Looking for suggestions-material to make back panel

Displayman

Displayman

Senior Member
I am looking for suggestions as what material to use to
make the back vertical panel in the trunk of a 1947 Merc./Ford convertible.
The size is approx. 52 1/2 x 25. It must be of a rigid material, about
1/8 inch thick or so. It would fasten to the trunk supports in 6-8 places.
Luan plywood? Heavy solid cardboard? Past experiences?
And where would I purchase material?
Appreciate any suggestions.

Bob, Hampshire, Illinois
 
I've used like a marlite board that you could line a shower with (shiny side out for moisture protection), luan plywood (most rigid and small but for a piece that big I would coat it with poly urethane or something to seal it) and a brown-type fibre board. In all cases you might want to use either a 1x2 or 2x2 to stiffen it in the back in a couple places, basically a frame to support it so it won't flex so much when you have to more/remove it.
 
I went to an auto trim shop and purchased card board that they use for door backing and used that in my convertible. Paint it any color you want. Mine had a pattern in it so I painted a base coat on the board and wrapped burlap around a roller to duplicate the pattern and rolled on a light coat of paint.
 
Hi Bob
I've just redone the door panels in my 46 Mercury with a heavy duty hardboard from our local lumber/retail store (home Hardware Canada) pretty much the exact same thickness as the original door cards.

Its shiney smooth on one side and slightly fibrous on the other with a slightly raised ridge squaring on it.
I kept the shiney side as the side facing inside the door with the fibrous side having the padding and material applied

I'm Using the same hardboard to make a new panel as the one you are working on as it is pliable enough to bend both ways ie left to right and top to bottom.

Having the shiney side facing inside the trunk with the fibrous side facing the back of the seat you can actually shape it.
Take an old bottle spray bottle (like an old Fabreeze bottle) that has a mister spray and liberally spray the fibrous side. do this a couple of times and you will notice that it swells slightly on the wet side making the shiney side start to concave. This is where you apply it to the car and it adopts the shape of the surface its applied to once dry (mostly anyway).
You have to drill the mounting holes after it is bent as the bend changes the position of the holes, may not be perfect the right time but it works well with a little effort

Once dried you can seal it to keep out future damp/moisture

Using cardboard will not give you a lasting result as it takes on damp to readily and gets expansion warps (like real old door panels) and has no strength or integrity which may be needed being in the trunk.
Hope this helps
Martin
 
MAC's sells cut-to-size cardboard kits for trunks. I'd think heavy cardboard or foam core board would work well. FWIW
 
Auto trim shops have a special cardboard that has some degree of water resistance. It is a better grade than the type that has the pattern in it. Good luck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top