Suede Door Panels... Check!

[SA E30]

I had a bit of time on my hands this Good Friday, so I figured I would take up the meaningless, and totally unneeded task of stripping down my door panels and recovering them in dark grey suede.

Now this car has a bit of a minamalist theme, think Ferrari F40 interior. So with that being said, I removed the door pulls, map pocket and mirror controls.

I then just added a belt door pull (not picured), and called it a day.

Personally I love the way it looks and I'm chuffed as it's the 1st time I've ever tried something like this. I'll let the pictures talk.







Makes a nice change from the turbo work, and suspension work i've been doing on this car lately.

Next trick is to cover the a and b pillar, as well as remove the carpet and install speaker box carpet or spmething of the like without the heavy foam liner.

[5ickride]

I like it, kinda. I dont know, i think it woud look even better it it maintained the grooves and pattern of the original door panels. Also, i think black suede would give it an even better contrast to the white paint. Good job on executing this!

EDIT: on second thought, if you attach the door pull and map pockets i think it will actually look badass!! Do it!

[gearheadE30]

Looks good, but why does the panel look like its screwed on? And I think it would look better with the pulls and map pockets as well. It needs something to break up all that uniform area.

[Lof8]

I likie where you're going. Subscribed for future pics.

[SA E30]

I've attached door pulls, but I didn't take a snap with them installed. I went with plain suede and no stitching mainly because it was the 1st time I've ever done this, so keeping the possibility of a stuff up to a minimum.

I also went with the dark grey suede as my roof liner is painted a dark grey, and the shift boot I made is also made from this same material.



I'm also not putting the map pockets and original door handles back into the car, as I'm keeping the weight down but still keeping it streetable. Hence why I'm pulling the stock carpet and putting down carpet that weighs much less.

I'm still thinking of a solution for the rear panels. I would like to replace them with a sheet of cf, but it seems like the area it attaches to is not flat. Suggestions ?

Basically the interior reads like this:

Dark grey Carpet, Dark Grey Shift Boot, Dark Grey Door Cards, Dark Grey Roof Liner. I'm going to attempt to recover the stock rear seats (I think it's a waste to pull them in a street car, and are easily removed for HPDE's), and passenger seats.

I was thinking a Plaid type material that was either black and grey, or if I could get lucky has a similar colour green to the stitching on my shift boot, as it's the theme I'm going with, but I want to keep it subtle.

[KenC]

I don't like it at all. Why is it screwed on? There are clips. Just screams DIYWKWYD (Do It Yourself Without Knowing What You're Doing).

[Eric]

Looks good mate!

To all the naysayers about the clips vs. screws... when you strip the door panel down to just the fiberboard, the clips are very flimsy. Mine show through the fabric as a bump since it is only the fabric keeping the clip from punching through. I've thought about doing something other than the clips, but as of right now the door panels haven't had to come off in a while, so I'm going to let the clips stay until it becomes a problem.

Here are my panels, much the same, but different.

[SimplyDope]

I like where this is going. Less is more!

[StereoInstaller1]

Guys, did you think about a very thin layer of closed cell foam under the suede? You could use an open batting, but the suede is so heavy that it will just crush and show the imperfections.

Also, what glue are you using? If it comes from a can, you will have issues sooner or later. Get yourself some "Landau Top Adhesive" and $10 harbor freight spray gun, it sprays beautifully straight out of the gallon or 5 gallon can.

Just so ya know.

Luke

[Tricked 323i]

Guys, did you think about a very thin layer of closed cell foam under the suede? You could use an open batting, but the suede is so heavy that it will just crush and show the imperfections.

Also, what glue are you using? If it comes from a can, you will have issues sooner or later. Get yourself some "Landau Top Adhesive" and $10 harbor freight spray gun, it sprays beautifully straight out of the gallon or 5 gallon can.

Just so ya know.

Luke

+1 1/8" headliner will do the trick and if you did not use an automotive grade suede make sure you UV treat it or it will fade and turn color in less than 6 months.....
Kevin

[StereoInstaller1]

Kevin speaks truf. I always forget that detail, as I get my shit from an automotive upholstery supply house.

[SA E30]

Thanks guys.

The fabric is outdoor curtaining material (so basically faux suede), it is uv treated and scotch guarded.

Being curtain manufacturers I do have a knowledge base of fabrics, but other than hanging them. I haven't really worked with them till now.

I completed the A Pillars this past weekend, I'm figuring out a way to make new cf rear panels, cause the stock ones roll over the top and close the gap between the body and window rubber.

Reason I'm not using the stock ones are because they are a bit broken and the other reason being they are a small way to save weight.

I'm very much about saving weight but still keeping it streetable.

[Ceeker]

not bad and I think it would look nice also with the stitching; Some professional contact cement stray to work the suede flat would also bode well. Perhaps the groves in the door panel where the stitching is would show through had a thinner suede been used or the cement would allow for conforming? gives people ideas never the less. different look.

[SA E30]

I did use contact adhesive in those pictures just the centre had it though. It was just a test fit with a few staples in the back.

I did use it on the entire door panel to help it conform. Reason I didn't use any stitching is because I wasn't sure how it would look, and I'm not sure if I can stitch straight enough. That being said I really did think that some green stitching to match the rest of the theme would look good.

[SA E30]

I did use contact adhesive in those pictures just the centre had it though. It was just a test fit with a few staples in the back.

I did use it on the entire door panel to help it conform. Reason I didn't use any stitching is because I wasn't sure how it would look, and I'm not sure if I can stitch straight enough. That being said I really did think that some green stitching to match the rest of the theme would look good.