Big Tom

Well, it's no Defro install but I'm happy with the way it's comming and how it sounds so far. I still need to get some more work on the passenger side before I can temporarily install it but I just got the drivers side in and it sounds really good thus far.

I'm heading back home to Sask next weekend so I'm looking forward to the 12hrs to play with the tweeter placements to figure out where they will eventually end up.

Tell me what you guys think, and give comments neg or pos it doesn't matter. The best way to learn I feel is to get feedback on what you've done so I'll hoping for some good comments.


Before: I did this years ago and always hated that color blue... so I finally did somthing about it



And this is how it's comming along














[ March 20, 2005, 07:56 PM: Message edited by: Big Tom ]

Big Tom

Again, I'm no expert with fiberglass, this is only the second project I've attempted and the last time I did it was about 4yrs ago when I built my hood. But I think it's going to be nice when completed!

[ March 20, 2005, 07:57 PM: Message edited by: Big Tom ]

The A Team

iTrader: (1)

Looks very nice! [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img] Good work.

I have a question for you. How many hours did it take you per door?

I like the mounting design for the mids. Actully 3 days ago I built speaker pods, for my doors, using fiberglass. Same kind of design angling out and up like yours but mine just mount to the factory panel. It took me 12 hours but they turned out good for my first time.

Big Tom

Well the weather is the biggest factor for me, it's been "just" warm enough for the fiberglass to cure plus ontop of that the weekends havn't been very kind weather wise either. So usually after work I have enough time to do just a bit of work, then pack it up for the night. Weekends all I can do is sand a bit and work on the pods

So to answer your question I'm not 100% sure. I've been working on them for weeks now but only a few hours here and there, if the weather was really nice I'm sure I could get them done in a weekend.

Big Tom

See, I'm kindof up in the air about that. I'm doing this slightly differently then I had originally intended, I thought my original stock doorpannels actually came appart at the seam between the top and bottom like my spare blue and white set did. But the 2000+ cavaliers the pannels are one solid piece of plastic so I was screwed.

I wanted to keep the top part of the pannel stock, since it's got the most fussy parts to it like the arm rest and area around the doorhandle, and then just use the bottom of the spare one, do the fiberglass, and then vinyl it and re-attach it to the top piece. But since I couldn't use the top I decided to try and do what I'm doing now with fiberglassing the whole thing (a much larger pain in the ***)


But to answer your question I really like the look of a painted pannel, nice clean and smooth. But I'm concerned about the wear with time in the armrest area. I doubt I'll be able to vinyl the door without it looking odd so painting it might be my only option.

What would your advice be for a finish?

Buffdaddy

I like the texture of the piece as it is myself.

Though maybe you could vinyl in some things like the armrest, etc...areas that skin touches, just for comfort's sake.

Maybe cut out the 'oval' there and upholster that, as mentioned.

Big Tom

[img]graemlins/freak.gif[/img]

You mean the not finished at all fiberglass texture? I don't quite get what you're trying to say

Buffdaddy

Sorry, night shift hurts my brain....I didnt read the headings.

I meant of the initial (old) blue/white one in the first picture, which I thought was the finished product now.