Cheap door panels

Discussion in 'Ranchero Pics' started by beerbelly, Aug 31, 2019.

  1. beerbelly

    beerbelly In Maximum Overdrive SILVER MEMBER

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    I had replaced my original warpy, rotten doors panels a while back with some masonite panels rattle-canned black, because, well, I'm a cheapskate who likes making stuff. But even I got sick of the crappy look, so I shopped around to get estimates on having a nice set made (Thanks for getting back to me Huevos!).
    Too spendy for this retired guy. Mac's has factory reproductions for $170, but where's the challenge in that?

    So I made a couple out of 3/32" black textured ABS plastic. They'll be fine for my daily driver Ranchero, and they still satisfy the 'cheapskate, makin' stuff' idea, at $26 for the material.

    P.S. That's a chunk of black foam I velcro'd on the window crank. My knee hits exactly on the sharp edges of that thing, so that's another cheapskate fix.

    new 3:32" ABS door panels .JPG
     
  2. Huevos

    Huevos In Maximum Overdrive

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    Looks Pretty Good.
     
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  3. HuevosRanchero

    HuevosRanchero In Maximum Overdrive

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    looks great!
     
  4. 65restomod

    65restomod In Overdrive BRONZE MEMBER

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    Nice look, now I understand about the foam on the window crank.
    Some how I pictured a big block of foam stuck to the handle and thought to myself that may look weird
     
  5. colnago

    colnago In Maximum Overdrive

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    Where did you get the ABS? I need to redo the headliner for my '67 F250, and a sheet of white ABS would be a big step up from Masonite painted with a can of Krylon.

    Joseph
     
  6. beerbelly

    beerbelly In Maximum Overdrive SILVER MEMBER

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    I bought mine locally at a plastics supplier; I'm sure there are plenty of them in CA. It comes as thin as .060", which should be pretty flexible, and it can be heated and formed with a heat gun.

    P.S. My crappy original door panels had this emblem attached, but the repros I've seen don't include it. Does anyone else have these on their original panels? I might just transfer them over to the ones I just made.

    IMG_1797.JPG IMG_1805.JPG
     
  7. Huevos

    Huevos In Maximum Overdrive

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    That's a Falcon emblem. Was your interior originally Black?
     
  8. Huevos

    Huevos In Maximum Overdrive

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  9. beerbelly

    beerbelly In Maximum Overdrive SILVER MEMBER

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    Yep.
     
  10. colnago

    colnago In Maximum Overdrive

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    Well, I priced out a sheet that was 42" x 72" (a SWAG on the size I would need for a headliner), and 0.177" thick (a hair under BeerBelly's 3/16"). It came out to $125. I assume that includes shipping, and that the majority of that price is the shipping. But maybe I'll look at something else …

    Joseph

    On edit, you should move the Falcon emblems over.
     
  11. beerbelly

    beerbelly In Maximum Overdrive SILVER MEMBER

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    Almost 4' x 6' for a headliner? Seems big to me. And I used 3/32", about half the thickness of .177. I got my two pieces, cut to size, for $26 locally. Shipping of course would be additional, but I'd ask for a quote for a thinner material, cut to a more exact size, plus shipping.
     
  12. colnago

    colnago In Maximum Overdrive

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    Yeah, I was at work and just took a SWAG to give me a ballpark price. I tried to go smaller, and their quote system still gave me the same price, so I figured I had gone over some magic threshold.

    Oh, I see now where you specified 3/32". I had remembered 3/16", so that's what I aimed for. I'll play around with their system, and see if I can get something closer to my price range. Maybe I'll even take a few measurements of my truck!

    Joseph
     
  13. colnago

    colnago In Maximum Overdrive

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    I just went back to interstateplastics.com, and used a thickness of 0.093". That cut the price down to $66, even for my oversized sheet! That probably means that the thinner material is flexible enough to roll up, and ship in a tube or small box, rather than one big honkin' sheet.

    Joseph
     
  14. Huevos

    Huevos In Maximum Overdrive

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    Don't go too thin, it will warp and won't lay flat.
     
  15. colnago

    colnago In Maximum Overdrive

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    Well, it doesn't matter. Even though it will roll up, interstateplastics is still putting a freight charge of $250 on top (shipping in to a residence, which has no loading/unloading dock :rolleyes:). It's not worth $300+. Yes, I can probably (possibly?) get that charge knocked off, if I called them, but I'll just go back to Masonite and Krylon. If I want the real deal, I can get it for $128, delivered, from LMC Truck.

    Joseph
     
  16. 65restomod

    65restomod In Overdrive BRONZE MEMBER

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    Imagine the headliner sag after a hot day in the So.Cal sun
     
  17. Huevos

    Huevos In Maximum Overdrive

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    Last edited: Sep 25, 2019
  18. colnago

    colnago In Maximum Overdrive

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    On my F250, there's a screw with a big head that goes through the center of the headliner, and snugs it to the top of the cab. It could still sag, but it won't be one big piece of unsupported fiberboard/ABS/Masonite/etc sagging.

    Joseph
     
  19. ForistellFord

    ForistellFord In Maximum Overdrive GOLD MEMBER

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    That beast is going to re-sale for a mint!!! I kid because I care.

    Nice DIY, always appreciate homemade innovation.
     
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  20. beerbelly

    beerbelly In Maximum Overdrive SILVER MEMBER

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    I'm pretty sure it will be on the grounds at Pebble Beach before long!
     

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