Another way to upholster door panels

[LowNknoxville]

whats the update on these? PEACE

[wherm]

whats the update on these? PEACE

none yet. Hopefully soon.

[ikayto]

good luck, i wonder if you pulled the door closed too hard it'll rip the insert off.

[Joshy]

good luck, i wonder if you pulled the door closed too hard it'll rip the insert off.

The handles/armrest/supports are attached to the door itself, not just the panel.

It won't rip the insert off.

[ikayto]

didnt wherm just cut out the entire area where the arm rest would mount?

[Joshy]

didnt wherm just cut out the entire area where the arm rest would mount?

Uh, yeah. But the armrest is bolted to the door itself, so the panel is simply sandwiched between the armrest and the door frame.

If I'm not mistaken, whole point of wherm making his fiberglass backing plate is for proper repositioning and support of the insert, once its been upholstered.

It makes sense.

[wherm]

Uh, yeah. But the armrest is bolted to the door itself, so the panel is simply sandwiched between the armrest and the door frame.

If I'm not mistaken, whole point of wherm making his fiberglass backing plate is for proper repositioning and support of the insert, once its been upholstered.

It makes sense.

You got it!

[RacH22]

This will definately make laying the material far easier, however the gap around the edge will still need to be filled depending on the material wrapped on the insert. No?

All the panels I've seen in the JY have been poorly cut around the insert allowing the factory material to be forced into it. This doesn't mean a lot, but atleast a handful.

The factory material is a "fluffy" material that keeps anyone from seeing this when it's actually holding itself in as it should. I know the suede that I covered my insert with is far too thin to hide it, I ended up covering welt in suede and shoving it's tail into the factory cuts, same principal as the previous tutorials only with actual upholstry product.

I still want to redo them using your method because trying to use spray on glue was a total pita, fear of damaging the fresh paint already have spots lifting on the insert from a lack of glue. I'm just curious as to what your plans are for the seam...

[wherm]

I'll be using a thin layer of upholstery foam to take up the extra gap. First the foam will be glued down, then the suede glued over that. Should turn out pretty good.

[RacH22]

I'll be using a thin layer of upholstery foam to take up the extra gap. First the foam will be glued down, then the suede glued over that. Should turn out pretty good.

For Sure! I may try to get my hands on some of that foam, the only thing I could think of was crap from walmart that's more of a padding than a foam..

Keep us updated, I'm excited to see how it comes out.

[PakaloloHonda]

Great idea wherm .. I'd like to subscribe to this thread to watch the progress and learn.
I've got leather inserts (tan) and would like to do something similar in the future.

I thought though, that the leather part separates from the panel itself ..
Guess I was wrong about that ..

One thing I would do though, is get a beat up one from a JY, and practice on it.
I've also wanted to go to an upholstery shop, and get some input from what/how they'd do it.
They have some pretty neat tricks up their sleeve's .. I'm sure ..

Thanks man .. I'll be following this ..

Tomi

[wherm]

Great idea wherm .. I'd like to subscribe to this thread to watch the progress and learn.
I've got leather inserts (tan) and would like to do something similar in the future.

I thought though, that the leather part separates from the panel itself ..
Guess I was wrong about that ..

One thing I would do though, is get a beat up one from a JY, and practice on it.
I've also wanted to go to an upholstery shop, and get some input from what/how they'd do it.
They have some pretty neat tricks up their sleeve's .. I'm sure ..

Thanks man .. I'll be following this ..

Tomi

I believe that the leather inserts do actually separate from the door panels. It's the cloth ones that do not. If I'm not mistaken, the SE accords have inserts that lay over the original cloth in front and rear. A member on here was selling some. Literally put them up for sale two days after I cut my door panel apart.

[Joshy]

I believe that the leather inserts do actually separate from the door panels. It's the cloth ones that do not. If I'm not mistaken, the SE accords have inserts that lay over the original cloth in front and rear. A member on here was selling some. Literally put them up for sale two days after I cut my door panel apart.

Correct. The stock leather inserts go overtop the cloth part, except that there's no cloth on SE panels. Bare vinyl, with holes around the perimeter for the leather panel mounting tabs.

Can't wait to see the outcome, wherm.

[PakaloloHonda]

I believe that the leather inserts do actually separate from the door panels. It's the cloth ones that do not. If I'm not mistaken, the SE accords have inserts that lay over the original cloth in front and rear. A member on here was selling some. Literally put them up for sale two days after I cut my door panel apart.

Yes .. I thought so as well .. which of course, would make this DIY alot easier ..
What I wanted to do, as I really feel the OEM leather inserts that I have from an SE,
really don't give it that .. *plush* leather look, and or feeling .. sooooo,
What I wanted to do, is remove the inserts, and either take them to have them re-done,
or, if I felt brave enough .. I'd do it myself .. lol! It can't be all that difficult .. really.

One thing I really dis-like about the tan is, especially my side .. those bolted on arm-rests
really get dirty in a heart-beat .. and what I thought about was, getting some black ones
or making them a different color, along with changing the color of the *carpeted* area
that sits below the insert .. where the door lights are .. there are sooo many crazy variations one could do,
and I really like your creativness and effort with this ..

I also have a ton of experiance working with fiberglass and resin .. as I shaped and glassed
alotta surfboards, and fixed boats in Hawaii my whole life ..

I went to the SE leather panels, because living in places like Florida, and now in Vegas,
it seems every cb that I see, has an issue with the cloth losing it's holding power .. lol.

I really wish I went with black, but when I purchased these 4 panels on eBay wayyy before CB7T was around,
I thought for 75 bucks .. I couldn't go wrong .. now, unless I ever luck upon some black ones,
I'll never pay the price for what some people ask for them lol .. I'm spoiled ..

But my tan inserts are pretty clean, save for my side, because I'm in and out so much.
I jus wanna replace all the arm-rests, or, perhaps change the colors of all of them.
2 tone can look good, if they're indeed done in the right colors ..

Funny thing is, I just had to replace my drivers door .. the damn lock-acuator siezed up,
and I found a a COMPLETE door at a JY, which was tan, biege color, and the door panel
is 2 toned .. the arm-rest and outter edges being a deep chocolate brown, with tan cloth.
The door was $25 bucks, and the guy that took the door off at the JY, took my old broken door off,
and put the new one on .. I slid the cat another 20 for it.

I just took a couple of shots of my drivers door panel, seeing as how it's off right now .. derrrrrrr ..
and I see the metal clips (white circled) and I assume the red circled clips are for the arm-rest?
The 2nd image shows you also how mellow the leather looks .. and not as *pleated* as I'd like ..
You can also see the dirt on the arm-rest .. lol

But I tried messing with the clips (white circled) and I couldn't seem to separate the insert ..
I'll try harder when I find me one from the JY ..

[wherm]

the two circled in red are also for the insert I believe. All you'd need to do is bend them up to a 90 degree and pull the insert straight out. The armrest is secured by a few metal clips on the underside, just below your red circles, and probably some phillips screws. That has to be removed first before the insert can come off. It is possible that the insert is also glued in place, but not sure. But, that is the exact door panel with leather inserts I was referring to. This would be the best way to customize your door panels, but possibly more difficult to source.