Door Panel Project

[clevertd]

Well, after having these for a long time and not knowing quite what to do, the following users inspired me and I was leaning towards doing what they did at different points, but I decided to do something different. Gene (525fourthew1n) came over and helped out quite a bit and we both took our share of hot glue gun burns, but I think it's been well worth it. I got the fabric off eBay after not being able to find the color I wanted locally.

RVAE34: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=931511
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2268/2263622719_134d4bd26d_b.jpg

attack eagle: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1072515
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b106/AttackEagle/bimmer/DSC_0009-2.jpg


BigM62:
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm12/jimmyz2/wheels021.jpg

Here are a few pictures of how it's turned out thus far:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3500/3222618357_e718965ef6.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3397/3222620403_efa1e71627.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3080/3223478128_81b04b41de.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3431/3223812136_4b7417816b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3455/3223809234_baa5fa5ae8.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3421/3222969881_5336be3fa8.jpg


Comments and criticism always appreciated:)

[TouringDan]

Nice job!

[Binjammin]

I've actually got something similar in the works. Looks awesome man, nine thumbs up.

[525fourthew1n]

Definitely worth the hot glue gun burns, that's fo sho. Clean look and durable.

[David325e]

Amazing. Seems like the texture of that fabric is great for that. And it should be cleanable as well right?

[cerdman1]

Nce look.

[Gazman]

Wish I could do that on mine :'(

(i dont have the wood trim, so I would have to go to the scrappers and try buy the inside panel trim ... then mod it.)

Still, I love what you've done. Good choice on the fabric/colour

[E34Big6]

That Looks Sick! Nice Work.

[Dat Aus]

love it!

[hot323i]

Would never have thought of doing that. Very nice.

[clevertd]

Thanks all! I'm glad I got this out of the way early in the semester, don't know if I'll have much time to work on stuff once warmer weather comes around. Also thanks to Jon K (5mall5nail5) for letting me know how he did his, can't believe I forgot to mention his interior in this thread! MacR also has his covered in similar fabric.

http://blowneuroz.com/mygallery/My%20E34%20525i%20Interior/dash4.jpg

[4500 RPM]

Really cool. I can attest to MacR's fabric, it's a black suede that really works in his Dove/black interior.

[RVAE34]

Great job!!! Glad my interior helped to inspire as well :)

[cdnalpina]

Fantastic job! You are now making me consider doing something like this in my cars. Has anyone done a writeup on this? I think it would be a very sweet addition to the DIY links...

[XR000mb]

i wish i had black interior :(

[clevertd]

Fantastic job! You are now making me consider doing something like this in my cars. Has anyone done a writeup on this? I think it would be a very sweet addition to the DIY links...

It's really easy to do, just get an aluminum baking pan, pour a can or two of paint stripper in, put all your wood trim in it overnight and let the clear coat get stripped off then clean it appropriately, we sanded the wood a little and got any gunk off the back, then sprayed it with 3M 77 spray adhesive and put the fabric on it and then came inside and finished it off with the (extremely) hot glue gun. Just had to make sure the glue didn't cool too fast, other than that, it really was a pretty simple project and didn't take too much time... the corners are a little tricky, but it all worked out.

[PorscheH6]

I've always wanted to try something like this.

It's finding the '95 panels that's the hard part. :(

[wastedincome]

Well< SINCE I happen to have a full "spare" set of wood trim AND a black interior, something like this sounds a bit good. Well done

[AZIMUTH]

Fine work! Very Inspiring!

However, It would never satisfy my lust for woodgrain!!!

[cdnalpina]

It's really easy to do, just get an aluminum baking pan, pour a can or two of paint stripper in, put all your wood trim in it overnight and let the clear coat get stripped off then clean it appropriately, we sanded the wood a little and got any gunk off the back, then sprayed it with 3M 77 spray adhesive and put the fabric on it and then came inside and finished it off with the (extremely) hot glue gun. Just had to make sure the glue didn't cool too fast, other than that, it really was a pretty simple project and didn't take too much time... the corners are a little tricky, but it all worked out.

Awesome - thanks for the proceedure! Now just to figure out what to do the trim in....

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

I was going to this for my ///M 5 in M tech cloth, but I missed out on the repo cloth deal from japan.

[attack eagle]

I would make one suggestion.

NEVER EVER USe 77. 77 lets loose and as low as 100 F.

90 is ok for vertical panels, but probably not headliners.

let us know how it holds up in this application come august.

[5mall5nail5]

Yeah this method works well :) Damn thats some light fabric! Try not to get it dirty too soon!

AE - I used Super 77 for about... 3 years now. Cold as shit to hot as shit in PA - no issues.

[moroza]

I prefer wood myself, but it looks well-done.

3M 77? It depends on what you're gluing to what. I used something even shittier for my pillar panels, and it's held up just fine over 2+ years, most of which were without tint. But 77 failed spectacularly on my headliner - held up fine in -17 Ohio winter, not so much when I drove it down to Florida.

[Binjammin]

The success of the glue depends a LOT on the prep. If you have wood trim that hasn't been sanded, that's too smooth, it can peel. The headliner? You need to remove all the old foam first.

[Deviate]

Wow. That looks absolutely amazing. Damn-good job. I never thought of putting fabric/suede over the wood trim. Kudos on some good-looking door panels.

[clevertd]

I was going to this for my ///M 5 in M tech cloth, but I missed out on the repo cloth deal from japan.

There was a guy on mye28.com that was selling some, let me know if you want me to look him up, I was seriously considering getting some (no idea for what project), but didn't have money at the time.


I would make one suggestion.

NEVER EVER USe 77. 77 lets loose and as low as 100 F.

90 is ok for vertical panels, but probably not headliners.

let us know how it holds up in this application come august.

Don't worry, it gets really humid here around April, so we'll know sooner than August. I think it should be ok though, it is hot glued on the back all the way around. If it fails, I've got another set of wood trim I can do in a day.


Yeah this method works well :) Damn thats some light fabric! Try not to get it dirty too soon!


That's the one thing I was worried about, I will give all passengers one warning and then its kill time:shifty


The success of the glue depends a LOT on the prep. If you have wood trim that hasn't been sanded, that's too smooth, it can peel. The headliner? You need to remove all the old foam first.


I prefer wood myself, but it looks well-done.

3M 77? It depends on what you're gluing to what. I used something even shittier for my pillar panels, and it's held up just fine over 2+ years, most of which were without tint. But 77 failed spectacularly on my headliner - held up fine in -17 Ohio winter, not so much when I drove it down to Florida.

My headliner needs to be done in a bad way, but I definitely don't want it falling down a few months later. I have no problem tearing it down and scraping off the foam and then letting someone else do the adhesive process, but if I can do it myself, I'm all for it. What about something like contact cement?

[Binjammin]

I redid a headliner, I used a cookie to cut all the old foam off the fiberglass backing, then used 90 to attach that to the backing, then suede on top of the foam. Never installed it in the car, but it's been sitting around the shop for a year or more and hasn't peeled yet.

[sweet e36 pimp]

looks sick dude!!!

i have a bunch of grey microsuede that i plan on covering the bigger lower inserts, pillars, headliners, shift boots, etc.

just gotta get a little warmer than 16 degrees out. lol

[nmp411]

I redid a headliner, I used a cookie to cut all the old foam off the fiberglass backing, then used 90 to attach that to the backing, then suede on top of the foam. Never installed it in the car, but it's been sitting around the shop for a year or more and hasn't peeled yet.

Man, you must be talented with bakery goods.:buttrock

[525fourthew1n]

I would make one suggestion.

NEVER EVER USe 77. 77 lets loose and as low as 100 F.

90 is ok for vertical panels, but probably not headliners.

let us know how it holds up in this application come august.

Good tip, that's something to remember.

I'm sure it'll be fine though because we used ample amounts of hot glue and stretching of the suede around the edges so even if the adhesive gives, it'll be stretched too tight to move.

Cleaning the back was very important, and after the hot glue and fabric just would not come off; it was a very good bond.

[clevertd]

Gene came over today and we snapped some pictures of the 3 out of 4 that I've installed (passenger front needs to be butchered for the black clip holders). Need to clean up my leather a little bit and detail the rest of the interior, but here's what I've got so far.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3459/3352391930_e5f927b7ee.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/3351567449_8ecdd9ced5.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3265/3352392932_cb7a94a3c0.jpg



Also took the time over spring break to install my rear headrests courtesy of LouieD (great seller) and attempt to recover my rear parcel shelf.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3593/3351568981_8cc6fb9a7e.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3632/3352394844_159d725020.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3592/3352395422_c3f1d7a8fa.jpg

[Analog]

You have good taste!

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o182/logant724/HPIM1364.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o182/logant724/HPIM1394.jpg

[Boogieboy]

Looks good!

[David325e]

Man Tyler its looking good. Some of the better OC I've seen here. You going to do a build thread?

And when it comes time to do away with the wood in the 540 I'd be glad to come down and pay you for a rebuild. I've got a cousin I could stay with in Raleigh while it gets done.

[rvp1030]

What did you use to recover the rear parcel shelf? I need to redo my headliner pillars and rear shelf but I don't know what material to use :confused

[TDE30]

It's finding the '95 panels that's the hard part. :(

Indeed. I've been searching for some basic black leather door panels for my father's M5 for well over two years.

I hate the guy who made vinyl door panels in all pre-95 E34's, I hate him with a passion.

Looks good OP.

[525fourthew1n]

Gene came over today and we snapped some pictures of the 3 out of 4 that I've installed

And then I broke your rear view mirror. :rolleyes :mad :D

[Binjammin]

Man, you must be talented with bakery goods.:buttrock

It's the cookie you put in a right angle cutoff wheel tool. I used one for iron and steel, made a mess of the shop and short work of the old foam.


And then I broke your rear view mirror. :rolleyes :mad :D

I had a friend that did that to one of my parts cars. "Hey man, do you need this mir *clonk* ror... oh, sorry man, I think I broke your windshield. It's just a parts car right?


Me: uh, no, I was saving that one for someone. (MikeDay) It's ok though, feel free to break anything else you want to.


:rolleyes

[525fourthew1n]

^ Haha in my defense only the metal mount that's glued to the windshield that broke. Isn't the mirror supposed to twist off? Oh well, he fixed it later that day so it's all good. I just felt like a wanker for doing that.

Interior looks bangin, and the parcel shelf couldn't be cooler

[clevertd]

You have good taste!

as do you:stickoutt, just need to get that center arm rest and find the plastic trim pieces that go above the rear seat belts, I destroyed mine. if only I could has your wheels:(


Looks good!

thanks!


Man Tyler its looking good. Some of the better OC I've seen here. You going to do a build thread?

And when it comes time to do away with the wood in the 540 I'd be glad to come down and pay you for a rebuild. I've got a cousin I could stay with in Raleigh while it gets done.

Nah, I doubt it... well, maybe once I finally get a set of wheels, detail the car, and get my sport seats installed. I'm probably just going to be trashing my old door panels, but if someone wants me to cover my old wood and send it to them, I'm always up for making a little side cash.


What did you use to recover the rear parcel shelf? I need to redo my headliner pillars and rear shelf but I don't know what material to use :confused

I just happened to be in Wal-mart one day with some friends and wandered to the fabric section where they had some "sheep suede" marked down for $4 in the bargain bin, I figured it was cheap enough, why not take a chance on it... it turned out great, I'm just hoping it doesn't bleach out like the stock material did.


And then I jizzed in my pants. :rolleyes :mad :D

that's so gross man

[David325e]

Nah, I doubt it... well, maybe once I finally get a set of wheels, detail the car, and get my sport seats installed. I'm probably just going to be trashing my old door panels, but if someone wants me to cover my old wood and send it to them, I'm always up for making a little side cash

Like I said man, soon as school is over this year my basic plan is to criss-cross the good coast like I work for mapquest and work on the bimmers. If I need a replacement you're at the top of my list.

And I mispoke, I meant to say diy-thread.

[tonyroc14]

i was thinking of doing the same thing to my car. But with a darker color fabric...

[clevertd]

Just finished this project today. I have all my wood trim from the previous panels I can cover if someone is interested. I'm still liking the color I decided to go with, but have thought about going with a wood colored fabric... I think it's got the potential to look better.

[Binjammin]

Pics? :rolleyes

[acet]

I like the end product. Looks good!! This is my plan of attack:

http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/42455

[900TVT]

Great job! I really like how that color combo works

[525fourthew1n]

Yo let me come over with the D60 and nab some picsssss.

AND PLAY SOME BEER PONG. well we don't have to do that but we could

[Gregs///M]

Looks decent but I think you could have done a better job. For example,
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3431/3223812136_4b7417816b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3459/3352391930_e5f927b7ee.jpg
In these two pics the corners of the piece are obviously not done right. You need to stretch that fabric more and get those corners tight. If most of your pieces look like this the total job will not look professional. Try leaving extra fabric and pull it nice and tight. Use epoxy and clamps if you have to.

Also the rear parcel shelf looks bad. At least from the picture, it looks like there is bubbles in the fabric.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3592/3352395422_c3f1d7a8fa.jpg

Try applying the fabric slowing across the piece while stretching and pressing it together with your hands. Use another persons help if need be.

I have a DIY on panel reupholstery on M3forum.net. Here is an example.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l188/gmannino/m3%20pics/DSC03290.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l188/gmannino/m3%20pics/DSC03296.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l188/gmannino/m3%20pics/DSC03327.jpg

One more piece of advice to the OP. Do not be like Attack Eagle...http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b106/AttackEagle/bimmer/DSC_0026.jpg

His door trim looks like S**t and I would never have put those back in my car. Poor quality of work and little patience and skill implemented in this resurfacing.

PM me if you have any questions.

[attack eagle]

Tell us how you really feel about me Gman. A little personal animosity is showing...
it takes no skill to do this either...

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l188/gmannino/m3%20pics/DSC03296.jpg

Poor quality of work, little patience, and minimal skill...
BTW those wood panels are actually wet sanded with 600 grit before and after each coat of poly. they are smooth to the touch with just the grain texture.
If they had been a DECENT wood, they would have been done after 2 coats... the wood used was CRAP on the wood for non-wood panels retrofits...
probably why they cracked so damn bad, huh? that is the ORIGINAL CRACKS you are seeing there as hadn't put nearly 1.5 mm of clear on top of it like the factory.

I had nothing to lose and I wasn't dicking up good panels and wood trim... the above were crap to begin with and I showed it... honestly.
A simple materials excercise figuring out the proper procedures and materials to use to not dick up a good set set of bubinga wood for wood panels or my oak plank table. (one of my summer projects, if I have the time :)) and you want to give me crap about it?

I was actually contributing to forum and the knowledge base, even in 'failure'...At least it isn't like some amateur covered the trim and left a huge mess of fabric on the backside.
I did have one cleared but wasn't happy with amount of clear it took to get them flat and smooth, and the reaction between the spar poly and the clear caused issues. Left the rest alone. why not, they were/are destined for the scrap heap anyway.

what do you contribute again?

<crickets>


Hmm?


< an entire symphony of crickets, playing Vivaldi >

Did you even MENTION that to do the corners smoothly 'your way' you need TWO WAY stretch fabric?

nope.

Any links to any DIY writeups?

nope.

Any mention of materials you used, cost , and where to aquire them?

nope.



Of course i didn't finish them. Honestly no point spending a hundred bucks or more on them, they were cracked thru to the metal base, I didn't like the door panels to begin with, and they are un-replaceable without changing the doorpanels and glovebox to wood trim panels and new wood trim together.

I could pull a gmannino and cover them with some alcantara in a couple of hours and you'd never know I messed with them... or slap some bondo on em and paint em, or peel em and leave em raw aluminum... but I don't care about them...

[Gregs///M]

After reading your above comments several times to truly understand what you are trying to imply since your poor grammar and sentence structure confused me, you and I both know that I have been a value source of information in both the e34 sub forum and car audio sub forum.

"It takes no skill?" The pictured 3 trim panels were only a hand full of the panels that were reupholstered in the car, these 3 of which were actually the easiest to do. There were several panels including the door armrest, steering wheel insert, and window control insert which were truly "pain in the ass." On the contrary, it takes quite a lot of skill and patience to effectively reupholster those trim panels.

Sorry for being lazy and not posting my DIY, perhaps I should have.
http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=261597
There you go to all those interested in wrapping technique, materials and tools used. Feel free to PM me with questions regarding that DIY.

C'mon Eagle, let your work do the talking. Its not hard to refinish those panels, they were in great condition but you only made it worse. If a customer had paid me to refinish those trim panels, I assure you and the rest of the forum that I would have never reinstalled them looking like that. They truly looked better before you touched them. Same deal would occur if it was my car. I'd gladly drive around for months knowing when they are finally reinstalled, they would be in new condition and in the finished that I was going for.

Sorry to hurt your feelings but you fail.

[attack eagle]

Sorry for being lazy and not posting my DIY, perhaps I should have.
http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=261597
There you go to all those interested in wrapping technique, materials and tools used. Feel free to PM me with questions regarding that DIY.



C'mon Eagle, let your work do the talking. Its not hard to refinish those panels, they were in great condition but you only made it worse. If a customer had paid me to refinish those trim panels, I assure you and the rest of the forum that I would have never reinstalled them looking like that. They truly looked better before you touched them. Same deal would occur if it was my car. I'd gladly drive around for months knowing when they are finally reinstalled, they would be in new condition and in the finished that I was going for.

Sorry to hurt your feelings but you fail.


LOL... I have young kids and a wife, and they like using door handles to get out of the car, not sharp hooks for months. I did think about leaving them off the panels but a bunch of holes is uglier. YOu are doing a good job of trying to get my goat, gotta get your revenge before I am gone... or attempt to.

BTW, They look exactly the same except brown and black, not yellow and orange, and not covered in 2 mm of heavily cracked and crazed yellow epoxy.


The rest doesn;t matter since the door panels are trash, and the wood can not be used on a Wood door panel. And btw, they look a LOT better than they did... according to the only people that matter. I

F i wanted them smooth, I'd strip em again, and paint em with 9 heavy coats of clear like the test panel. Like I said, it would be a waste since:
A: the car is for sale,
and
B: they'd still have to go in the trash once the door panels were replaced by me or the next owner.


Cliffs:
I don't particularly care what you would have done, it isn't your car, and you weren;t here.

I don't like em either, but some door panels is better than none... and I don't feel like replacing them + the glove box on a car I'm getting rid of.
If a customer had paid me to redo them, they'd look like this...only better, since I Would have buffed them.

:)

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b106/AttackEagle/bimmer/DSC_0002-4.jpg


http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b106/AttackEagle/bimmer/DSC_0005-3.jpg



If it bothers you that much, send me a couple of hundred bucks to redo them for you...

OR Send me $4800 and you can have the whole car to redo to your tastes. :)