We're close to seeing the end of upholstered door panels. More and more door panels are being molded as one piece. If you damage something, you must order a whole new panel from the dealer. Inexpensive to make-highly profitable as a replacement part. An interesting side point here: if you built a $20,000 car off the lot from replacement parts, that vehicle would cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $250,000!

With auto parts being manufactured in one country and the vehicles assembled in another, there is less standardization. You'll find both metric and SAE fasteners side-by-side in the same vehicle. Be prepared, therefore, with enough tools to remove your various trim panels and pieces.

Here's our subject door panel (from my Ford Range mini-truck) Almost all separate arm rest are retained with three screws accessible from the bottom of the unit. These screws can be Phillips, Torx, SAE or metric.

Be very careful with these thin-plastic door-handle moldings. They're very susceptible to cracking.

I pry these clips put of the door with a blade screw driver with the tip resting on the clip shoulder.

When everything is off, I can remove the panel from the door. It is held on with serrated plastic clips. These are released by prying them up with a screw driver. The important thing is to be certain the screw driver is directly under the clip shoulder. If you pry up on the fiber panel, it will surely break.

Here's the little fellow. Serrations hold it into the hole. There are as many clips in this business as there are makes and models. One thing is universal, however, always pry on the clip shoulder, never on the panel fiberboard.

On this panel, the cover is molded to the fiberboard with a heat press and glued to the backside around the edges. I began the removal by peeling the edge back from the fiberboard. Then I trimmed it off with scissors. Finally, I very carefully peeled the cover from the board.

Besides not wanting to damage the fiberboard, I was careful in removing the cover so I could use part of it as a pattern. Note the fancy curved indent around the armrest and door handle. I want to reproduce this on the new panel so I carefully cut it out. Now it's a pattern.

As before, I bonded a piece of vinyl to 1/2" foam. Then, I laid out 1/2" pleats. To locate the "fancy curve" accurately, I placed the old cover over the new, aligning the pleats. Now I know where the curve goes. This was laid in with chalk pencil. Five minutes at the sewing machine and I had top-stitched the pleats and the curve.

Fortunately, the cover peels off easily without pulling up layers of fiberboard. Go slowly here as you start. You can cut deeply into the board if you try to rip off the cover.

Use old cover to locate pattern designs or hole placements.

I began installing the cover by carefully centering the board over the back of the cover. This location is critical so the armrest and door handle come out in the right place. When I was sure of the location, I squirted a little cement between the panel and cover to hold things in place.

In the photo you see me trimming the foam to fit the edge of the board. I don't want to wrap the foam around the board because it creates too much bulk. Finally, I trim the edges of the material and cement them to the board. To reduce bulk in the corners I cut a series of "V" notches right up to the edge of the panel. You can see it makes a flat smooth edge.

Never wrap a heavy layer of padding around an upholstered panel. Take the time to trim it away carefully. The fit to the vehicle will be tighter and more attractive.

To reduce bulk in the corners, cut tight "Vs" around the radius before cementing corners in place.

Many of my trimmer friends cut out the holes for the window crank, door handle and other openings on the bench prior to installation. Usually, this works out fine. Once however... Well, I don't cut the holes at the bench anymore.

Temporarily mount the panel to the door by pushing two or three of the plastic retainers part-way into their holes. Now, feel for or observe, where the door handles protrudes against the material. Carefully cut a slot for it. A slot is better than a hole. If the hole is too big, the (escutcheon) cover plate might not cover the hole. Just be careful.

Ready-to-install panel. I'll cut my holes after the panel is in place. I still have to make a slit for the door handle to squeeze through, plus a tiny hole for the window crank. Padded and sewn, new cover looks much like the old one.

I cut these holes very carefully after the panel was in place and re-installed arm rests and trim.

When all the holes are located, trim carefully. Now you can push in all the retainer clips. I finished my job by installing the window crank, armrest, and door handle cover plate.

Stock #VB1710AUH $19.95 or $17.95 if you order online	1-55561-171-0 U.S., $19.95 Paperback 8.5 x 11, 232 pages, English 550 b&w photos Learn step-by-step how to: Make and install interiors for any car, truck, van, RV or airplane Sew like an expert -- on vinyl, leather or any fabric Restore, recover and build bench and bucket seats Upholster armrests and door panels Make and install headliners and carpeting Install convertible tops, vinyl roofs, sim-con and landau tops Create street rod interiors Build boat and motorcycle seats Author Don Taylor has spent a lifetime as a professional upholsterer. He has owned and operated upholstery and van-conversion shops. Don shares his vast knowledge and many years of experience so you can do the job right and get the results you want!
	Custom Auto Interiors By Don Taylor and Ron Mingus
Stock #VB1400CAI This advanced upholstery book has just been revised with hundreds of color photos. Retail $24.95, Our price $22.95	1-55561-140-0 U.S., Retail $24.95, Our price $22.95 Paperback 8.5 x 11, 176 pages, English Expert trimmers Don Taylor and Ron Mangus share two lifetimes of auto upholstery experience and secrets in this fantastic book. Hundreds of photographs capture every detail you'll need to create your own exciting and award-winning custom interiors. Precise step-by-step instructions show you how to turn out completely professional custom interiors. Among other subjects covered in Custom Auto Interiors: Planning your car's interior Seats Door Panels Armrests and Door Pulls Stereo Panels Trunks Dune Buggies Carpets Reveal Moldings Convertible Tops Modesty Panels

Auto-Marine Upholstery Video-VHS and DVD How To Start and Operate An Upholstery Business Manual Hog Ring Pliers

Buy Replacement Auto Door Panels

Upholstery Training Videos -- Online Brochure  If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is a 2 hour video worth?

Upholstery Tool Kits , Selected Tools, Air Staple Guns,   Electric Staple Guns, and Books All our products on one page