V2Rocket

I'm sure many of you have the same frustrations that I have with the 944 series interior panels - they are cheap s**t.

For a car with the price tag it had when new, fibreboard panels that crumble when touched too hard and swell and warp at the slightest sign of humidity are chicken sh*t. The door pull/armrest goes through the fibreboard and grabs a metal bracket which slips into the door sheet metal...but if the little nut holding the assembly together isn't tight, the handle actually pulls through the fibreboard when you shut the door and eventually breaks through entirely and tears the vinyl, which just happened to me recently.

Also, if the little bracket isn't aligned properly, the window mechanism catches on it and further tears up the area around the door pull.

The other panels in the car like the headliner fall apart from heat and moisture because of what they're made of.

So...what can be done? Some fiberglass reinforcement helps a lot in some of the key areas (door handles, window switches, and speaker cutout) but not everyone is good with or even familiar with the FG process. There is a FG reproduction piece for the rear headliner available which is nice...but what about the rest?

Does anyone here have access to or know someone who does to plastic-forming facilities? Vacuforming, injection molding, anything? Would anyone even be interested in a more durable, plastic door panel replacement? I know I would, and I am looking into how to go about producing such a thing.

porsche_dreamer

I love to fiberglass. I have considered doing some interior pieces as mentioned. I have a mold of a rear seat delete I did to produce them just never got around to it. Door panels were next on the list. As always though a busy full time job gets in the way, and just basic maintenance on the cars is almost more than I can handle.

SpeedyC2

Some OEM and trick "Outlaw" style interior panels to broaden the appeal would be great.

Maybe this is a Kickstarter project for someone. (I have few skills myself, with fiberglass even less...)

TheAllusionist

I would imagine this and maybe the cassette tape holder replacement of a deeper compartment useable for actually storing stuff might have a market demand.

porsche_dreamer

What kind of outlaw panels are you referring to?

SpeedyC2

I don't really have anything particular in mind. Sort of an RS door panel, I guess.

I've borrowed the link to an image from the "Outlaw" thread on this board, and it's sort of what I have in mind. A very simplified panel, maybe with some alcantara and a door pull...

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7255/7...99c9ae_o_d.jpg

TheHummel

Yup, the door panels are embarrassingly bad.


Personally my problem is with the driver's side window switch panel. It attaches to the rest of the door panel with two screws into some clips on the door (plus two metal clips up top but they don't actually hold the weight), but the clips are just attached to the fiberboard. The fiberboard crumbled and ripped, which left the window switches dangling by their cords and the interior of the door visible. I tried gluing it back, but the glue wouldn't really hold and was messy. It just looks ugly. I need something actually firm in the door for it to mount on- but it can't be too big because the window itself needs clearance to roll down without hitting anything.

To the point, though, I think a plastic/fiberglass simplified door panel is a good idea.

odurandina

for the 968 all the interior panels are incredibly easy to fix with leather.

unfortunately, for the 944, the door cards and headliners are total dog ****.

solution; 968 door cards, and headliner.

then do the mirrors, add 968 front and rear spoiler etc, for maximum effect.

V2Rocket

968 door cards dont work on an early car. and im not quite to the point of swapping to a late interior.

i prefer the 944T nose that i have over the 968 front...but the 968 ***-end is nice.

don't like the 968 mirrors either...but id be open to them if it cut down wind noise.

odurandina

the 968 front is ok. the 944 with 968 mirrors, rear spoiler is fine.

the odurandina 968 front is....

morghen

Fiberglass rattles and vibrates, it cracks with sharp edges, think about safety before calling chicken**** on these cars !
Not to mention its feels rubbish to look at and touch...and if you knock your keys on it when you get out of the car, it sounds like a chinese POS toy.

Say you had a small accident, door gets busted and you get out with a face full of fiberglass...will the stock panels be ok then?

PeteL

OK..so fiberglass not so good, what fixes are there for the ridiculously weak mounting points for the window switches?

porsche_dreamer

I have fiberglass replacement panels on my 914 wrapped with padding and vinyl, and they hold the armrest perfectly fine with no noises or rattles. I reinforce most of my fiberglass with carbon or Kevlar especially if it's a thinner piece.

V2Rocket

Fiberglass can be reinforced and insulated with foam like the standard door panel.
Vinyl/cloth on the interior side would catch most of the shards.

Red1

A concern of mine as well. "Ridiculously weak" is being kind.