Having fun with door skins!

Hi All, just thought i would post this it may help someone thinking of making their own door skins.
as part of my land rover restoration I soon realized that I wouldn't be able to save the door skins because they were to badly beaten up, being in a rural part of NZ it is quite hard to get parts, so I set to the task of making the door skins on the front doors, I purchased a sheet of ally carefully removed the old skin and used the skin as a template to cut out the new one, I do have a sheet metal folder which I made and mounted onto the bench. So firstly I created a fold and then gently created the curve using an old roll of paper and kept trying it on the frame till I was happy with the shape, I then cut the door handle opening smaller than the old skin allowing for it to be folded in. I had to reconstruct part of the frame using the metal folder again I made up some new section and welded it in I ground this back and then checked the frame was flat my old saw bench came in handy for this, then shot some epoxy primer over the whole frame . I then formed the door handle openings using a small round bar with a slot cut in it gently easing it round this was i bit fiddly but the heat from the gas burner really helped here you can feel the ally go soft just ease it round a bit at a time, next i folded the door skin around the door frame after priming the back. I used the soft rubber mallet first slowly working my way round the frame with multiple passes the rubber pulls everything tight around the corners and keeps the skin taught, had to use some heat in the round sections to help it round finished of with the panel hammer. I used the proper domed rivets around door handle opening, prepped and primed the door skin and Finally top coated the door with bronze green.


Just like to add I have never made door skins from scratch before but I have done a few skins in metal, I just took my time and didn't rush it, I surprised myself with the result I ended up with the ally costing me $65.00 or around 32 pounds and had plenty left for sorting out door tops etc.
sorry for the bad quality photo's taken on my phone.

Wow! Super job.

Nice work

J

You have some good skills there.Nice to see.

I’m always impressed with the resourcefulness and quality of work I see on here
My hat off to you sir well done

sorry to swear but thats fecking awesome.

I am constantly amazed at the ingenuity of older model LR owners, and the lengths they go to

Top job

Thank you guys for all your encouragement, it's more out of necessity due to lack of parts we have to go to these lengths would be much easier if I lived in the UK just order the part online couple of days later there it is at your door, can take up to a month for me to get parts shipped here sometimes longer. anyway I have certainly learned some new skills doing this project and have grown in confidence.

great forum, it's good that we can all have our input and help and encourage each other.

happy Xmas cheers landyman02

Well I guess with your ability you will never need to order another body panel ever
Great work.

J

Very nice indeed. Belting job and one you could make available.
You should set up a production line for parts. I believe now your rugby team have given up there is plenty of labour available.

Well done, I admire your skill and patience, I have little of the former and none of the latter. How long did each door take you to make.

Col

Hi Guys, each door skin took about an hour to mark out and cut with a jigsaw, then approx. 1-2 hours to shape.
Don't really watch the rugby still love football that would be the pom in me, I guess the all Blacks lost a few games to try and improve on ticket sales gets boring seeing the same team win time after time!

+1 to all the compliments, impressive work

That is some great work! Well done.