New Front Door Panel design. Community Input requested

[Rocky Mountain Westy]

Howdy Folks,

We have been continuing the quest to design and make new products for our beloved Vanagons. We think there is a lot of opportunity to improve the front passenger cockpit.

So with that said we have been getting into Thermoforming plastics. It has been a pretty steep learning curve. This form of manufacturing has some amazing potential. We look forward to bringing it to the Vanagon world. We have been kind of quiet about it because we didn't want to create a buzz till we were further through the learning curve.

We have a few products in the funnel now but the one I would like community input on are front door panels. A few years back, we designed and made these door pockets out of metal. Here is the link to those that aren't familiar.


https://vancafe.com/door-pocket-pair-with-speaker-mount/

I have these in my van and I love them. To be honest though, It is hard to make things out of metal that are contoured nice and blend in. For what these are and the additional speaker spot, I love them. That is probably why we still make them. Because they are time consuming and expensive to make and while $300 a pair may seem like a lot, there isn't a lot of room for profit there. This product is a great opportunity for Thermoforming. So when we started thinking about it, we went down the road of what would it look like to Thermoform a complete door panel? We could certainly mold in the door pocket that we appreciate so much. We could color code it to the van. We could upsize the speaker from 5.25 to 6.5 in size. Wait could we relocate the power window switches and add a usb charging port? How about a ground puddle light under the door pocket? Oh yeah and my biggest pet peeve with the existing flat ABS panels is the exposed fasteners. We can hide the fasteners too. Turns out, you can get all that into one door panel. We can also add contour and detail in the process and make them look a bit more modern.

Here are a couple pictures of the design so far. We may eliminate the vent in the lower back corner. I always thought it was part of the air duct but it is not, it just goes to the inside cavity of the door.

I would love comments, thoughts and feedback. What else might one add to the design and function? And of course the biggest question what would you pay for a set? They will likely be $500-600 per pair.

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The Splitzgauer build (when I have time to work on it and update the thread)

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=497133

[djkeev]

I appreciate the products that you bring to the market.

I am a daily driver of my Van, use it for work everyday.

I've no need for these door panels with pockets and certainly would never pay $500 for a pair of them.

Dave
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[Rocky Mountain Westy]

[DuncanS]

X a great many of what Dave said.
.
Since the fresh air vent at the bottom back corner of the door doesn't do anything, why not run your addition all the way back? A cup holder?

Vacuum forming such a large panel will take a large--expensive--machine and a lot of plastic. If you vacuum form just your added part then it would be a great deal less expensive to make and to ship. Since the bulk of us already have the panels, we can add them to our existing ones.

With a smaller--less than full size door panel--you could also make a variety of add ons that could meet a number of needs--besides cupholders, a recess in the bottom for courtesy lights, 12v power and UBS outlets, switches for stuff and so on.

Don't know, but one might have to open the door to swivel the seats. Hardly a deterrent.

Do it--And they will come.

Duncan

[Rocky Mountain Westy]

[outcaststudios]

nope.
_________________
'88Doka JX td
'69 westy
(rip)couple bugs
(rip)three type III"s
(rip) '81 vanagon
a bunch of french stuff,and 9 motorcycles.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2573791

[SCM]

I often consider removing the OEM pocket on my driver’s side door - the only thing in there is a tire pressure gage. I also don’t care to modernize anything very visible on my van - driving something that looks/feels old is fun for me.

But man do I hate being limited to small speakers that are halfway obscured by the sides of the dashboard. If your door panels allowed for better placement of larger speakers in a package that looked sleek and unobtrusive (no, or very slim pockets) I think that could be worthwhile. Bonus points if they allowed for the factory fabric inserts and chrome strips to be installed.

It would also be nice for some people if the power window switch could be installed in a way that’s more natural to operate (horizontal or diagonal like other cars).

But, I’ll most likely need to upsize my rims once my current 14” tires wear out. There’s just other things I’ll be saving/spending for before door panels.
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'91 Westfalia GL Automatic (GTA "Turbo" Rebuild w/Peloquin) and 2.3L GoWesty Engine

[livethevanlife]

I think it’s pretty neat, and will sell. $500 price point for a pair with all the added functionality is a fair price. A nice set of replacements will run you that much.
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1992 Syncro Triple Knob Tintop "Schnitzel" 1.9AAZ
1990 Syncro Rear Locker Doka Subi 2.2
1974 VW Thing 1835cc
1989 VW Carat

[SCM]

Would this manufacturing process be suitable for making SA style grills or lightweight bumpers?
_________________
'91 Westfalia GL Automatic (GTA "Turbo" Rebuild w/Peloquin) and 2.3L GoWesty Engine

[Jennybenny]

Hi mike

I’m not the market now having recently replaced my original panels with abs from a samba vendor because I don’t have the time or place (an apartment) to recreate the backer panel to re glue the old vinyl, reinforce the part that holds the window switches, etc but these look nice.

I think the sell at that price point depends on how the material feels. I had plastic repro panels on my old f100 and they felt like junk because they were cheap junk.

Bringing in more modern window switches and the like will sell - thinking of a GW type kit that is actually a pre-wired kit instead of parts and really good instructions. Imagine a one stop shop to eliminate the junker auto door locks and window switches while replacing your door cards?

I mean vanagonlife has a $800 center console I’ll buy. It fills a need I didn’t think I had.

And don’t short the dorky 80’s design look - there isnt a flowy line on the van.

Jason

[SCM]

[skills@eurocarsplus]

i have a love/hate thing with the factory map pocket being where I like to put my knee. i think that design would make it worse.

however if you want to make the ugliest grill on the planet available (the SA grill) i think you may be on to something....but having said that when they pop up for sale, they seem to linger forever.
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[mikemtnbike]

Seems similar to my EVC door panel. I love the pocket on it, spacious, in a space-precious environment this could be possibly priceless.

The hard part would be keeping the aesthetic of a “vanagon feel,” whatever that may really mean.

Thanks for sharing!
_________________
1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual

[Rocky Mountain Westy]

[ledogboy]

I like the idea, and assuming the speaker mounting locations were robust and didn’t cause rattles, I think it would be a big improvement over my DIY speaker solutions to date. I would want them to have the vibe of the originals, just with the enhanced form & function.
_________________
1986 Westy Weekender
Now a full camper
1.8t Syncro conversion
Some people call him Maurice...

[pnwkayaker]

Hello Mike,

To answer your specific question, I've already replaced most of my van panels with ABS panels (and I kinda like the look of the exposed fasteners) so I wouldn't be interested - I think that's probably the main problem you're facing, many folks with warped panels already made the jump to ABS panels, so your potential market is shrinking rapidly (though it might still be big enough, don't know).

Perhaps you might consider different/alternate products (carving your own niche)? For example, do you think this process would allow for the recreation of the Deluxe Vanagon dash console (currently NLA)? This is the console with the folding map table. I'd be interested in a version that would fit in a 1987 dashboard (only version ever made requires to hack/trim it to somewhat fit in a 1987 van).

I'm sure there're other products that you could consider, seems that the thermoforming process provides for great flexibility and room for original new products too.

BTW, I have the RMW bumpers and rear tire carrier installed in my Syncro (along with the Tank), they're the bomb!
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87 Syncro Westy EJ25 ("Tardis")

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[Rocky Mountain Westy]

[Silverghost500]

I like the idea, and great to hear you're fairly far along in the R&D processes. Target price to move units would probably need to be somewhere $499 or less for a set. Depends on what margins you need for your efforts and wacky raw materials supply chain issues.

I do have a feeling that those who didn't have a choice but to go with the flat abs panels will probably convert to these when they see them in the wild.
_________________
1986 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia "Von Westy"
Honda K24A converversion-Road Testing Phase
3-Speed Automatic

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[hdenter]

I can't stand the stock window switch location and don't like the relocation to the center option, either. I would go for a set if the switch was relocated and an arm rest was incorporated like the bay window vans have.

Hans
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'79 triple white convertible bug
'84 sunroof vanagon
'85 weekender

[16CVs]

I think that the stock switch location is perfect. it is the only location that you would not have to reach for. If they had been made more ergonomic would have been good, but seeing what VW had to deal with space wise I think they nailed it.

I was able to get a good look at your pockets at SF and they are well designed and fill a need, there may be better use of space if they were plastic formed. I would make the bottom of it honey comb shaped so that dirt and liquid would drain out if spilled.

I, like others like to maintain a stock appearance, so maybe an inset that could be covered in a matching seat material may be an option. If there was a recess than a panel could be covered and recessed for stock flush look.

Trying to anticipate peoples wants is tough, one take away I took from dealing with Peter was not to vary far from stock if you want consistent sales. Stock never goes out of style.

Stacy
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