Spider Door Panels...

[JeffreyOlson@domain.elided]

Try World Upholstery (Santa Paula, CA) at:

http://www.worlduph.com/

(805)921-0100

Just replaced the panels on my '86 Veloce.  A set was 
$156 and can be ordered without any cut-outs in many 
colors.  The best value is the domestic vinyl.  These 
panels fit '78-'84 Spiders but with a little 
modification and a small strip of extra material, they 
can be made to fit the later cars with good results.  

Very helpful people on the phone.  Also look in 
their 'Close-Out' section for good deals.

Jeff

Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2002 13:39:41 -0700
From: Brad Karp <bkarp@domain.elided>
Subject: refurbishing Spider door panels

The time has come for me to do something about the door panels on my '86 
Spider Quad. The board under the upholstery has become warped enough in the 
past 16 years that the panels simply won't remain fastened to the door, 
despite brand new fastener hardware.

My two options are replacing the panels and refurbishing them myself.

I've had no luck whatsoever in finding replacement panels (either new or used 
in very good condition). APE says they almost never get them, and Alfa Parts 
says they're no longer available. To my knowledge, there aren't replacement 
panels available from non-original vendors that are an exact match for the 
Quad door panel.

So now I'm considering diving in and making new panels. I've read that it's 
not too hard a job: buy a new board for the panel, cut it in the same pattern 
as the old board (using the old panel as a tracing model), and transfer the 
upholstery to the new board.

My questions are:

	1) Are there any technical articles in any Alfa Owners' Club's
	   archives that document the process, to guide me? Or web pages?

	2) If not, have you done this yourself, and could you offer any
	   wisdom you learned along the way?

	3) What material should I use for the replacement door panel board?
	   I want warp-resistance, and ideally, something that doesn't resonate
	   too badly. What have people used in such a job in the past?

Or, if anyone happens to know of a source for new or used (very good 
condition) Quad door panels, I'd be very glad to buy a pair.

Many thanks,
- -Brad, bkarp@domain.elided
'86 Spider Quadrifoglio, daily driver
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