Door Cards

[Ragtag]

Currently working through a list of minor jobs and have a few questions.

 

Does anyone know if it is passible to buy replacement door card (ie the card only) so that one can recover using your existing vinyl?

 

If not, has anyone got any suggestions for a better card material for making my own. I was thinking thin sheet MDF might be less prone to damp damage.

 

I want to gain access to my OD solanoid and thought it would be a good idea to cut the fibre tunnel cover (like the Racetorations GRP cover) for future ease. Has anyone else done this or is there a reason why it shouldn't be done?

 

Thanks in anticipation

[Alec Pringle]

MDF is as much or more prone to moisture absorption than hardboard, I'm afraid . . . OK, you could paint it, using a specific MDF primer, it ought to last longer.

 

I have seen acrylic sheet, 3mm thickness I think, used for door cards - seems to work well enough, and of course moisture has absolutely no effect. Aluminium is another material sometimes used.

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

[Mike Collins]

I'm planning to use 3mm hardboard for my door panels, unless someone knows of a reason not to.

 

The originals are just a little less than 3mm, distorted and have speaker holes bodged in them.

[88V8]

I'm planning to use 3mm hardboard for my door panels, unless someone knows of a reason not to.

The first time it gets wet it will start the gradual process of warp & bulge. And it will get wet even if you have both the water curtains in place on the door and the door drains working freely. It also can get wet by the water getting into the door pockets and thereby onto the front face of the hardboard.

 

So before you start with the vinyl, apply three coats of marine varnish to both sides of the board, the first coat thinned 20% with white spirit so it soaks in. Then there is a chance of your handiwork surviving. Another option is oil-tempered hardboard, but I'm not sure it's available in 3mm.

 

I had new cards from Moto-Build because I didn't feel capable of making them myself, but if I were to try making my own cards I think I'd use ally as Alec has mentioned.

 

And when you fit the card to the car - an unwonderful job - dip each metal clip in old waxoyl first so that when it goes into the door, scratching the paint in the process, it won't start a dozen rust points around the periphery of the door.

When fitting, you might also like to put masking tape over the door edge so that the rotten little metal clips don't scratch the paintwork while you're trying to line them up. You may know, btw, that trying to line up all the clips at the same time is the path to madness - line up two on the top corners, then take it off and add another, and so on, one more at a time until you're done. You will in fact do yourself a great favour if you find some way to fix the card with modern ( ) plastic clips instead of the metal ones.

 

Ivor

[chrismitchell]

I was wondering about rebuilding them with exterior grade plywood? That stuff will stand up to a lot of damp.

Yes agree comments about those clips. Wondering if velcro might do a better job.

[marks]

Exterior grade hardboard used to be available in the uk, much more moisture resistant than the standard one. That was 15 years ago so........

 

May be worth enquiring at a ships chandlers or like.

[Mike Collins]

I had a quick trawl around ebay last night and 3mm marine ply seems easily available.

 

Another thought struck me, I have some sheets of Foamalex, lux?. It's a plastic sheeting, around 3mm and used as background for adhesive letters for sign making. I'll go out and measure it later.

[Mike Collins]

Just checked the Foamalux, it's PVC foam sheet by Brett Martin, 3mm thickness. It's flexible, much more so than ply and slightly more than hardboard. Unaffected by water.

 

I tried firing non pointed staples into it, ok when fired with a backing piece of wood. Without backing the staple shatters craters as it bursts through and cracks a narrow section, ok on a wide area.

 

One day I'll try some scrap vynyl on it and see how it goes.

[BrianC]

I think I'd prefer something which didn't shatter or splinter in the event of a side impact. Aluminium is probably the safest bet, but the original millboard is cheap enough and easy to replace if it does get wet and warped. It's unlikely to stab you to death and will probably last years anyway.

[trfella]

I think I'd prefer something which didn't shatter or splinter in the event of a side impact. Aluminium is probably the safest bet, but the original millboard is cheap enough and easy to replace if it does get wet and warped. It's unlikely to stab you to death and will probably last years anyway.

 

 

That's a very good point, and one I had completely overlooked