Duplicating a Kick Panel

[jinetix 10+ year member]

My friend has a pair of custom made kick panels for his car. He got them made for 500$.. basically since I have the same car, I was wondering if there is a way to copy it. Will I have to make a mold or something? I was thinking of covering the whole thing in aluminum foil and laying fiberglass on it.. then after drying, pop off the fiberglass and glass the inside for a bit, and then attach the MDF ring.

My current kick panels are starting fall off and crack due to people kicking them around when they're in the car.. plus the imaging isn't so great. =T Any advice?

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[EFFENDI 10+ year member]

You have pretty much the right idea about it.. best way to make a copy is to make a mold...but make a relief mold. Im not too familiar with what material but you definitely dont want to build "on top" of the other kickpanels, the dimensions will be off enough that it wont fit properly/easily. I would ask someone else here who knows a bit more about FG as to what material you should go with for making a mold.

 

[ANeonRider 10+ year member]

Why do through the trouble of copying? Would be much easier to just build your own in the same spot.

 

[EFFENDI 10+ year member]

His buddy has the same vehicle, why not copy the kicks? I dont think its as much trouble as it sounds.

 

[themainjam 10+ year member]

hmmm i think you could use plaster to make the mold. just make sure to put some moldrelease and cover the original with tape/plastic/aluminium foil. then cut the mold in half and then tape the mold and start adding fiberglass. i wouldnt use fiberglass to make the mold that get expensive......

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

no, use the plaster (the stuff you plop on the drywall seams might work- you know, that white crap that gets hard to clear up the screw heads and seams)

cover the kick in seran wrap (clear sticky plastic crap) so it dosnt get any on it... then get a shallow cardboard box (slightly deeper than 1\2 the kick, and fill it with the plaster crap, slowly - as to make sure there are no bubbles or pockets, push half of the kick into the plaster-stuff, wait, and then pull it out.

perfect mould. (make sure you fiberglass OVER THE EDGES of the mould and TRIM off the excess FG- dont wanna make it too small, object is to get it to match almost perfect after the first trim)

repeat for side B- lay a few more layers of FG on the inside (1 or 2 should be enough - so the dimensions dont get skewed) and then connect them with one layer of FG around the seams (trying not to make it too thick) and then fill it with a few OZ of resin, coat the inside and all the seams, and let dry.

as long as the mould is correct, it should come together like a glove!

DONT FORGET TO TAKE PICTURES!

 

[EFFENDI 10+ year member]

I was just thinking he could use plaster for it!!! And blammo there was the post!! Its very inexpensive to do it that way...Dont forget to cover up the original up very well (both sides, just for protection). We want pics, keep us updated!!

 

[skeg]

kill people if they kick them. and don't copy people's doorpods, do something different

 

[jinetix 10+ year member]

My kick panels have the midrange firing straight across. My friend's kick panel setup sound pretty darn good and since I have the same car I thought to myself why not. The plaster method seems much easier, I'll try that tommorow and post some pictures of it. Thanks for the great info req.. didn't even think of plaster. =T

I guess no more babysitting.. took a toll on my leather and kick panels //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/mad.gif.c18f003ab0ef8a0d9c27ca78d77a6392.gif

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

hah. im looking forward to seeing your progress. PICS!!!