Wood door panels

racydave · Post by **racydave** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 5:59 pm

I heard that there is a new strain of Italian Termites out that not only eat wood, but they eat rust too!

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 9:50 am

fiater wrote:I'm a wood-guy, so I'm anxious to see the finished project. You may have started a trend. I would use at least 4 coats of marine varnish instead of polyurethane. Poly doesn't hold up very well outside, but if you limit the exposure to the sun, you'll be ok for a while. I used oak plywood and marine varnish on my dash and it's held up reasonably well, but I don't drive much and I live in the north east.

Let it be said here, that I am totally a "wood guy" too, and in my experience this is a totally bad idea, but I'm doing it anyway, lol. You are totally right about the marine varnish, but I don't have any of that lying around (although I've been meaning to get some). We'll see how long it takes this poly to turn yellow and flake off. I keep the car covered most of the time, so I'm guessing it should be ok. Not sure what heat does to poly, though, does it have the same effect as sun?

mdrburchette · Post by **mdrburchette** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 10:43 am

I used poly on my wood dash...probably 12 coats to fill in the woodgrain, and I've had no problem with adhesion or yellowing. It's been done for 12 years now. Lacquer may be a different story.

fiater · Post by **fiater** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 10:36 am

Sun is worse than heat due to the UV rays. The Varnish on My boat takes a beating on the South and West sides. Your poly will be ok for a while and if it fails, you won't be out much $. In the meantime you may be responsible for alot of Spiders running around with wood door panels!

fiater · Post by **fiater** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 9:35 am

Denise, 12 coats may be the reason for your success, or maybe the magic touch that you had with your valve covers just spread to your dash!
There are grain fillers and marine filler stains for open grain woods. Even though directions usually say to use two coats, boaters use as many as 10. Some start with 4 and add 1 a year. When they get to 10 they strip everything down and start over.

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 9:18 am

I got two visors cut out now, awaiting on my decision for mounting methods.

I got a couple of plates that have the two holes (one on each end) and I'm gonna give them a nice round bend in the middle over a screw driver or something round. Drill a hole through the visor and then send a bolt through to clamp it tight. Hopefully that will hold onto those visor brackets tight enough. I've read elsewhere on the internet that one solution for floppy visors is to put that heat shrink tubing on them and trim it nice. I'll probably do that so that there is something to grip there. I don't plan on staining these until i know I can mount them without it looking stupid. I'm not sure the method I'll be using will look right, but here's a quick "Paint" picture i drew up. (Forget people and their photoshop skills, doesn't this plan look so realistic? I bet you thought it was a real picture!--btw, don't worry, my visors follow the same shape as the originals, which, btw, are really cool looking in wood.) (oh, another BTW, I've got a can of nice brown paint mixed up from a project a while ago. I hope to be able to PAINT the edges of the plywood to hide the layers, and then poly the entire piece, you shouldn't be able to notice without intense inspection) but I digress-- back to the concept picture:

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 10:41 am

I think padded vinyl was used as a safety issue in case you contacted the windshield in an accident. Wood may not be as forgiving, unless it's a soft wood (balsa, maybe?)

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 10:49 am

So Cal Mark wrote:I think padded vinyl was used as a safety issue in case you contacted the windshield in an accident. Wood may not be as forgiving, unless it's a soft wood (balsa, maybe?)

Why the poo-pooing on my ideas today, Mark (just kidding)? Seriously, though, i think that metal wires covered in 1/8 of an inch of vinyl and foam is just as dangerous as a wood visor. Should my head be up there in a crash, I've got other problems besides whacking a visor.

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:26 am

hey, I just don't want to see a thread about pulling slivers out of your hairline!

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:34 am

So Cal Mark wrote:hey, I just don't want to see a thread about pulling slivers out of your hairline!

Thanks Mark, Maybe I'll just make a habit of wearing my bright orange motorcycle helmet when I drive it. I'm a skinny guy, so I always feel cartoonish with a helmet on (big head, little body). But why not!?!?!?

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 1:12 pm

the helmet will certainly draw attention, how about wrapping the wood visor in foam and vinyl? Or make the visor out of foam?

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 1:15 pm

So Cal Mark wrote:the helmet will certainly draw attention, how about wrapping the wood visor in foam and vinyl? Or make the visor out of foam?

I do have plenty of black vinyl on hand, it has a fibrous backing. So I'll keep that as an option.

Also, I've heard that if you are over 6' tall the visors either don't help, or get in the way, one of those, I can't remember. Can anyone verify that? (I'm 6'2")

mbouse · Post by **mbouse** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 4:33 pm

as you work on this, see if you can incorporate the 1976 visor (?and earlier?) that i just saw the other day.

I had no idea that the older visors had a built in relief, or pocket, to allow the visor to fit up higher when the top was up. the dished out area made room for the top clamps.

dang aftermarket replacements don't have this nifty little feature. actually allows about 1/2" more swing for the visor to get outa your way, the few times you gotta drive with the top up.

ga.spyder · Post by **ga.spyder** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 6:13 pm

Hey Dan ,I have been following your project w/ interest. I am 6'1 and NOT a skinny guy! I find the armrests mount a little low ,and the visors usable ,but not ideal. My biggest problem w/ the fiat is leg room. I feel the gas pedal seems to sit to close to the seat,making it a little uncomfortable on long rides. I really like the idea of the wood visors ,and am loking forward to seeing how they work out.My wife freaked at the pix of your project on the wood floors!When we first met I was rebuilding a Porsche 914 motor on my kitchen table. How soon they forget!!! Craig

So Cal Mark · Post by **So Cal Mark** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 6:30 pm

I just hope she doesn't catch you using the dishwasher as a parts cleaner or the oven for baking paint