Searching for a Sliding Door Interior Panel

[Herself]

The sliding door interior panel is broken on my van. Does anyone know where I can get a replacement?

Or I can use the old one as a pattern and cut a new one. Has anyone done that?

[/quote]

[Captain Pike]

Classifieds__bro
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59 Panel bus, 1966 Single cab. 73' 181. 73 Westy. 91' H6 Vanagon 3.3L.
.....................All Current.......................

[noganav]

A piece of 1/8 inch Baltic Birch can be cut to fit with a utility knife (measure both sides, score both sides, snap and sand) and mounted with stock plastic or wall anchors and skirted screws. I did my headliner and finished it with satin Varathane. A 5x5 sheet of Baltic Birch plywood cost me 15 bucks, 5 bucks for the stain and hardware. Probably cheaper and better looking than a replacement from the classifieds.

[ChesterKV]

Looks GREAT and I thought about a thin-plywood replacement for my sliding door and rear hatch panels but I'm concerned about noise. Big sheets of shiny wood are great at reflecting (rather than absorbing or dulling) sound. I'm "slowly" looking for a pressboard/vinyl solution.......

[getset]

Sign makers use 4x8 sheets of pvc that come in a variey of colors and thickness. It is comparable in price to a nice sheet of ply.

[scottcollins72]

Here's mine:

Handy having a buddy who works at a plastics factory. Only cost me $40 and helping him move a stove to redo all the panels in the van including the headliner.

[mordeaux]

I'm thinking of replacing my shagged-out panels with 1/8" tempered Masonite covered in fabric or vinyl wallcovering. I've got some old, very psychedelic wallpaper that would be eye-smacking good.

I prefer Masonite to ply in this application simply because it's denser and more durable. Probably absorbs sound a bit better than birch ply.

[cnskate]

Any tips for getting those black plugs out that hold the sliding door panel in? I'd like to get some soundproofing material back there.
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[flyingCoyote]

[msinabottle]

I've been wondering FOR YEAR (I've only had Winston for the one) what that strange square fitting was on the inside of Winston's panel! That plastic one is gorgeous, I thought I'd take Winston down to Sew Fine for his new one.

Do ALL your vans have two handles on the inside of the sliding door? Westies, too? Or was that some sort of option thing that won't work with Westies (Code 4W!) ? If putting a 2nd handle on that door will make it open with either handle, then I'll be in the market for a handle to replace the one that must have gotten removed.

I had WONDERED, but never figured out what that was!

Best!

[[email protected]]

maybe the second handle is for a sliding door on the left side of the van???

[mightyart]

The second handle doesn't open the door it's just kind of a grab handle that gives a little extra omph for shutting it.

[fung]

[Herself]

Notes from the original instigator of this discussion:
Wow! Lots of ideas! Thanks, folks. I did find some birch plywood yesterday and will search for some vinyl to cover it. Maybe a thin layer of foam sheeting on the front or back of the birch plywood would be a good insulator and sound reduction material. I like the sign painter's PVC idea too.

Thank you so much. Beep Beep!
Herself

[r39o]

I was at the Keyston today. They have LOTS of foam backed materials you could use.
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[Captain Pike]

Interior/exterior boat carpet glued on. Soft and helps to kill noise.Look at my gallery.
_________________
LEARN TO SELF RESCUE
59 Panel bus, 1966 Single cab. 73' 181. 73 Westy. 91' H6 Vanagon 3.3L.
.....................All Current.......................