I recently decided to try building new door panels for my 71 240z. I have the originals but the board backing is damaged beyond repair. The originals are in good enough shape to give me a good template. I went to home depot and bought some board that is pretty close to exact to the board in the original panel.

I was wondering if anyone knew how to get the bend into the new board piece like the original has.

An idea I had was to remove some of the material along the intended crease, make the bend, and epoxy the curvature to hold it tight.

Let me know what you guys think,

Adam

I'm fairly certain you got Masonite at HD. While Masonite works OK for flat surfaces, the material you really want is "chipboard", available at automotive upholstery shops. It's available in a couple of different thicknesses and you'd obviously want the thickest. You'd need to make front and back molds of the original panels using something rigid, like fiberglass, urethane foam, or plaster. You'd then dampen the chipboard, sandwich it in the mold, allow it to dry compressed, and then cut the various openings/outline. Good luck.

Try this link for other opinions:

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37676&highlight=door+panels

Let us know what you do and how it turns out. Good luck with the project!

Dennis

That link did have some good tips. I might try steam as well. Thanks for the info pwd but that sounds like a good way to make a pretty exact replicate. I have just recently decided to go with vinyl door panels over a metal sheet so having a perfect copy isn't the goal. I am going to make my own vinyl skins as well. Pretty much a budget diy job.

Keep the tips coming and i'll keep updating as well.

THIS is the thread you were looking for.

It adresses making your own backing.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25007&highlight=door+panels

FWIW

E