door panel fabric over the cardboard and sample stapled it. Industrial stapler had staples too long. So removed those staples and used a regular desk stapler. Same results….staples too long. Any ideas? I am using the material that came with the kit. Assistance sil-vous-plait!
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackMine have been recovered, and have glue, not staples, on the rear…
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Any idea how thick the cardboard piece is or should be? Mine is pretty thick which I like. I guess a purchase of 3M carpet glue in a spray can is in order on the way home.
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackMine are the 1/4″ or 5/16″ brown pressboard — whatever it’s called — similar to pegboard without the holes in it…
The front sides have about 1/4″ foam padding glued to the boards, underneath the vinyl. Then the panels are screwed into the doors with countersunk screws and washers.Are you going to screw yours on, or use clips?KentT2013-12-19 19:37:30
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Allen, you could also replace the “cardboard” with luan plywood (about 3/16″) from Lowes/Home Depot. It is more substantial than the cardboard. I used it on the door panels for my Cobra and was going to use it as a replacement on my TDr, but it was too much of a PIA to get the covering off the existing panel so gave it up and left them as is.
Sam
If you want to use “christmas tree clips” (like I did), first fit the
cardboard panel to the ‘glass door and tape it or clamp it right where
you want it. Then drill small holes through both at regular intervals
around the edge. Four will do it, six is better.Then open up the
holes with a unibit or similar. The clips should say on the box how big
the holes need to be, and they may not be the same for the panel and
the door itself, so check and maybe do a test first.All that done (or not, screws work fine to attack the panels), use 3/16 staples made for a heavy-duty stapler. But also use the 3M heavy duty automotive interiaor adhesive. Spray glue, let it dry a few minutes, stick your vinyl and then staple. A lot of staples. If you get punch-through then fold over your vinyl on the back. But that should not happen.
If it does, the fix is to use a hidem strip and stple all the way through, as I did on mine. The look is as original as well, but it’s substantially more work. Here is how I did it.
If you made holes for clips, and the vinyl covered any, just trim it out with a razor and install your clips.
Don’t forget the welt at the top of the door panel. The originals had them down the side too, all the way to the latch mechanism in front and to the first hinge in back. On the bottom the welt is attached on the inside.
Go slow and have fun. And when you spray that 3m product, make sure the room is well ventilated. That stuff’ll kill ya.
Kent I’m going to screw them in as the assembly manual says. Ed I like the trim welting along the top and bottom but not sure how white will look against the red door edge. Your photos of how you did it will be a large help. Now just need to determine how far down from the top edge of the door to put the latch. Thanks guys for all the assist. I’ll post photos this weekend little by little as it goes.
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackAllen: if you look at mine, and you also look at a TD door, you can see where the latch mechanism goes. It’s basically right below the bend. I was under the impression (wrong, obviously) that the kits molded the doors in such a way that the latch placement was obvious.
Anyway, if you put the latches in about the same place on each door and–this is more important!–get the catches for each of them in the right place on the tub, you will be “right.” No one will notice if yours are a half inch up or down from the TDr parked next to yours.This shot also gives you a good look at the top welt. I wrapped clothesline in marine vinyl to make mine.
Allen, what color is the welting/binding on your carpet kit? What color are you using around your dash panel? IMO, you may want to pick up one of those colors, and go with it. IMO, you need to go with one or the other, since both are making contact (well, almost…) with the door panels…
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...The body is red and the carpet is black. The door panels and seats are white with red piping. Here are my panels and seat upholstery. With luck they will go through. If they don’t all come through, go to the Gallery. My TD photos are in 4806.
Seat Bottoms
Door Panels
Seat Back
newkitman2013-12-19 22:04:15Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackGiven that color scheme, I’d suggest getting some red fender welting and use it, to follow the color scheme you started on your seats. You can easily use it around your dash panel, also, should you choose, instead of the white that you likely have used on the outside of the car… The welting does NOT have to contrast – in fact in many cases it did not, it color matched.
Mine uses black. Body is red, fender welting is black, carpet is black, dash is black. But, that is going to change. I bought Gabe’s interior kit, when he went custom, and mine will end up a red car with red seats AND red carpet. Seems the red carpet is a bit unusual, especially in a red car…My black dash currently has black welting, and I’ll carry that onto my door panels. (I think the welting around the door panels needs to match what’s used on the dash since they come so close to each other, up high and very visible.) I have one of those black plastic center consoles, black shifter boot, black E-brake boot, etc. So, I’ll have a red/black scheme inside and outside…Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Ed. I noticed a part on your door (and several other TDrs) that is not on mine. What is the part up near the top of the door? Is that a lock of some kind?
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackAllen, I think that you are talking of the chromed securing 1/2 wingnut that holds the frame on the side window on TDs. TDs have metal framed side windows that are quite easily removeable and (in my experience) leak whenever it rains. The leak problem is usually from the front where it tries to seal against the side of the front windscreen. To be fair, I should say that they do not leak unless it is raining. 😉
I was unaware that Ed had side windows a’la TD. I don’t think that this was a BCW option rather another of Ed’s steps towards fooling all except William Morris that his is a real TD (with a Subaru engine).The photo I included a few posts ago is a TD, not my car.
Roy is right, the part Allen is talking about is the side curtain catch. You’ll notice they also have a snap in the upper middle of the panel. That’s for the side curtain as well.TDs have four of those triangular chrome wingnut thingies–two in front on the doors, and two just about even with the seat backs, for the rear curtains.My car has none of that.
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