1931 Buick 8-66S door panel frustration...

[Str8-8-Dave]

I decided I would try to make my own door panels for my 1931 Buick 8-66S.  The panels are pretty simple boarded trim parts with padding between the cardboard and faux mohair fabric.  I was hesitant because the panels have decorative stitching required with a curved path for the stitching across the top of the panel below the garnish molding.  My Juki sewing machine is a straight line machine and I didn't know if it could be made to make the curve, but it went pretty well.  I got the cardboard panel cut to the recommended size from the Fisher Body Service Manual, cut foam and cloth, temporarily taped the edges of the cloth to the cardboard and sewed the decorative pattern.  Then I installed nail tabs I bought from CARS and wrapped the fabric around the edges and contact cemented the material to the back of the cardboard.  Since the nails were already in place on the panel I decided to attach the lip flanges of the 3/8" windlace I had to the nails and install the door panel and windlace as a unit.  After all that was done my door, which closed perfectly before I started, would not shut because the windlace was dragging on the lock pillar.  NUTS!

 

I tore the panel and windlace back off, pulled the glued material loose on the back of the cardboard and trimmed 1/4" of cardboard off the hinge side, lock side and bottom of the the door panel.  This time I preinstalled the windlace on the door being careful to keep it from overhanging the edge of the door.  Now the door closes almost as good as it did without the panel and windlace installed.  2 problems now are

 

1:  The 3/8" windlace stitched over solid foam core doesn't lend itself to making accurate corner turns.

 

2:  The windlace I  special ordered is not even a close color match to that already installed in the car by the  previous owner's restoration shop.

 

I have a few pieces of the original windlace installed by Fisher Body when the body was built, it is over tubular rubber core and it's color and pattern are a little different than anything carried by vendors today.  After a pretty exhaustive internet search I can't even find 3/8" windlace made over a tubular core, every vendor has their windlace sewn over solid closed cell foam.   I also have a few remnants from the previous owner's restoration efforts. but nowhere near enough to complete the car.

 

 

Does anyone know where I can get 10 yards of like the second picture below?

 

Dave...

 

Pictured here is an original piece of windlace with it's original pattern cloth sewn over 3/8" rubber tube. 

 

Pictured here is a remnant of 3/8" antique gray windlace sewn over tubular core.  This matches other windlace

already installed in the car.  I'm hoping someone has 10 yards of this windlace or knows a vendor who does.

 

Here is my new door panel in place for the first time with the windlace around just the lower

panel and guess what- the door won't close...

Here is a picture of the windlace on the door after moving it in. 

 

The door closes now but you can see in the second picture it doesn't want to bend around

corners with it's solid foam core...

Edited July 26, 2021 by Str8-8-Dave
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[edinmass]

Dave Coco is the resident trimacar upholstery expert. I’m sure he will chime in........

 

Trimacar........where are you?😎

[HarryLime]

I looked at images across the web , and it looks like Buick put the lace on the door jamb and not on the door panel . On cars I have worked on , the windlace was used only on the front of the door jamb . I suspect you are trying to put too much in too small a bag .

[Str8-8-Dave]

1 hour ago, HarryLime said:

On cars I have worked on , the windlace was used only on the front of the door jamb . I suspect you are trying to put too much in too small a bag .

Harry- thanks for this.  Dave Dunton says he thinks you are right.  There is a trim around the door panel on his unrestored original 1931 Buick 8-66S but he says it is not windlace.  It is just a trim to frame in the door panel, I'm guessing like 1/4" lip cord type stuff.  Here is a picture of his passenger door.  It clearly has some kind of trim around it but I may have been trying to go too big.

 

 

[Str8-8-Dave]

So you guys were right- I mistakenly started on the door panels by going with 3/8" windlace all around the door resulting in a door that didn't want to close.  Dave Dunton sent me a text and said there was 1/4" trim on the rear lock pillar edge of the door, 1/4" windlace across the top, 3/8" windlace on the hinge pillar edge of the door that seals against the hinge pillar and 3/8" mohair covered trim across the bottom of the door.  I compared his information with the windlace and trim I got with the car and figured out I had pretty much what I needed to go around the perimeter of the doors and it matches the windlace attached to the body lock pillar.  I never did any upholstery and trim in the past, never got a car far along enough to worry about it so what is pictured here is from a rank amateur.  None of the windlace and trim exactly match the original upholstery, it was all taupe like the mohair but what I have on my first door seals all the way around and the door closes nicely without slamming.  The garnish moldings were installed temporarily, they still have to be refinished. 

 

Thanks to all for the help.

 

Dave

 

 

 

 

Edited August 4, 2021 by Str8-8-Dave
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