Body/Trim: Door cards

[morsing]

Hi,

Does anyone make door cards for the 240? If not, has anyone tried to make their own out of cardboard/hardboard?

Thanks

[Bob Meadows]

Henrik:~
The material for door cars is generally Mill board- (look for classic car materials)
Better still is exterior grade plywood.

The two you mention are not suitable for doors at you need a water resistant product.
Lining the inner side with a water repellant sheet (plastic) is also advisable- you could also paint with a bitumen paint (Black Jack or similar)
Hope it helps.
Regards Bob.

[morsing]

Hi Bob,

My concern about plywood it the thickness as the top of the door handle needs to be able to turn in the "lock". And what about the clips? Or maybe it is stiff enough that you don't need clips.

Is it common to make your own?

Regards,
Henrik

[Bob Meadows]

Hello Henrik:~
I would think that making the door cards for a 240 is quite rare.
Just had a closer look at my '88 240 and although quite flat I suppose you do have areas that are built up (not difficult to reproduce if you are handy)
but you have cloth and vinyl plus a stainless trim strip that would have to be contended with - not impossible but certainly difficult and time consuming.

You would probably need an industrial sewing machine for some areas and on these cars trim could also be heat formed?
Plywood is just over 5mm and can be sanded/planed down i.e. chamfered edges, quite common on classic car door card edges.

What is the problem with your cards- can you get second hand items?
My experience with making the door cards is as picture- Riley RM- but a Volvo would take some application.
Hope it helps.
Regards Bob

[Laird Scooby]

Correct me if i'm wrong Bob but i believe you can get 1/8" (3.2mm) thick plywood but more importantly, hardboard comes in that thickness.

I say more importantly because if you can steam the hardboard, you can bend it to shape to match the original and leave it clamped to dry in that position/shape then paint it in 50/50 water/PVA glue to seal it and provide a key for the glue for the vinyl to cover it.

Also by using a thin (3-5mm) 1/8-3/16" foam backing on the front of the door card before applying the vinyl, it will give it a more luxurious feel, hide a multitude of sins such as scratches, indents not quite in the right place etc then fold the edges of the vinyl over and secure to the back of the card.

Millboard was used on older cars, i believe from the 70s onwards hardboard was used because it was cheaper and easier to mould to shape using steam, albeit a long drawn out process for the DIYer.

I daresay it would be possible to do the same with plywood but you'd need much higher clamping pressures and probably a lot more steam to do it.

[morsing]

Hi Bob,

The cards on my 240, and other old cars I own, have disintegrated 1/3 of the way up. Literally nothing left, just the flappy "leather" cover.

I thought that was pretty normal.

I'd love to buy new ones, or even second hand ones, if in good condition.

Regards,
Henrik

[Bob 1967]

Yeah , I made a rear passenger door card .
I peeled the vinyl from the old one and laid the old board onto a new piece . I just used it as a template. There are heavy duty staples as well as a contact adhesive holding the vinyl on .
They are mirrored Left/right , so if your left is rotten Carefully disassemble the right and use it for a template ( I used a can of aerosol paint to imprint the shape on the new board.)
If its a bit off, try again. Its cheaper than a replacement ( especially in the correct colour/trim).
Its a similar board often used in bottoms of drawers. I got a 1m square that was protecting boxes on a pallet

[Bob 1967]

Unfortunately , I didn't keep any images .But the process of removing the vinyl is pretty straight forward. I just peeled it from the edges with thumb power alone, then slid my hand between the card and vinyl .
It is where it's attached to the upper section where staples are employed.
Two pieces of wood are joined to form the part that hooks over the metal seam on the top of the door itself.

[morsing]

Thanks Bob,

Will have a look at that.

Henrik