Looking to build custom door panels but need expert advice...

[Old77]

Ok, I need someone who has some experience and knowledge about creating custom door panels. Once I get my fender fixed on the '77 (Description of incident here) I'm looking at switching up my interior a little bit by fabricating some door panels. I like the stock panels fine but I just want to personalize it a bit more and I need something else to do this winter

My question is this, What do I do? :LOL: haha! This will be my first attempt at this so I'm hoping to find some guidance from some of the good fabricators that I know are on GMSB.

Here is what I'm envisioning the process to be and you can correct me where I'm missing something.
1. Measure the area where the door panel will go.
2. Create drawings with dimensions including what to do about the door crank, the door handle and the arm rest.
3. Get materials (wood for backing, foam to go over wood to create the shape and a cushion, vinyl to go over the panel to finish it off)

This is very simplified, I know, but I'm trying to keep this initial post fairly condensed. What do you all suggest considering I'm very much an amateur with this aspect of the truck? I want to keep the panel clean but yet very cool and something that'll stand out just enough to make people talk about but not so much that it takes away from the rest of my interior.

For those that don't know, this is how my interior currently looks...

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[belowaveragecustoms]

man i love the look of them seats in your truck.

 

[Old77]

Thanks man! I think that and my digital gauges is what I get complimented in the most with the whole truck

 

[Mr Clean]

What did the seats come out of?

 

[Old77]

2002 silverado

 

[bigchevytruckdriver]

Alright so I had the idea of taking an actual door panel and take the ridges off with an exacto knife or grinder so I have a basically flat panel (with holes in it where i cut out all the high spots) that will fit the truck perfectly then cat hair the whole thing so its smooth, paint and re install. I would be keeping the window crank hole, and the arm rest. Think it'll work?

 

[89Suburban]

Damn I keep finding new threads I haven't seen b4. Sorry Old, good job man.

 

[Old77]

Thanks 89Sub

bctd, I think your idea would definitely work. I am still in the planning stages on mime. I'm really wanting something that'll stand out but not be too over the top so that it still flows with the rest of my interior.

 

[89Suburban]

Old, might be a good idea to pick one up from a junk yard to lay on a table in the garage and just like look at it and think about your options and experiment, ya know what I mean? Maybe take a piece of cardboard and make a template off the junk one and mark where all the holes and screw holes and arm rest are and stuff and just draw on it your ideas to see how it would look. Just remember the top window seal is attached to the door panel if you decide to do a total custom panel.

 

[Old77]

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean! I definitely will not be cutting up my good door panel until I know exactly what I'm doing with it. The hard part is finding a door panel from junk yard that matches the 77 style because the door panels changed from year to year and also based on what package your truck came with.

 

[89Suburban]

What was the damage for those seats? $$$$?

 

[Old77]

In 2004 I bought them for $250 so they were only 2 years old or so at that point.....

 

[proddy2008]

just to get it out of the way i know this is an old thread lol have you come up with something old? if not i do allot of fiberglassing, its reeeeeeeely easy once you get the mix right and a technique that works for YOU i hate these kids that have utube videos and try to say there is only one way to do it lol my boss and i do it waaaayyy different, but end product comes out the same and your only limit is your creativity once you get it down lol. or you can go for a more drag look and do tin