Babyboomerboy
Senior Member
Putting in new carpet and found the kick panels are in pretty bad shape. They are made of 1/8" matting board or something. Does anyone know where I can buy this cardboard stuff in blue? Thank you
56 Fairlane kick panel replacement
- Thread starter Babyboomerboy
- Start date
Daves55Sedan
Well-known member
Concours Parts, Mac's (Ecklers) and probably several other restoration parts suppliers sell the kick panels pre-cut and ready to install and they offer two or three colors. It is just thick cardboard with a simulated crushed leather appearance pressed into the outer layer. If the panels get the least bit wet, they are ruined.
I made my own panels by getting cheap poster-board from the department store, cut out and glued pieces together, then took a sheet of the vinyl material that matches the door upholstery panels and cut it out and glued to the outer face of the home-made kickpanels. So far they seem to be holding up well and look pretty nice.
I made my own panels by getting cheap poster-board from the department store, cut out and glued pieces together, then took a sheet of the vinyl material that matches the door upholstery panels and cut it out and glued to the outer face of the home-made kickpanels. So far they seem to be holding up well and look pretty nice.
Babyboomerboy
Senior Member
This is pretty much what I had in mind to do also. But I checked my Mac's catalog and found the kick panels and color for my car so for the price I just ordered them.
Motorhead6
Senior Member
Go to an upholstery shop and buy plastic panel material. Using your old kick panel as a pattern, cut one out and paint the color you want. Many advantages to this: paint any color, won't ever warp, won't swell due to moisture, virtually indestructable. Also, I use these for door trim pads. One side has a finish so it looks really good when painted. If you want it finished in white, just use it without painting.
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Daves55Sedan
Well-known member
That was the idea that I originally had for replacing the cardboard panels but the upholstery shops around here don't offer plastic board material and the hardware and home improvement stores that do have FRP panel only carry material that is too thick and would not be able to slide into the little channel that holds it in place. There is also a concern about making that bend under the dash if you wanted to try to use plastic or FRP. Would a thinner material make that bend without the necessity of heating it and possibly ruining the cutout sheet?
Motorhead6
Senior Member
I have done this many times without an issue installing them. I don't know about your shop, but it's easy to come by; you may have to ask them to order it. It comes in rolls and the only issue is that you have to play a heat gun on it while laying it flat on a floor to get it flat. Flattens out pretty easily. It doesn't really have to be all that flat, it just makes it easier to work with.
Babyboomerboy
Senior Member
I got my kick panels from Mac's and put them in. Got to say they look pretty good up next to the new carpet. FYI, the new panels are not as thick as the originals and were not bent to form curve of the inside of the car. However, when I got them in place they fit as well as the originals. Thanks for the posts about making my own panels. That was the plan to start with but for what I paid for the ones from Mac's, I probably would have had as much money in the homemade panels.