The car that stole my life

[Spyke]

Sweet door panels, hope to do the same to my sedan eventually. Love your build btw.

Thanks! One of the best things I ever did, really made the car feel like MINE too

When you install your aluminum door panels, do you remove the door vapor barriers or do you keep them and just mount over them?

Do you notice excess moisture in the cabin if you do remove the vapor barriers?

I just take them off completely, clean all the tar, polish it up a bit, then mount directly. Since I installed them I have had zero issues, and since winter hit here it's been as low as 18* F where I live, still no problems. Same thing with our e30, which also has aluminum panels. I think the vapor barriers only matter if your weather stripping is destroyed, and they protect that shitty cardboard the stock door cards are made out of.

[MINIz guy]

I see.

What are you using to mount the door panels to the car and where can I find them? I'm assuming you aren't using the BMW door clips.

[Spyke]

No way, we all know how well plastic door clips hold up

I use threaded rivets on all my installs, and highly recommend them if you can install them. The use matching Torx socket cap screws. I leave the stock mounting holes untouched, in case someone ever wants to go back to OEM door cards.

Not my best picture, but here's the hardware, installed:


IMG_6065 by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr

[MINIz guy]

Thanks for all the prompt replies!

I know I could easily get this stuff if I went to my car to measure it, but I'm in college here without my car.

I'm guessing all the rivets you have in are still in the original mounting locations? Or did you drill new mounting holes around the perimeter of the door? And what diameter rivet did you use?

I've looked at some Miata guys doing the same to their door panels. They use something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Amico-Expandin.../dp/B00AKX9VPM

My 318ti's door panel is destroyed. I want to do something like this, but instead of using alubond, I plan to use corrugated plastic. It is said to be stronger than ABS, dirt cheap and easy to cut.

[Spyke]

Thanks for all the prompt replies!

I know I could easily get this stuff if I went to my car to measure it, but I'm in college here without my car.

I'm guessing all the rivets you have in are still in the original mounting locations? Or did you drill new mounting holes around the perimeter of the door? And what diameter rivet did you use?
Just to make it really, REALLY clear, the stock clip holes are left 100% unharmed. I placed my new holes all within a perimeter that's covered by the OEM door cards. I use #8 screws, and matching threaded rivets, sizes will vary by source, they don't need to be crazy beefy. It's not a big hole, roughly the same size as the OEM clip openings.

I've looked at some Miata guys doing the same to their door panels. They use something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Amico-Expandin.../dp/B00AKX9VPM

Those would be perfectly fine as an alternative, they just won't be as tight and secure.

My 318ti's door panel is destroyed. I want to do something like this, but instead of using alubond, I plan to use corrugated plastic. It is said to be stronger than ABS, dirt cheap and easy to cut.

NO! Dear god NO! Coro is absolute shit, it's just cardboard that doesn't tear. Whoever told you it was better than ABS in any way other than price is mental.

-Do not use corrugated plastic
-Do not use foam core, or gator foam
-Do not use plexiglas or acrylic
-Do not use PVC

If you want something strong and cheap find some scrap 1/8" polystyrene at your local sign shop. It even comes in black.

There you go

[Spyke]

Took a trip up to CAtuned to do some panels for their 2002, it's early BMW heaven up there... thinking about trading my e30 for a 2002 now after seeing some in more depth. Anyways, here's a few pics:


CAtuned e30 M3 Heaven by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr


CAtuned S2000 swapped 2002 by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr




Finally changed my pedal hardware from silver to black, to blend in with the grippies... looks a lot cleaner:


IMG_8375 by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr

[ShaunB]

That's pretty sick, they're up in Sac right?

[Spyke]

Yes they are!

Modified my driver side ZKW cutoff (passenger side will still keep the uptick)


Modified driver side ZKW cutoff by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr

[Spyke]

Here's the final e10 2002 front aluminum door panels (besides pre-drilling) Rears in a day or two then going back up for final install


e10 front door panels_CAtuned by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr

[brokenfeather]

I love the door panel work! How thick are the panels themselves? I thought I saw something mentioned that they have 2 layers with something in between them.

[3MPowered]

I'm guessing you have access to a water key cutter somewhere? Where do you get your sheet metal?

[Spyke]

I love the door panel work! How thick are the panels themselves? I thought I saw something mentioned that they have 2 layers with something in between them.

1/8" and yes, it's a nifty aluminum hybrid panel that goes by many names... Dibond officially. It tends to be unique to the large format/signage trade, but it has all the required properties for doing aftermarket door panels.

I'm guessing you have access to a water key cutter somewhere? Where do you get your sheet metal?

All done by hand still, to keep cost down. I do have access to waterjet, CNC and laser tables but the cost of producing would triple or worse. Nobody wants that. These just take a lot of patience and manual labor. If I had a big group buy I would no doubt use a CNC router though.

[Spyke]

Got my custom shift boots in from Fuzz Fabrics. As always, Josh does not disappoint. He made me a nice set with perforated Black vinyl to match my steering wheel, and Red/Yellow double stitching to tie in with my door panels.

Got the fairly fresh ZHP knob off this morning, with NO black eyes or concussions so I am very proud. Pics soon as I get them mounted and back in

[Spyke]

IMG_8492 by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr


IMG_8496 by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr

[Spyke]

Re-covered my B-pillars in carbon fiber vinyl.. goes well with the seats


B-pillars covered in carbon fiber vinyl by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr

[Spyke]

Getting some fresh Sharpie on for the Berkeley Marina meet. I forgot how AMAZING it looks when it's fresh.

Also found one of the coolest little LEDs I've ever seen to replace my aging/cheap dome light LED:


V-Leds adjustable length festoon/dome light LED bulb by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr

It's also adjustable length, which you can see on the right side there. Such an awesome feature for a festoon-style bulb to have.

[Moron95M3]

where'd you get those?

[Spyke]

where'd you get those?

http://www.vleds.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=3745

[hide1]

IMG_8621 by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr

I've seen these panels a few times and they're nice work. Do you daily with yours..?

Love this thread btw its like a support group. The wife doesn't get as mad when she sees how hard some of you work on your cars haha.

[Spyke]

I sure do, both cars are daily drivers in every sense of the word. Glad I can take some heat off of your relationship lol

[d65vid]

Sharpie paint-job, the ultimate weight reduction strategy?

[Spyke]

Nah, paint doesn't weigh much once dry. And this is just over the stock grandma gold anyways.

[Spyke]

Did these e36 sedan aluminum door panels with M stripes for a fellow sedan owner in SoCal. Sooo clean


e36 sedan panels for Mike01M3 by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr

[airforce7882]

I like that design. That guys has good taste!

On a side note, you include hardware now?

[Spyke]

I'm making it a rule that no two sets can be the same lol. (At least for as long as I can.) And yes, I offer two different hardware kits now too, to make it easy for people.

Just finished these e30 coupe aluminum door panels with custom printed graphics for the CAtuned drift car too, installing them this weekend along with the e10 panels that have been done for a while:


CAtuned e30 coupe drift car panels by Spyke e36/e30, on Flickr