Manning

Are we talking about the same thing? I was talking about the armrest in the middle, behind the center console.

I think regarding the doors, it might be easy enough to just fab something out of fiberglass. Well maybe not easy, might actually take several interations to get the contours right, but then you could make a plug off of it...

Resale shmesale. Keep all the original stuff in your garage or basement and put it back if you ever sell the car.

Dan Gallagher

no, we were talking about different things, although i did pull the armrest in the middle already, i just want to go further with it... see the picture i just posted.

pulling an entire dash, gauges, climate control, airbags etc. etc. and saving it to put back together is quite a job imho once its done, im not putting it back together!

Manning

Oh, I get it. I thought you were talking about continuing the lightening theme on the 84. On the early center console the back end is actually finished and doesn't look chopped off like the one in that picture.

I like those door panels a lot though.

Dan Gallagher

no, my 84 doesnt have a dash or a carpet or a console, or door panels (hell the inside sheet metal of the doors was cut off and they are emptied out even)... it has one seat, one steering wheel and one tach.... there is nothing left on that car to remove except stock bodywork and the hatch/windshield. the 951 is the one i care about.

Skip

Well, I guess the next thing to do is see what is preferred for the door panel itself. I was thinking for those who want to keep a panel might want it to look like the one pictured - not CF or FG. It seems likely that we could find a source to prefab the panels and cover them with at least black vinyl. The only other issue is speakers? I would guess that leaving that part up to the user would be best for cost consideration, but that means folks cutting their own holes. The only holes in all of them would be for the door handle, door pull and window crank.

Then there's the issue of the early cars... ugg...

Manning

No way Skip, there's no issue for the early cars. You take care of them first, you know, in the order they were built.

I really like the style of that panel in the picture.

Skip

The problem with the panel pictured is that it makes use of the originally installed top portion. That unit does not fit the 924/924s/early944 properly.

keith

but they look so go with the top portion intact - it carries the swapp of the dash around, you know. Plus, how much could that really affect weight?\

Now why was fiberglass out?

Ken D

Heck yeah! Manual windows, those little red pull straps...I like where this is going....

tifosiman

I am interested in the manual conversion as well! That is great!

The door panels are easy to make yourself if you have a post 85.1 car. I posted this on that "crappy pocket" thread on the 951 board. I am almost done with mine, total expense including the donor panels (for the tops) will be around $100-150 depending on what handles I buy.

Here is a pic of GeorgeK's car, that I got the idea from and that mine will look lie, especially if I do the manual window conversion:





Tifo

Manning

Skip, all that has to be done is a mold has to be pulled off four door panels; left and right old style and left and right new style. You then rework the molds to delete the pocket section, etc. Now you have mold to form the panel. Folks could have the option for painted or vinyl.

Obviously I have over simplified, but it isn't that huge a process. I'd even be willing to offer my interior panels to make the molds for the early doors.

CF might be a bit more of a bitch since it should be bagged and baked to be done right.

Manning

Tifo, that is great.

See what I mean about it not being such a huge deal to do.

ian

I would really like a set of these.....

The whole conversion with the manual windows, and the new pannels would be a nice additions to some of our track / street cars.....

Skip

Still checking on some options, but it looks like the door panels will be similar to that pictured above, but with a black or red nylon door pull. There's still the issue of speakers, though I think the best bet is to let folks make that mod themselves. I think CF or FG will be too expensive and not really suit the intended audience. My view of the situation is that folks with modified street/track cars who do_not race will use these and would want to retain some flavor of a stock look. Jason is going to snap pics of the 968TRS door panel for comparison. The hard material for the door panel will likely be waterproof fiberboard cut to fit the manual window, door pull and door latch. The skin can leave the manual window hole covered for those who would retain their stock power windows.

Please, if there is any comments or wisdom (including contacts) to share, do it now.

Dan Gallagher

while i was looking into this i planned on losing my speakers but i do plan on keeping the power windows for now.

i thought i would be the only one into something like this which is why i kept it to myself while i was talking to the manufacturers.