I would appreciate some advice about the material to use for door/kick panel board on which to attach the upholstery on my hiboy roadster. Some people have told me thin masonite, others 1/8" plywood. The masonite, it seems to me, is too brittle, and the plywood too thick. Regular cardboard panel board might warp if it gets wet, which is a real possibility in a roadster.

Any advice you can pass along will be appreciated.

I used thin masonite in my '58, but then, I don't have to worry about it getting wet.
Phil
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One man's treasure is another man's trash.

Dooce......I do interiors myself and use either polystyrene plastic (get from a sign shop.....cheap and plentiful and forms real nice with heat) or I really like the flat stock material from "RodDoors". It is ABS plastic (black) and is thin enough to take a heat gun to and mold to the contour (if your really good at it) and it cuts with a straight edge and a sharp blade! Both glue great.....and are water proof. I would not use any other material(s) in an open car!

I will send you some pix of what I did in the 32 of mine.

Steve Jack....Southeastern Goodguys Rep
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Steve Jack
SOUTHEASTERN GOODGUYS REP

I'm doing interior with ABS panels. You can get them in Lilburn or Vinings. I picked up trim screws and am going to leave them exposed as they have a leather texture, but you could cover them. Come in 1/16" and 1/8" 4x8 sheets.

One other point on open car interiors. Make sure that you use "closed-cell" foams for padding, including the floor undercarpet. This will NOT absorb water just in case. Opened-cell foams are real popular, softer and fluffier (is that a word?) but will absorb buckets of water and eventually mold and mildew. The jute padding on the back of carpet .......same thing.

My 32 (all leather with tweed inserts and loop carpet) got soaked one day in a rain that went thru the cockpit cover (yeah right...generation/evolution 4 covers are rain proof..uh huh) and I had water running out the holes (1/4 inch) in the floorboard (another great idea while you are doing it by the way). After wet-vacuuming the carpet, wiping down the carpet and the seats had plastic over them....do that regarless of what cover you have.....two hours later in the sun the thing was completely dry and never the less for wear!

Just another idea before you start!

Steve Jack....Southeastern Goodguys Rep
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Steve Jack
SOUTHEASTERN GOODGUYS REP

Steve,

Do you know of a good location I can point my upholsterer to in order to get reasonably priced leather. I am up here in Montana, too far for you to be doing it for me I think, and I would like to do my 65 Impala in tweed and leather(love the smell). But if we cannot find something that is not in the $700 a hide range, naughahyde does not sound that bad.

Doug
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The Land Yacht specialist

TRY SOME 1/8 OR 1/4 INCH TYVEK, IT IS USED IN INSULATING. IT HAS SILVER FOIL ON BOTH SIDES WITH FOAM IN THE MIDDLE. VERY STRONG AND FLEXABLE. EASY TO CUT AND SHAPE. NEVER GETS WATERLOGGED. GOOD STUFF..ED

Chack out Three Rivers Supply, they ship UPS 1-412-462-3900. I bought my tweed there.
Bob

Doug, Check out a product called "Ultra Leather". Looks and feels just like real leather at a fraction of the cost. From what I've seen, wears better then real leather too. It's sister product, "Ultra Suade", looks awesome as inserts on door and kick panels.
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YOUR ROD-LESS CRUZN BUDDY, DENISE

send me a e-mail and i'll give you a number of a buddy, he sells full hides for $ 150.00 each.
t.swayne@ATT.NET
tOM

Thanks everyone for the info on leather, and Ultra leather. Probably won't be doing the interior untill this winter, but I did get the Impala running again after a 2 year sit in the garage. I sure messed up the paint, so am sanding and will be taking it over to my friends shop to try to straighten it out, possibly this weekend. 5 years without something to drive is killing me.

Doug
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The Land Yacht specialist

Try Luan backed 1/8 paneling, the interior books tell you to use Luan plywood they say it does'nt warp with moisture.

One other point on open car interiors. Make sure that you use "closed-cell" foams for padding, including the floor undercarpet. This will NOT absorb water just in case. Opened-cell foams are real popular, softer and fluffier (is that a word?) but will absorb buckets of water and eventually mold and mildew. The jute padding on the back of carpet .......same thing.

My 32 (all leather with tweed inserts and loop carpet) got soaked one day in a rain that went thru the cockpit cover (yeah right...generation/evolution 4 covers are rain proof..uh huh) and I had water running out the holes (1/4 inch) in the floorboard (another great idea while you are doing it by the way). After wet-vacuuming the carpet, wiping down the carpet and the seats had plastic over them....do that regarless of what cover you have.....two hours later in the sun the thing was completely dry and never the less for wear!

Just another idea before you start!

Steve Jack....Southeastern Goodguys Rep
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Steve Jack
SOUTHEASTERN GOODGUYS REP

I'm just finishing up my interior, and as mentioned a month ago, will submit a little article. I just need time to edit it. Anyhow, I went to Lowes and bought a plastic sheet, 4' x 8', that's in the shower dept. It's used behind shower tiles or something. This stuff worked great. I glued closed cell, 1/8" thick foam, and then my tweed. I think it turned out great. No worry about warping, and it will withstand everyday aduse withouth breaking. It isn't too heavy either. This weekend I will install the remainder of my windlacing, and for $300, have a complete tweed interior in a four door sedan!