Aluminum Door Panels... How To?

[jaden]

Hi. i am wondering if anyone knows whats involved in making some custom aluminum door panels.

I picked up a sheet of 4' x 8' x 1/8" aluminum today, I was looking at the door and it looks like all that's involved in making them is just cutting them to the shape of the door and cutting out a hole for the door handle (ill make a template from cardboard first)

some questions i have are:

can you rise the door handle with spacers to sit flush with the aluminum?

do you need to do anything to make the rods that operate the door latches clear the panel itself? (especially if your rising the handle)

and what are people using to fasten them? mine are mostly for looks and i would like to be able to take them off fairly easily

pictures anyone?

thanks

 

[Gamble97]

Don't think you are going to save weight with aluminum that thick.

 

[jaden]

I am aware of that... not really looking to save weight

 

[99gst_racer]

.125" is way too thick. The people and shops that do this, use .040" thick aluminum. FAR easier to cut and shape. Not to mention it's cheaper and lighter, because weight savings is the only legitimate reason to do this in the fist place.

 

[96' Eclipse GS]

This is possibly what you are looking for?! There is some talk about this for the drag/auto-cross guys awhile back. You can look here at DSMtalk and ask around.

Google Image Result for http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v507/niklas_1985/P4200031Medium.jpg

 

[jaden]

i'm driving it on the street... not worried about the weight of them i just want to get my interior back together

 

[99gst_racer]

So, what's wrong with OE interior door panels? Seems like they would be preferred for a street car.

 

[burkgonzo]

So, what's wrong with OE interior door panels? Seems like they would be preferred for a street car.

I think Shep has OE door panels . Other then the fact it looks cool, but it gets so damn hot here I would get 3rd degree burns if I ever did it.

 

[jaden]

I just think it will be pretty sweet when there done, add a "custom look" to the interior and i have no other door panels to put in... if i made them out of thin aluminum they would likely get dented if you hit them when trying to get over the roll cage or if you shut the door to hard etc etc etc... or if i ever wanted to put some handles or something on them i could attach them to the 1/8" where as you couldn't with thinner aluminum. its only like $160 for the 4x 8 sheet so cost isen't to high either

 

[jmartinez1228]

$160? This just seems like a big waste. YOu could have picked up door panels and popped them on for half the price. Atleast that's what some people sell them for around here. Sorry this just doesnt make sense, custom look or not.

 

[rcarbajal4]

If you want custom I'd make them out of cf. Aluminum wouldn't be too comfortable for a street driven car.

 

[99gst_racer]

What did you plan to cut it with?

 

[Ludachris]

I've actually thought about doing this, but I think I'd lean towards carbon fiber or even plastic sheets with a CF overlay. It would give it something of a vintage racing look (think Datsun). In the end I'm not sure if it would look all that great.

I now have a spare 2g dash that I plan to hack up and try to fit in my 1g... talk about a custom look!

 

[jaden]

an electric angle grinder and a cut off wheel will work...

 

[T is for TURBO]

Cutting aluminum with a cut off wheel is going to suck. Unless someone makes a wheel specifically for aluminum? The same goes for grinding...

 

[99gst_racer]

Cutting aluminum with a cut off wheel is going to suck. Unless someone makes a wheel specifically for aluminum? The same goes for grinding...

Agreed. Aluminum and high-speed abrasive cutting just don't mix.

Tin snips or electric shears work great on the thin (.040") stuff.

 

[TSIturbo91]

Keep in mind that one day it will be nice and the sun will be shining an you'll be negotiating a turn some where and then Shing! The sun will shin off the aluminum and right into your eyes.

I'm going to be doing sorta the same thing soon. On my 1G but only the lower carpet portion. Where feet always have to keep the door from coming back at you. I'm in the sticks and an easy way to clean crap off from it was the point of mine.

However I'm also only doing the lower portion because of the sun shining effect. I love fabrication work but sometimes the idea needs tweaking. If your truly set on the whole panel being aluminum you may want to think of a way to keep glare down.

 

[99gst_racer]

^^^ Another benefit of thin sheet aluminum - it's available in colors including but not limited to flat black. No glare issues.

 

[pballer]

RICER!

 

[jaden]

I dont know what you guys are all wining about... I cut it out of cardboard and matched it up onto the sheet of aluminum and cut both door panels out in like 30 min. I used a regular cut off wheel and an angle grinder.

the door panels only weigh 9 pounds each which in total for both door panels is only 2 pounds heavyer then the stock panels. ( i was wanting durability more then weight loss for this project as stated 3 times already) the cost to make them was about $45 each. which is probibly the same price that you would pay for some used beat to hell panels off kijiji

you guys can "bash" the idea of making door panels all you want but im happy with the way they look.

ill upload some pictures ass soon as i get some time to make a photobucket account.

 

[bastarddsm]

an electric angle grinder and a cut off wheel will work...

Jig saw with a metal blade would work better. I've even used a course ass wood blade to cut aluminum once.

 

[Tha Fella Dylan]

RICER!

Lol. Your avatar.

 

[jaden]

Is there a way to post pictures other then to add the "url" of the image? is there no option to browse for images on your computer? i have a picture of them on my facebook

i think i figured it out

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

 

[H@xtGSX]

I like it. That looks like it'll take some serious abuse without any issues, and I would think it'd be safer in the event of a side impact.

I was thinking of doing this in fiberglass instead, just so I could mould in a small arm rest and vent, but similar in concept. My OEM panels are held together with more JB Weld than I care to think about. Putting the lock and window buttons in would be simple enough, as would a speaker.

 

[jaden]

Ya i was thinking it would be neat to make a little arm rest for it and bolt it on to... ill see how much it bugs me when im driving it on the street.

as for the comment about the side impact, there just held in with plastic tree clips right now so i dont think they would do to much ... there's a roll bar there for that though. you could rivet them in but i knew i would just have to take them back out to make the window switches work