i'm getting free door panels

[noob with an RS 10+ year member]

i found someone on craiglist giving away free door panels that fit my car. its an ugly color but im thinking about picking them up to maybe practice fiberglassing or something.. juding from the picture below, what do u guys suggest i try doing? im skeptic about door pods working because the midwoofer area protrudes so much already, i dont want a funkylooking door panel and i think the front seat passsengers will block them.. but what do u guys think?

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[ssj2xxgotenxx 10+ year member]

That's a good idea.

 

[Ingleside 10+ year member]

i made some for my WRX and they worked out just fine. mine stick out more than most people would have them but my legs never hit them under normal driving.

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=133207

 

[noob with an RS 10+ year member]

what should i do since the door panels in my car are covered in vinyl? should i take off the speaker grill and somehow seal the hole off and then build a pod over where the speaker grill use to be?

 

[noob with an RS 10+ year member]

i made some for my WRX and they worked out just fine. mine stick out more than most people would have them but my legs never hit them under normal driving.
http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=133207

what kind of material was the outer surface of your door panel made out of? plastic? also, how did u get it look to so smooth and plasticky after fiberglassing?

 

[noob with an RS 10+ year member]

anyone?

 

[ramos 5,000+ posts]

what should i do since the door panels in my car are covered in vinyl? should i take off the speaker grill and somehow seal the hole off and then build a pod over where the speaker grill use to be?

Depends on what the panel itself is made of . If it plastic or hard board , you can pull the vinyl off. Scratch up the areas you want the glass to attach. Then use epoxy resin. It sticks to plastic better. Can also drill some small holes in the plastic where your going to attach the pods. It will give some teeth for the glass to hold to the plastic. I would remove the speaker grill , but don't worry about sealing the hole . Just mount your rings over top of it angled the way you want //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[ramos 5,000+ posts]

anyone?

Bueller..................bueller //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

He got them like that with good prep work . Painting is all in the prep. Once you get your material stretched , and a couple layers of mat down. Coat with a thick coat of reinforced filler. Knock down ridges with a body file the second it starts to turn rubbery. Sand as smooth as possible , don't worry about sanding all the the way through if needed to get smooth. Skim coat over the entire surface with regular filler. Knock down any ridges with the body file the second it starts to turn rubbery. Sand smooth. icing coat of filler to fill pinholes small scrathces what have you . Sand smooth. Couple coats of high build primer, sand smooth. Couple more coats, sand smooth. shoot it with primer sealer and paint it . Don't sand the sealer. Always wet sand when color sanding. Add a drop or two of dish soap in your sanding water. Acts like a lubricant , and cleans a little as well. Use fresh paper. Don't get cheap , no sense in half arsing it this late in the game. Don't forget to buff the clear coat //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Nexson 10+ year member]

^^do everything there.