Interior panels and swimming pool toys...

[DrEntropy]

While looking about for a material to make the inner panels for doors/kickpanels/rear panels I've found a good answer. First was considering fiberglass sheet, 1/8" thick. Instead have found THE stuff: Sheffield Plastics' (should already be a "no brainer" with that name, huh?) "Makrolon" polycarbonate sheet. The piece I got is 3/16"--maybe a bit thicker than the "pressboard" original, but not obvious. The stuff can be easily cut with a Skil saw (plastic cutting blade), It's tough non-shattering and can be drilled, bent, etc. Just finished cutting out two door panels in about 15 minutes. pre drilled all the holes and sanded edges. Plan to use some 100 grit sandpaper on the fabric side to allow contact adhesive to "bite" it and hold closed cell packing foam (from one of those "U-Mail-It" places [Mailboxes,etc. in my case]) to it as a substitute for foam (read: sponge) rubber. My reasoning here is waterproof materials, no warping, mold, rotting crumbly bits.... EVER AGAIN! I've gone to the bother of installing 6-32 "NutSerts" in the places where the steel trim screws went in the doors, to hold panels in place. Stainless screws as well. Now I wish I'd made the "crash-pad" onna dash with this instead of plywood as per original. The pad was made by offering up the plywood to the body, C-clamping in place and marking holes/ part outline, removing and cutting with Skil saw. Drill the holes and mount it back in place for a final sanding/shaping. Then (this is the ~good~ part) gluing a quartered lengthwise section of a swimming pool "noodle" to the wood with contact cement. Shaped the noodle with a 24 grit 2" 3M Rol-Loc disc on a die grinder... covered with a material SWMBO found scrounging thru "Jo-Ann Fabric" store @ 2 bucks a yard. looks for all the world like OEM, folks... and we have mebbe TWO DOLLARS in the whole crash pad. Panels will be a bit more expensive, but better by far than commercially available ones, and a LOT less money. Photos will be assembled soon.

 

[Banjo]

Very innovative Dr., What do you call your new procedure? the Nader-noodle?
Seriously, some really excellent ideas, thanks for sharing.

 

[DrEntropy]

Photo of the shaped Nader-noodle (TM-Banjo) with the 4" wide outer material draped over it. Will have a finished pic when dash gets mounted this weekend. Still need to sand/derust/prime/paint under-dash area.

 

[DrEntropy]

The wood for the pad clamped in place and contoured. I used a piece of 1/4" ply (what I had "lyin' about") instead of the 1/8" original. The Nader-noodle was $0.75 at a discount outlet.

Kinda looks like boatwright work instead of automobile repair /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[GreenHornet]

For the seats, may I recommed the blow up lounge floatee with the cup holders in the arm rest! Walmart has em cheap. And they are comfy! Looks like the car is coming along nicely.

 

[Nunyas]

hmmm... interesting suggestion for the seating. Unfortunately, i do not think the flor pan is wide enough for one of the pool lounge chairs. I've never seen one that measured less than 22", and I think the B needs seats that are 20" to fit between the frame rail and tranny tunnel. However, inflatable might still work, but you'd have to inflate it in the position you want...

Then again, air seating is too cush for me... It'd be too bouncy and squishy. I already think the seats in my car are too squishy, and I'm biding my time before I go scavenger hunting in a local yard for seats that'll fit in the car and hold me while I'm driving.

Sorry guys and gals, but yes, I'm a bit of a romantic there. I want my car to hold me while I'm guiding her wheel, caressing the pedals with my feet, and sliding the sifter in and out of gears. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif