Manufacturing Door Panels

[Jusjofok]

Ok guys, before you guys start using that "search" word hear me out.

I bought my 72 240 a while back and it is missing the right side door panel completely so I was searching around trying to find one and getting really discouraged when I couldn't find any new replacements (when I say new I mean manufactured in the past few years not NOS) that didn't cost as much as the car. So I got to thinking (I am an engineer after all) of ways to make new ones. I thought of fiberglass, fiberboard and various other materials. Making them in this manner would be fairly economical for making one but that doesn't help out the Z crowd... My thought is to have some thermoformed (plastic) to match the shape of the old ones. I know its not original but I think it would be functional and look original. I found a place here in town that has the capability and am waiting on correspondence with them to determine cost.

So my questions for you guys are:

1. Is there any reason the top metal part of the panel couldn't be molded to the rest of the panel as one piece?

2. If I were to get this rolling is there enough call for them to justify mass production?

I am going to post this on another Z forum and am just trying to get a feel for the market. I am not wanting to become a millionaire from this, just want to better the Zed community.

Justin

[MikeW]

Have you thought about how these panels would be covered? I doubt most people here would care what the non-visible portion is made from and plastic would have some advantages over the original panel. However, people would certainly want them to look original when installed.

[JimmyZ]

I thought someone in the group was playing with this idea already. You did mean interior door panel right?

If you made something that Les Cannaday could work with then I'd be game. (Les' recovering service)

Edited January 27, 2010 by JimmyZ

[esprist]

Ok guys, before you guys start using that "search" word hear me out.

I bought my 72 240 a while back and it is missing the right side door panel completely so I was searching around trying to find one and getting really discouraged when I couldn't find any new replacements (when I say new I mean manufactured in the past few years not NOS) that didn't cost as much as the car. So I got to thinking (I am an engineer after all) of ways to make new ones. I thought of fiberglass, fiberboard and various other materials. Making them in this manner would be fairly economical for making one but that doesn't help out the Z crowd... My thought is to have some thermoformed (plastic) to match the shape of the old ones. I know its not original but I think it would be functional and look original. I found a place here in town that has the capability and am waiting on correspondence with them to determine cost.

So my questions for you guys are:

1. Is there any reason the top metal part of the panel couldn't be molded to the rest of the panel as one piece?

2. If I were to get this rolling is there enough call for them to justify mass production?

I am going to post this on another Z forum and am just trying to get a feel for the market. I am not wanting to become a millionaire from this, just want to better the Zed community.

Justin

Making door inner panel is one thing, but recovering it with new skin is another thing. I would call Lass at Classic Datsun in Southern Cal, who makes the best reproduction door skins with chrome molding that looks better than original ones. Door inner panel should be made with matching door skin for better fitting. Well, just a thought．．．．．．．．

By the way, door panels are still available from Nissan in Japan, though price is already high...something like $550-650 a set......Plus shipping......

Call MSA, they have few new ones in stock from Canada as far as I know.........

So by the time you make panels and skin, and labor.....It would be as expensive as new original ones.......

[Rich1]

Interesting idea Justin.

I got my door panels from Zeddfindings--http://datsunzparts.com/

Charlie is great to deal with, his panels are OEM--and are fairly priced.

Rich

[Jusjofok]

Thanks for the inputs guys, keep them coming.

Mike W, I would really like for the panels to be covered just as the original ones were and I think that if done correctly one wouldn't be able to tell unless the panel was removed.

Jimmy Z and esprist, I am talking about the interior door panel, I haven't found anything about anyone trying to make new ones, just repairing old ones. I might have to get with this Les Cannaday fellow to see what he would need on my end to make them easy to cover.

Like I say, I am just tossing this around right now.