Gaps & Windlace

I'm working on my interior panels and have a question. The suicide doors on my coupe hinge from a 1x2 steel post tied into the body bracing. As shown in the pictures, this post is straight upright while the door has a curve, bowing out in the middle about 3/4", and also creating a nominal 3/4" gap between the post and the door panel front to rear. I suppose that I can make my door panel hang over 3/4" at the back to fill the front/rear gap (already have the panels cut & clips in place, but it's luan underlayment - not a big cost to redo them), but not sure how to best address the step between the door panel and the back interior panel short of putting a spacer under the door panel to make it straight up & down at the back edge. As it is, windlace attached to the steel upright will not be against the door panel. In truth this is going to be pretty well hidden by the seat back. Any ideas from those who've been down the path before?
Photo 1 - Side to side step, door edge dropped down from the upright pillar
Photo 2 - Front to rear, gap between back of door to pillar
Photo 3 - Door open, showing body bolted to the 1x2 pillar
Photo 4 - Luan Panel in place (driver's side)

I hope this will help.When I did my 38 I had the same problem with the large gap it must be because of the suicide door??? I had to look at the pictures as I don't have it anylonger but as I recall the wind lace would not close the gap. What we did was wrap the carpet that was on the floor and wall in rear area around the jamb with enough pading to fill the gap and windlace was used above that hope this helps. This car was driven every where in all weather and the carpet never got wet or stained. I was featured in Super Chevy Mag back in 91 when it was 2 years old.

You'll notice a strap on the door in the b&w picture that I added after a bad thing happened, the dr on the dr. side opened while I was driving and bent around into the quarter. what a mess after that safety pins and a strap were added.

I had some of the same problems when I was finishing the coupe. I spaced and built up to get it close, making new panels etc. The wind lace takes up a lot of space and a little space ( I think) looks good. If you weather strip with the right size rubber you shouldn't have a problem with it getting wet when driving in the rain. I also used a ruffle design and it takes up a lot of unwanted space.

I like that design on the panel . I used that all through ( doors, trunk and hood) of the coupe. Check my Gallery. **) **)

Charlie, thanks for the pictures and explanation. I'm not using carpet up that high, but I think I can do something similar with a piece of angle aluminum, some foam and material. I like the straps, too - I have dead bolt latches, but I have not gotten into the habit of latching them every time yet :o

Don, thanks too for your input and the reference to your gallery. Your pictures helped me formulate what I'm thinking is going to work for me.

I appreciate you both taking time to reply. You both have killer interiors!

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Originally Posted by rspears

I like the straps, too - I have dead bolt latches, but I have not gotten into the habit of latching them every time yet :o

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Roger, here is a rather unique way of doing the same job as the straps with a more modern twist. :) I've thrown in a few extra pics to see a little more of the car.

Mike

Clever idea, Mike. Nice interior!!

That is a nice idea for the restraint, Mike, and it is indeed a very nice interior. Thanks for the post.

In that same area right behind the body door pillar, flowing into the flat panel beneath the window across the back my head liner panel forms a smooth curve at the top, but I have a seat belt retractor at the bottom that pushes me to a formed corner. I have a luan plywood flat panel across the back, secured with industrial velcro, but I've been pulling my hair out for two days on these curved filler panels, trying to keep them removable for access to a wiring and door light switches, but secure for upholstery. The curve is too tight for my nominal 3/32" FRP panel to bend easily, and package tray "mat board" material doesn't like the sharp corner at the bottom. 25" tall, ~18" right angle sweep at the top, and ~12" right angle at the bottom. Any thoughts on panel material for this filler panel?

Tape up some cardboard strips to shape then glass over it, Pull the glass sheet off the tape and you should have a filler panel...just a thought

Tracy,
Thanks for the idea, but I took another tack during the day.

My thanks to Lynn (Rumrumm) for his help this morning via e-mail. With his input I took a spray bottle of water, and misted the "package tray panel board" material which rendered it very much more flexible. I clamped it into place and let it dry, and as Lynn said it held the shape very well.

Here's a few shots of 1) the opportunity area, 2) the panel after drying clamped in place, 3) the angle pieces glued to the back side of the panel, 4) the panel in place, and 5) the rear panel and headliner support in place, close to being ready for covering.

The angles pieces are supports for acoustic ceiling tiles, thin but quite rigid. Those on the inside are there to stiffen the panel, and to align it with the steel structure. Those on the outside secure the panel to the door jamb, and provide a means of rolling the interior material over the edge, helping to fill the gap between the door pillar and the door panel (Thanks to Charlie Fisher for the help figuring that piece out).

There's still a lot to do, but today was a productive day after several sessions of frustration. I really appreciate the help, suggestions and direction that I get from CHR.

Nice job Roger.

What are your plans for the headliner? Didn't you get the 'one piece' inserts from Duane, didn't we talk about that before or am I thinking of someone else (I have been diagnosed with CRS :confused:) ?

Mike

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Originally Posted by Mike52

Nice job Roger.

What are your plans for the headliner? Didn't you get the 'one piece' inserts from Duane, didn't we talk about that before or am I thinking of someone else (I have been diagnosed with CRS :confused:) ?

Mike

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Hey Mike,
Yes, we did discuss the headliner before and Duane brought one up to NSRA Springfield last summer, and Scott brought me a paper pattern of his rear support panel which saved me lots of headaches. Unlike the one-piece unit for the '32 coupes that comes down to the beltline in back, the headliner for the '33's is only a flat panel dished down about an inch on the sides and back that covers the top area and is held up in front by the front valance panel. In the last picture I posted above the white FRP panel surrounding the rear window and wrapping around toward the front is supporting the headliner panel above. Along the sides above the windows I will make FRP panels to cover from the door frame up to the headliner panel, held in place by industrial velcro. The '33 headliner is a lot more work than the Deuce coupes :(

I still say install the board and brush some resin on it to help seal and keep its shape. Humidity kills cardboard:LOL: Looking good tho.

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Originally Posted by RECOVERY ROOM

Tape up some cardboard strips to shape then glass over it, Pull the glass sheet off the tape and you should have a filler panel...just a thought

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Tracy, are you suggesting to use fiberglass mat and resin over the cardboard to make the panel? If you were going to mount a stereo speaker in the panel, how thick should the finished 'glass panel be?

Mike

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Originally Posted by RECOVERY ROOM

I still say install the board and brush some resin on it to help seal and keep its shape. Humidity kills cardboard:LOL: Looking good tho.

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Tracy,
I appreciate that comment and I will put some resin & cloth on them today. It stands to reason that if spraying water on the panel made it so easy to bend then it is going to soften, and maybe move around over time with humidity. A coat of resin front & back will solve that, plus I can smooth out the front with some selective layers of cloth!

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Tracy, are you suggesting to use fiberglass mat and resin over the cardboard to make the panel? If you were going to mount a stereo speaker in the panel, how thick should the finished 'glass panel be?
Mike

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Mike, I may steal that speaker idea, too! ;) From my experience so far two or three layers of cloth, nominal 3/32" to 1/8" finished thickness is plenty for a speaker, IMHO, but Tracy's th' man on glass!! :cool:

Tracy (or anyone who knows:)),
I know the steps to forming fleece over a piece to smooth the curves, but how do you form a smooth transition in a concave curve?? If I take a ring of MDF to fit a speaker, route the edge on top and cut a relief in the inside corner panel to fit the ring into a bit, then looking down from the top it will be nearly flush on the right & left, but standing proud about 3" top and bottom. What's a good way to fill the gap, pour foam in a bucket? Any trick with fleece?

Today I tackled a storage pocket in the driver's side door. I have a pair of access panels on the inner door panel, and had decided to use the front space for a storage pocket. I discovered that the window mechanism cheats into the back corner, so I slanted the top opening to compensate for the window support. Using the concept from Old Coyote I took three blocks of floral foam, glued them together to form one block and then shaped them to size for the inner pocket. Once formed I put a few layers of glass cloth on them, forming a lip to secure the pocket to the back of the door panel. Since the door panel is luan plywood, only 3/16" thick, I used a ring of 7/16" plywood which will be glued/screwed to the back side of the door panel to form a base to mount the fiberglass pocket. The glass backing piece turned out great based on my sizing criteria. I should be able to cover the glass pocket with material , roll material around the access hole in the front panel, and then mount the pocket from the back side before installing the door panel forming a finished pocket. Now to tackle the other side....