Aluminum door panels

[Adobedude]

Can't use the stock interior door panels anymore (didn't want to anyway) so now it's cardboard template time...followed by masonite template followed by aluminum...I'm using aluminum so I can get a thicker panel without adding a shit loat of weight, but it all depends on what my sheetmetal guy can work with...He builds all my HVAC ducts and custom kitchen hoods, so he's up to the task. He fabs a lot of custom shit for restaurants in town too.

Too bad our doors aren't flat, and I do want to keep the windows and stock handles, might give up the door lock.

Who knew all my subs would be helping me build a race truck....LOL

[blackknight]

nice, from the construction site to the fab shop! post pics or this didnt happen! lol

[User]

Why can't use the stock panels? To much weight, or some new rule?

[blackknight]

plastic weighs more than aluminum!

[Adobedude]

Why can't use the stock panels? To much weight, or some new rule?

Arm rests hit the side bars of the roll bar....:jerkit:

[blackknight]

i thought about that when i was going todo mine,so i ordered swingout kits, but never got it done. the guy just took my cash, broke my pass. side window.POS!

[Pete102580]

that's really cool you have those relationships. make em work for ya!

[Adobedude]

Fuck the aluminum door panels....LOL

Grabbed the 4" grinder and went to work on the stock panel...All I need to do now is get a piece of lexan to fill in the holes and paint it with wrinkle finish black paint. Now I can spend more time on important things like drilling holes in my bumber. :biggthumpup:

EDIT: I'm fabbing the aluminum panels after all.

[BluRT00]

This thread didn't deliver. Lol

[blackknight]

just fill it will aluminum panels powdercoated hammerite red or however you spell it

[Adobedude]

This thread didn't deliver. Lol

No shit....:jerkit:

I'd still like to have sheetmetal door panels but I took the easy way out. For now.

[Adobedude]

just fill it will aluminum panels powdercoated hammerite red or however you spell it

I'm anti powder coat...Too much $$$

[grapejuice1998]

Fuck the aluminum door panels....LOL

Grabbed the 4" grinder and went to work on the stock panel...All I need to do now is get a piece of lexan to fill in the holes and paint it with wrinkle finish black paint. Now I can spend more time on important things like drilling holes in my bumber. :biggthumpup:

BumPer!

The internet is rotting your brain.:jester:

[Adobedude]

BumPer!

The internet is rotting your brain.:jester:

I think the paint fumes from last week on the job....I could charge money for that buzz.

[Five9Dak]

The OEM door handle position kinda makes this job a bitch to pull off cleanly.

[Adobedude]

The OEM door handle position kinda makes this job a bitch to pull off cleanly.

Yep...But the handle can be removed and mounted to the door. Then it would be a matter of forming the tin work around it. You could even ditch everything and just have the door latch and window crank if you wanted to. :jerkit:

[70Cuda383]

I'm anti powder coat...Too much $$$

waiting for Copp to chime in about how cheap and easy powdercoating is, and how everyone should powdercoat their entire truck in, 3.... 2....




:jester:




if you're really going for lighter weight, why run any door panels at all? you already gutted the dash, carpet, headliner, etc, right? any real reason to keep the door panels?

[Adobedude]

waiting for Copp to chime in about how cheap and easy powdercoating is, and how everyone should powdercoat their entire truck in, 3.... 2....
:jester:
if you're really going for lighter weight, why run any door panels at all? you already gutted the dash, carpet, headliner, etc, right? any real reason to keep the door panels?

I still want it to look good, I hate cars/trucks where people have just ripped shit out...I've spent a lot of time scraping/sanding/patching/painting the inside of my cab, why quit now?

The main hoop is so fucking wide I will still need to notch the bottom of the stock door panel, the only way it will ever look good is to go with sheetmetal door panels. But this will work for now. I should have angled the door bars in, but who who knew?

[ADakotaRTGuy]

Funny, I don't have any pictures of my door bars on. Guess my truck would need to go to the track for that, but yea mine are bent slightly like this, -\, hard to explain. But mine are swing outs not just a straight bar.

Edit: Here is one shitty picture. Doing it this way won't allow you to easily convert to a full cage though.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/Davidsalazar03/Truck/CIMG2395.jpg

[Adobedude]

YEah...My door bars are straight, and only 1" from the door lip....I knew the doors would at least close, but not with the stock door panels...

I have a plan B going on....Probably going to kill the passenger side window for lexan anyway...Rear window is Lexan due to the roll bar. I can't drive the thing on the street and only have a drivers seat so why have a passenger side window that works...?

But the driver's side has got to work, this is the desert. I'm going to miss my rear slider as it is. I loved that thing on the return road.

[Adobedude]

Perfect...LOL

[Adobedude]

Fuck it...

I'm taking a door to the tin man....:biggthumpup:

[blackknight]

that would be your best bet sir! they will look bad ass!

[Adobedude]

that would be your best bet sir! they will look bad ass!

I played around with doing it the other way...Looked like ass.

[blackknight]

all sheet metal or polished mirror stainless?

[wyotech_cuda440]

I think it might be too late to help, but this is what worked for my Cuda to make the factory door panels fit.

Heat the rollbar with a propane torch, then slowly press the door closed against the bar. It heats and forms the plastic door panel around the bar for the clearance you need.

Here's a couple pics of my door open and closed.
http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/wyotech_cuda440/b73750e7.jpg
http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad274/wyotech_cuda440/042eb86d.jpg

[Adobedude]

all sheet metal or polished mirror stainless?

.040 aluminum...Painted with trunk paint a la Chassisman on Moparts...I don't want any shiny stuff in the cab.

[Adobedude]

I think it might be too late to help, but this is what worked for my Cuda to make the factory door panels fit.

Heat the rollbar with a propane torch, then slowly press the door closed against the bar. It heats and forms the plastic door panel around the bar for the clearance you need.


I need a lot more than that, but that's a good idea.

[blackknight]

it will look good!

[Adobedude]

it will look good!

Always....:biggthumpup:

[AmberFireDaK]

.040 aluminum...Painted with trunk paint a la Chassisman on Moparts...I don't want any shiny stuff in the cab.

Why so light? you can dent 18 ga. just by looking at it lol... 12 or even 10 ga wouldn't add that much weight on just 2 doors and you wouldn't have to worry about hurting it

[Adobedude]

Why so light? you can dent 18 ga. just by looking at it lol... 12 or even 10 ga wouldn't add that much weight on just 2 doors and you wouldn't have to worry about hurting it

We are using .060

[Adobedude]

Had the panels cut...I'm fitting/cutting them in my garage, once I have them good to go I'll take them back for some simple bead rolling...Have the door latch all figured out....

Here's where I am....I was going to paint them, but I might hit them with a scotch bright pad. I'll figure some thing out. For the technical guys out there....it's .050 aluminum, no reason to go any thicker, and it was free :biggthumpup:

[BluRT00]

Starting to look like a show truck. :biggthumpup:

[Adobedude]

Starting to look like a show truck. :biggthumpup:

It is...Show and Go.

[blackknight]

its looking good!

[BluRT00]

It is...Show and Go.

Nah I take back the show part. I don't see any tweed inserts on the doors.
My bad. :jester:

[grapejuice1998]

What about the engine turned look?

You take a 3" air grinder with a scotchbrite pad and make an overlapping circular pattern on it.

[BluRT00]

What about the engine turned look?

You take a 3" air grinder with a scotchbrite pad and make an overlapping circular pattern on it.

Oooooh very nice, hell the old Trans Am's pulled that look off on the dash. Why not Adobe? :jester:

[AmberFireDaK]

What about the engine turned look?

You take a 3" air grinder with a scotchbrite pad and make an overlapping circular pattern on it.

that's really hard to do by hand, but looks pretty good if it's right

You could also just do a straight brush which looks good too, either one will help to hide the marks and scratches from handling it

[Adobedude]

that's really hard to do by hand, but looks pretty good if it's right

You could also just do a straight brush which looks good too, either one will help to hide the marks and scratches from handling it

Gonna be a hard decsion...

I'll probably sand out the marks from handling it up to 400 grit and scotchbrite it. If that looks like ass at least it's ready for paint...This is what I planned on...GM trunk paint. Easy to fix if it get's scratched.

[Adobedude]

Panels were bead rolled, and I rubbed out the scratches with 400 grit....Door latch installed.

I've got to paint these things with something....Not gonna deal with scratches.

I knocked off about 8 lbs with these...:rockwoot:

[Sick 660r]

those look awesome! I'll probably makes something like it for the gen II.

[Adobedude]

those look awesome! I'll probably makes something like it for the gen II.

Thanks....The 4" radius was a bitch.

How to finish them is kicking my ass, I love the look of the aluminum, but with the dust/dirt etc...I'd be fucking with em for ever...Don't want to get em powder coated $$$, I'll try hammertone silver on a sample piece, don't want to paint em black or red.

[Jstrag360]

Looks good Dave. Hammertone silver:biggthumpup:

[Adobedude]

Looks good Dave. Hammertone silver:biggthumpup:

That's what I'm thinking....Hammertone spray is silver, but Hammertone brush on is charcoal gray, I used the brush on my roll bar. My Kirkey seat cover is gray, and I have a bead rolled aluminum piece to put behind the seat....right behind the roll bar. Silver sounds good.

Race truck / show truck. :idunno:

[blackknight]

how about just clearcoat pc?

[Adobedude]

how about just clearcoat pc?

My truck had the new PC delete option....Shit's too expensive.

[blackknight]

if you payed the trip for them to get here and back to you i can probably get done for free for ya! or do you know anybody with a body shop, just have them spray some clear on them!

[Adobedude]

if you payed the trip for them to get here and back to you i can probably get done for free for ya! or do you know anybody with a body shop, just have them spray some clear on them!

Hammertone silver on the tunnel....

[wyotech_cuda440]

Those panels look great :rockwoot:

I would leave them as-is. If they get scratched up, then paint them later. But really, how scratched do you think that a door panel will get?

[blackknight]

Hammertone silver on the tunnel....

what tunnel? i thought we were talking about door panels!

[Sick 660r]

I would leave it as is but I always liked the look of brushed aluminum.

[bad360rt]

Hammertone silver on the tunnel....

I like it, it'll look good and be easy to maintain.

[sunike32]

Leave them brushed. If you get a couple scratches on them just get out the sand paper again...

[Adobedude]

Leave them brushed. If you get a couple scratches on them just get out the sand paper again...

Brushed it is...

If it's a PIA, I'll paint em. Besides, if I leave them brushed. I'm done :biggthumpup:

[sunike32]

Brushed it is...

If it's a PIA, I'll paint em. Besides, if I leave them brushed. I'm done :biggthumpup:

Haha exactly, leave em be and see how they wear and how you like them :biggthumpup:

[AmberFireDaK]

That looks great as is.... nice work on the beads too, straight and parallel with the edges... that's hard to do, at least for me lol.

The only downside to leaving them brushed is you can leave marks on it pretty easy... dirt and fingerprints and such

[blackknight]

looks good either way!

[Adobedude]

That looks great as is.... nice work on the beads too, straight and parallel with the edges... that's hard to do, at least for me lol.

The only downside to leaving them brushed is you can leave marks on it pretty easy... dirt and fingerprints and such

I only had a couple hours to work on the truck today, half that was spent fucking with the finish of these panels....:jerkit:

I'm painting them, final answer. Done.

[Adobedude]

FYI:

The door weatherstripping weighs 7.42 lbs, so combined with the aluminum door panels I knocked off almost 16 lbs...add the drivers side air bag...3.32 lbs

Goodbye almost 20 lbs.

Hello tin can....:biggthumpup:

[Adobedude]

First, I showed my wife a sample of the Hammertone Silver paint for the door panels, she said it looked like a cheap refrigerator...

So brushed aluminum it is....:biggthumpup:

Here's the panel I made for the back of the cab, my sheetmetal guy gave full run of his shop, all I have to do is buy the metal...First attempt at bead rolling. :rockwoot:

[blackknight]

looks crazy! almost looks like a piece of billet machined out!

[Adobedude]

looks crazy! almost looks like a piece of billet machined out!

Billetz :rockwoot:

[tcuillier]

Billetz :rockwoot:

Ummmm, I'd say more like "billet-look". But they are BNIB

[Adobedude]

It covers up this part of the cab with all the holes in it.

[tcuillier]

Nice, very nice.

[AmberFireDaK]

First, I showed my wife a sample of the Hammertone Silver paint for the door panels, she said it looked like a cheap refrigerator...

So brushed aluminum it is....:biggthumpup:

Here's the panel I made for the back of the cab, my sheetmetal guy gave full run of his shop, all I have to do is buy the metal...First attempt at bead rolling. :rockwoot:

So you didn't do the bead on the door panels? I retract my props :jester:

[Adobedude]

So you didn't do the bead on the door panels? I retract my props :jester:

I turned the crank.... :rockwoot:

[Sick 660r]

It covers up this part of the cab with all the holes in it.

Just extra weight with no real purpose

[bad360rt]

Just extra weight with no real purpose

Unless he cut out what was behind it, and the panel he put in its place weighs less. :biggthumpup:

[Adobedude]

Just extra weight with no real purpose

It weighs less than what I cut out. Besides I don't want my truck to look like a hack job.

[Adobedude]

Unless he cut out what was behind it, and the panel he put in its place weighs less. :biggthumpup:

:biggthumpup:

[bad360rt]

It weighs less than what I cut out. Besides I don't want my truck to look like a hack job.

I knew you definitely wouldn't be adding weight (at least without a purpose). :D

[BryanRT360]

I knew you definitely wouldn't be adding weight (at least without a purpose). :D

Almost makes me want to start cutting up my truck but I don't know if i could do it. I mean what if for some reason I have to DD it again..

[bad360rt]

Almost makes me want to start cutting up my truck but I don't know if i could do it. I mean what if for some reason I have to DD it again..

The only cutting I've done was on the front bumper, which you can't see, and the hole in the bed for the fuel cell. I regret that one just a tiny bit, but I'm gonna patch it and then get a new bedrug and you won't even know it's there. But I could never gut the interior, I certainly appreciate the effort tho.

I've decided the future of my truck, it will have a blown 360 again, and will see mid 11's, and that's it. No rollbar, my race wheels will be streetable and it will get driven to the track, pump gas only. I've decided that if I want to go faster than that, I'll get something else to cut up and race, probably a GenII. :D I just miss driving it too much, and loved when it was at that level with the Paxton. I could drive it anywhere and still run 11's, it was perfect, then I had to go and screw with it LOL

[BryanRT360]

The only cutting I've done was on the front bumper, which you can't see, and the hole in the bed for the fuel cell. I regret that one just a tiny bit, but I'm gonna patch it and then get a new bedrug and you won't even know it's there. But I could never gut the interior, I certainly appreciate the effort tho.

I've decided the future of my truck, it will have a blown 360 again, and will see mid 11's, and that's it. No rollbar, my race wheels will be streetable and it will get driven to the track, pump gas only. I've decided that if I want to go faster than that, I'll get something else to cut up and race, probably a GenII. :D I just miss driving it too much, and loved when it was at that level with the Paxton. I could drive it anywhere and still run 11's, it was perfect, then I had to go and screw with it LOL

Yeah, Dave is definitely doing a great job. I guess I'll have to add more pah to make up for the lack of weight reduction. Although I'll probably do a roll bar, dropping a c-clip @117 kinda spooked me.

Too bad you don't have that billetz crank no more.

[Adobedude]

The only cutting I've done was on the front bumper, which you can't see, and the hole in the bed for the fuel cell. I regret that one just a tiny bit, but I'm gonna patch it and then get a new bedrug and you won't even know it's there. But I could never gut the interior, I certainly appreciate the effort tho.

I've decided the future of my truck, it will have a blown 360 again, and will see mid 11's, and that's it. No rollbar, my race wheels will be streetable and it will get driven to the track, pump gas only. I've decided that if I want to go faster than that, I'll get something else to cut up and race, probably a GenII. :D I just miss driving it too much, and loved when it was at that level with the Paxton. I could drive it anywhere and still run 11's, it was perfect, then I had to go and screw with it LOL

Probably why I'm going the extra mile on mine..I want it to look good since I have cut it up...I fucking hate cars & tucks that have just been hacked up...Sure I don't have any carpet/headliner etc, but I've patched and painted everything where I cut something out...I've won awards at car shows in the past, I plan to win a few more. And run low 11's.

Battling it out with the 5 point harness now, I need to adjust my seat a little.

[Adobedude]

I'm having to adjust my seat height a little for the harness install, the belts are supposed to come off the main hoop cross brace no more than 10º lower than your shoulders, I need to be an inch lower than I am...

Sure are a lot of installs on some nice fucking cars where the belts are 6"+ lower, and the seat back supports the belts....?

I guess these guys don't really race or at least not have to pass tech......Or hope they never hit anything. Here's a good example, or am I missing something?

[Sick 660r]

The only cutting I've done was on the front bumper, which you can't see, and the hole in the bed for the fuel cell. I regret that one just a tiny bit, but I'm gonna patch it and then get a new bedrug and you won't even know it's there. But I could never gut the interior, I certainly appreciate the effort tho.

I've decided the future of my truck, it will have a blown 360 again, and will see mid 11's, and that's it. No rollbar, my race wheels will be streetable and it will get driven to the track, pump gas only. I've decided that if I want to go faster than that, I'll get something else to cut up and race, probably a GenII. :D I just miss driving it too much, and loved when it was at that level with the Paxton. I could drive it anywhere and still run 11's, it was perfect, then I had to go and screw with it LOL

winning :biggthumpup:

thats my plan for the rt but everything I do will be used parts I find here. Scored some crane gold RR's, studs, guideplates and pushrods for 250 :rockwoot:

[Sick 660r]

It weighs less than what I cut out. Besides I don't want my truck to look like a hack job.

:biggthumpup:

[Joskanner]

Dave, you are doing an outstanding job. Looks real good:biggthumpup:

[Adobedude]

Re-did the Kirkey seat mount to drop my seat an inch and move it forward a bit......Knocked off 8 lbs in the process. I ditched most of the stock seat track this time...

There are so many places you can save weight....Not just a lb at a time, but 5-10 lbs at a time.

I'm on a mission...:rockwoot:

[Five9Dak]

When you're done can I buy your cab and paint it black? lol

Fuck thanks for reminding me I need to make seat brackets for my 1 piece fiber/CF corbeaus. Pictures?

[bad360rt]

Yeah, Dave is definitely doing a great job. I guess I'll have to add more pah to make up for the lack of weight reduction. Although I'll probably do a roll bar, dropping a c-clip @117 kinda spooked me.

Too bad you don't have that billetz crank no more.

Dropping a c-clip? When did that happen?

I know who has it though, but it would be way overkill for the 500-550rwhp I'm gonna be looking for.

[BryanRT360]

Dropping a c-clip? When did that happen?

I know who has it though, but it would be way overkill for the 500-550rwhp I'm gonna be looking for.

At atco during a burn out. I heard something funny

I thought it was my clutch pack taking a shit cause sometimes it would peg leg with a slick..

I was running a notched center pin. The retaining bolt sheered and allow the center pin to turn 90*. So now the notch was facing the axle, the axle moved in dropping the clip. I didn't really think nothing of it. I ran down the track at 117 and had a header leak so I threw it on the trailer and went home.. when I went to pull the slick the damn axle come with it..

[bad360rt]

At atco during a burn out. I heard something funny

I thought it was my clutch pack taking a shit cause sometimes it would peg leg with a slick..

I was running a notched center pin. The retaining bolt sheered and allow the center pin to turn 90*. So now the notch was facing the axle, the axle moved in dropping the clip. I didn't really think nothing of it. I ran down the track at 117 and had a header leak so I threw it on the trailer and went home.. when I went to pull the slick the damn axle come with it..

Damn, that was close.

[Five9Dak]

I learned from your experience. When I did the 4.56s on my brothers jeep we ground a tooth on the ring gear.

How do you like the detroit's c-clip retention scheme? I thought it was pretty clever/solid.

[BryanRT360]

I learned from your experience. When I did the 4.56s on my brothers jeep we ground a tooth on the ring gear.

How do you like the detroit's c-clip retention scheme? I thought it was pretty clever/solid.

Solid is right. Big ol chuck of steel. Those fuckers ain't moving.

I also liked the 50$ rebate from eaton.. got the check within a month. And 20$ summit bux

[Adobedude]

More info on the Detroit's c-clip retention scheme & big ol chunk of steel..LOL

Are you saying a Detroit locker is better at holding in the axles?

[BryanRT360]

More info on the Detroit's c-clip retention scheme & big ol chunk of steel..LOL

Are you saying a Detroit locker is better at holding in the axles?

I'll see if I can find pics(later today). But basically that whole space between axles gets filled in solid.

[Adobedude]

I'll see if I can find pics(later today). But basically that whole space between axles gets filled in solid.

With what....?

Confused here, I have a locker, but did not do the install. Guess I shold pull the cover and see how it was installed.

[BryanRT360]

With what....?.

With a big ol' chunk of metal of course:jester:

Pics tell a thousand words

[Adobedude]

With a big ol' chunk of metal of course:jester:

Pics tell a thousand words

Guess I'm asking if it is part the of Detroit locker or something else you added

[BryanRT360]

Guess I'm asking if it is part the of Detroit locker or something else you added

No. Part of the locker.

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s280/bryanrt360/IMAG0524.jpg

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s280/bryanrt360/IMAG0525.jpg

[Five9Dak]

Absolutely.

I will try to find a picture. But- the detroit has counter bores the C clips normally ride in (similar to stock) Instead of the cross pin holding the axles in (a problem with a notched pin) it uses a round bar of solid steel about 1.5" in diameter that fits down into a pocket. This pocket is then sealed with an endplate that is retained with an internal snap ring. There are no real loads on said snap ring, and it is a pretty snug fit. So the axle retention scheme only serves one function. A failure of the differential or a non exsistant crosspin will not loose the axles, and the center section is machined from a huge solid billet. The differential is probably 35-40lbs of steel.


All bets are off if you break an axle shaft though, just like the stock scheme. You can't drop a clip like Bryan did though, well- it is much less likely.

EDIT: Treed. lol