my doors and now featuring soft top

[johnlee63]

Hi all just a way to capture the way i went about making my doors, mainly as I could not find a how to anywhere.... not saying this the way to do it, but its my way Ideas stolen from Sailrite youtube and and Perry's roof build-- cheers thanks

first i was lucky enough to be able to borrow a door and copy it. So job one was make a paper template and make sure it still fits the door hole.
then cut some (excuse my modern measurement system) 20x3mm flat stock and make a frame. My hand held band saw made this easy. Then lay it all out on the paper and hot glue (mig) it together.

and do this twice, not drivers and passenger sides at this stage

I then laid out some vinyl and cut out the door shape, two for each side, remembering that these have to mirror for each door, still not concerned if passenger or drivers side

place double sided tape where the steel frame will sit and stick it down

and then stick heaps of double sided tape on and around the frame, failure to do so will lead to frustratingly long session of unpicking black on black!!!!! as it all bunches up

then place the other vinyl side on top and line it up well, the tape has a bit of give in it so you can get it right.
once happy I took it to the 1949 singer and sewed around the outside edge using the frame edge as a guide.

then around the inside edge, still using the frame as a guide, dont run the needle in to the steel though or you will be changing out and re treading with crap eyes like mine it aint fun


I then cut a piece of clear plastic that fills the window (and forgot to take photos, as i was on a roll)
this was double sided taped on to the window spot, and cut a SMALL hole in the middle of the vinyl- not the window, NOW IS THE TIME TO THINK DRIVERS OR PASSENGERS!!! put the plastic on the inside of the door and sew in place as close to the steel frame as you can.
Then turn it over and cut out the window shape leaving about 25mm around the edge of the frame.
you will now have two layers of vinyl and a clear plastic window, trim the middle layer of vinyl right back and tuck the remaining top layer back under itself and sew around the edge to lock it all in.

repeat and have two doors, one for each side of the car


I still have to put binding around the outside edge, put a strap and snap connector for closing and find some lift off hinges.

thanks for watching
john
Rotorua
New Zealand

[nick47]

That looks great, but a lot of work. Do you have a roof?

[johnlee63]

this is the training to do the roof :-0 first the seats like yours Nick and then the doors and then roof. Will have to gear down the sewing machine as I have a heavy foot on the clutch motor
BTW just over an hour to make the frames and the same to do the sewing per door

[horchoha]

Kudos John!
I look forward to seeing the doors installed.
Good job

[rx7locost]

Looing great! I can't wait to see them on the car.

[Lonnie-S]

Nice work. Thanks for sharing this. I'm sure I can use this info later on.

Cheers,

[johnlee63]

and here is a pic of the inside of the window, smaller pic size also


I had a window of opportunity last night and put the straps on


once the doors are fitted I will install the snaps
was going to do the binding but my binding attachment has no screws to mount it, and they are some dinosaur thread, so I will get a tap out and modernize this also
cheers john

[johnlee63]

so I tried to add a bias binding but it looked like crap so I changed my mind and went for a vinyl binding. I cut some 40mm strips and sewed then in to one long piece that would go right round the border
this is stitched on and folded back over to seal the door.



waiting for the hinges but it looks a bit like this

[davew]

John
You may find that the typical Seven type hinge with a couple small pins will not support a heavy door made with a flat stock frame, if traveling on bumpy roads. I had to adapt a long larger dia hinge pin design. My hinge pin is 1/4" dia aluminum rod that slip thru a top and bottom bracket. I also went with a locking sliding horizontal pin at the rear of the door which help support the wt. The strap type retaining attachment works good on my lighter half doors.

[phil]

john
Rotorua
New Zealand[/quote]

Thanks John from down under,

Remarkable job. I wish I would have read about your doors a while ago before I embarked on a painful plywood and aluminium adventure (not over yet).

[loki98t5]

Those look great! I just might have to steal the design idea when I get that far on mine. Cant wait to see the full enclosure when it gets done

[johnlee63]

my hinges arrived 50x75mm mild steel lift off. have to make a pair of them left handed though and then fit them this weekend

[johnlee63]

really happy with how the doors came out


so much so that I committed to roof making. In the methods that Perry had so well described in his soft top build, I started patterning. I couldn't find any of the patterning plastic he used, but did find a roll of heavy clear PVC at work. Thick enough to not stretch.
Started by making the hoop from 3/4 aluminium(pronounced the correct way ) had to make a bender first

went to a mates car and checked height measurements and built this

then the patterning started, lots a tape and positioning got this



windows were planned



then pressed print and made this


more to come as I sew the panels together
opps sorry for the size, trying to fix that ......
thanks for watching.... but why am I making a roof in summer
john
Chevron 1600 Rotorua New Zealand

[johnlee63]

more progress still have to finish the edges and the double channel round the doors, I still have to think about that one for a while



I really like the roof line on this,

cheers beer o'clock
john

[phil]

more progress still have to finish the edges and the double channel round the doors, I still have to think about that one for a while



I really like the roof line on this,

cheers beer o'clock
john

Well done John, this is a very useful presentation for this group. It may inspire me to equip my first seven the way you did.