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MG MGA - interior panel material

I am making the interior panels for my 57 roadster.

I found some artists foam board material - about 3/16" thick - that is easily cut to shape. Thinking of using this as the backing material and then covering with vinyl using spray adhesive.

Other choice is 1/8" masonite.

Were the originals plywood or cardboard, or some kind of industrial pressboard?

What has anyone else used - happy?

When you screw these into the car body, do the screws stick out through the inner wings - in other words, if you pull off the wings (fenders) would you see the screw points sticking through?

JIM in NH
AJ Mail

JM,
I would use the masonite. It is very much like the original material. No the screws aren't exposed under the fenders.
Ed Bell

Jim, I'm doing mine at the moment and I have chosen 2mm thick millboard. It's like a thick, dark grey card and I believe it's used for book binding. I bought mine from an automotive trim suppliers and it is intended for trim panels. It seems quite tough but flexible enough to conform to the fairly tight curve at the front top of the doors. I've only just cut out the door panels so I've a way to go.
However do bear in mind that if the total thickness of the board and two layers of vinyl covering is more than 3 mm you will not be able to fit it into the steel stiffening brace that goes across the bottom of the door pocket. This will only take a maximum thickness of 3mm or 1/8". So I think your 1/8" masonite will be too thick. I chose material first viz. black lionide and this is quite thin at 0.5mm so it gave me a maximum thickness of 2mm for the board. Fortunately there was a millboard thickness of 2mm available. As for the trim screws I have bought a trim panel fastener kit from Todd Clarke; I have great faith in TC and I think you are lucky to have such a guy over there. Let me know if you want the screw length/gauge and I'll dig them out. One thing I like about Todd's fastener kit is that the screw cups are somewhat smaller diameter than the standard ones we get over here for the same gauge and they won't look as noticeable when finished. Mike
m.j. moore

Jim,
Attached are the photos showing the kick panel installation on my A. The board is stiff cardboard (millboard) 2 mm thick, vinyl is 1 mm thick. Screws go directly into the inner metal panel so could be seen with front mudguard (fender) removed. One exception is the fixing screw near the top hinge backing plate slot where a plastic boss has been used - maybe because the hole was too big!
Mike

Mike Ellsmore

Jim,
In my project Istead to use masonite or cardboard I will try to use a soft plastic material, wich has some advantages, for instance more resistant to the wet weather.
R Garcia

Use aluminium sheet...it is not effected by moisture, and is quite flexible.
Gary Lock

And is very expensive!
AJ Mail

Thanks to the kindness and generosity of Chris V in VT, I got patterns to trace for my panels - thank you so much. Moreover, my rotisserie is off to a new home and project - paying it forward...

Thanks for all the help and the replies so far.

JIM in NH
AJ Mail

Jim ,
It was good to meet you , and thanks for the loan of the rotisserie, Hope the panel patterns work out. PS if you use thin luan for the door panels make sure you pretreat them with a good wood stain to prevent moisture absorption.
Chris Velardi

Jim, I haven't done this on my restoration project yet, but I have worked with the foam board material you mention in your first post. IMO, this will not hold up well, its too easily bent/cracked, like after contact with someones foot etc.

George
G Goeppner

I remade mine in the late '60s with thin aluminum, covered with the vinyl from the original broken fiberboard. I had to crimp the reinforcing bar at the bottom of the pocket to fit. They have held up very well.
Russ
Russ Carnes

This thread was discussed between 17/01/2010 and 20/01/2010

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