Kick panels
 

This winter I'm doing a little clean up on the interior of the '30 town sedan. The chipboard kick panels are a little tired looking. I would like to restore and repaint them. Of course after 40 years they are some warped. Is there any way to take out the warp? I don't think I want to wet them as that will probably make them fall apart. Right now they are on the bench with some weight on them. I know I can buy new but I'd like to see what I can do with what I've got.
Any ideas?
Marty

Re: Kick panels
 

Marty, try steam. Hold the panel above a boiling kettle. Allow the steam to condensate but not saturate. Then lay flat with the needed weights again. Allow to dry for a day or more. The steam will help penetrate some moisture back into the chip board.
This is also the same thing I do to reshape and restore old Fedora Hats.
Hope this helps. Jeff

Re: Kick panels
 

Since chipboard isn't the correct material, I'd buy replacements. I wonder how much they cost?

Re: Kick panels
 

Tom,
I really don't know if chipboard is the right term or if mine are chipboard. I see in the Snyder's and the Mac's books you can get them but it looks like you have to buy the entire interior package. I'm now wondering if I could make new panels out of thin masonite called melamine. I have a sheet of it and it has a good coating and is flexible enough to work. It should also take paint. It's a little thicker than the original panels but will fit in the tracks that hold the panels by the floorboards.
Marty

Re: Kick panels
 

Jeff,
I made panels this afternoon from the melamine and I'm going to put some paint on them. If they don't work out I'm going to try your suggestion and steam the old ones. Thanks for all your help. Ain't this site great!!
Marty

Re: Kick panels
 

You can buy "waterproof" door and kick panel boards at any auto upholstery shop. It's smooth and usually comes in black. If you need color you can rattle can them.

Re: Kick panels
 

I got my kick panels from Quiet Ride Solutions. They fit, work and look great.

http://www.quietride.com/web/viewer...._a_catalog.pdf

Re: Kick panels
 

Since the original panels had a pattern embossed in them, you can glue the vinyl material to the door panel material Bob mentioned.
I'd bet Classtique would sell you the panels, and even add pockets if you wanted.

Re: Kick panels
 

Lee Chatterton will make you kick panels for your vehicle and they always fit.

Re: Kick panels
 

Some of the SW tn sedans had kick panels with pockets. Le Baron or Classtique may still make them at least for the passenger side.

Re: Kick panels
 

The current Nov-Dec 2016 Model A News features Lee Watson's Canadian built 1931 SW Town Sedan as the cover car and feature story.

I have admired his car for years.
It is really well restored and looks right, and has a great back story.

Page 42 shows both the kick panel pocket, and the back-of-front seat pocket construction.
.

Re: Kick panels
 

A little off the original topic, but some literature and photos state that the rear seat pocket and cowl panel pocket were on '31 SW cars without rear door pockets. Also, some photos in Henry's Lady (Evergreen Press) ,supposedly of original cars, suggest that cars with this config.may not have had stitching on the (plain) door panels as well.

Re: Kick panels
 

Some folks have said they would like kick panels with pockets. One solution is the dispatch pocket, a metal pocket that was intended for use on pickup kick panels, but can be added to any kick panel. It is part A-80304 in Snyders 2015 catalog, page A206. I used one years ago on a truck and it provided usable storage.

Re: Kick panels
 

Does anyone have full size templates of the Kick Panels?
I need the two front ones on my roadster pickup.
I prefer to make them but if full size templates already exist it would make things quicker for me.

Re: Kick panels
 

Jeff,
I took your advice and steamed my puckered panels and pressed them flat for a couple days. Today I sprayed them with rattle can paint and they look good. I'll put them back in tomorrow. Thanks for your help.
Marty

Re: Kick panels
 

Thank goodness you did not cheapen the car with melamine panels. Better to keep car in the garage than Mickey Mouse it. Wayne