R Model Door Panels

[AZB755V8]

This has been brought up before but I hope there are panels available now, new, aftermarket or used. Door panels came in several different colors and maybe a few styles for the R Cab doors. I "Had" a really good set in my Superliner until yesterday when I remover the passenger seat. Covered the door seal and aluminum trim with a towel and tore the 30 year old vinyl lower door panel with the mounting plate edge still bolted to the seat upon exiting the truck. I have called all my sources for a good used set as both sides have to match, of course. This included the local, only Mack dealership in Phoenix, several Mack bone yards, even Barry at Watt's. Parts are obsolete and have been for years in any color. All I want is a Black set in good condition without taking these to an upholstery shop to try and match up. Original manufacture is out of business so is there any of these panels laying around somewhere? If not mine have to go and the bottom portion under the trim band be reupholstered. I never noticed but the ones I have do not match from side to side in the first place. One side has 4 centered buttons in the lower details the other side has none.

[Rob]

I made these myself several years ago. Had the logo digitized from a decal, converted to a format a sewing machine recognized, and it is actually embroidered into the vinyl, (that part I had done). I then sewed the pattern:

 

 

The red and black tufted panels are for my RL-755LST truck, the black ones and seats are for my R-612ST whenever I get to it.....

 

Only shown are the panels for the right side of the cab. The dogs are mirrored and face forward on the left panels and inward on the left seat.

 

Edited March 16, 2019 by Rob

[Lmackattack]

I had a door panel made that looks like Robs. I took my old panel and cut the stamped dog out  of it and had them sew it into the new panel.

[AZB755V8]

2 hours ago, Rob said:

I made these myself several years ago. Had the logo digitized from a decal, converted to a format a sewing machine recognized, and it is actually embroidered into the vinyl, (that part I had done). I then sewed the pattern:

 

The red and black tufted panels are for my RL-755LST truck, the black ones and seats are for my R-612ST whenever I get to it.....

 

This Black panel is what I am looking for, just like in my Superliner. I can digitize any logo and embroider it on any material, that is part of my business. Just trying to find the panels before I go though all the work to get something close to original. If I do, is there any interest in me doing more for a few others? Not thinking of the whole interior but that is a possibility since the whole interior is out of my truck to Dynamate it to quit it down and lower the temp on hot days. Got the patterns....

[hicrop10]

I may be interested in a set.

[JoeH]

Those look really nice. I might be convinced to get a couple sets, one in that dark grey and another in tan to match my 79 R if it lasts long enough to restore. The tan one I might like a whole interior for, would be best to do it all in one shot so everything matches.

I don't see holes for the window crank and door handles. Are those mark and drill yourself?

I know a local guy that does interiors for classic cars, if he were interested I might be able to get him to make and sell interiors for R cabs. The price would have to be right and there would need to be a demand. He would need samples to work from.

[Rob]

The RL has a power right window and I'm going to install one into the R-612 sometime so didn't punch the regulator holes. I did those just to see if I could and a guy I had working for me at the time had relation that was a seamstress. Had she done the sewing, it would have been perfectly straight lines. I don't have access to a machine that will sew that many layers myself so probably couldn't make another set. 

[harrybarbon]

Have you considered Sound control and lizard skin instead of the dynamate? And they are also excellent for the inside of the doors, especially on inside of lower door for rust. Both SC and LS fill all the joints and voids to form a permanent and flexible seal. And you apply to the underside of your hood and fenders to reduce road noise

[AZB755V8]

I am using the Lizard skin or similar for doing under the whole fiberglass hood and fenders to quit things and get a good look. There are a lot of spray-in bed liner shops around here as well. "They put that shit on everything". There are whole $50-60k Jeeps running around Arizona covered with that stuff.

The inside of the Mack cab is a little different, I use that mat stuff that is $68 a pack not the $190 DuraMat over priced stuff. Used it in my LTL restoration and really does work. There was no rust in the cab just a few mount and wire holes to weld up. The Superliner cab is the same, no rust. Arizona is real kind to metal parts even for 30-50 year old trucks. No need to seal anything here for moisture. The spray stuff just does not come off even if a metal modification needs done or to show the condition of the metal to Guys at a show. It is good stuff though.

 

[MACKS]

I've used roof flashing inside the cab,way cheaper than dynamat and the same effect,you can double layer it if you want,hit it with a heat gun or hair dryer,excellent sound deadening with no odors..

Edited March 8, 2019 by MACKS

[MACKS]

On 3/6/2019 at 8:03 PM, Rob said:

I made these myself several years ago. Had the logo digitized from a decal, converted to a format a sewing machine recognized, and it is actually embroidered into the vinyl, (that part I had done). I then sewed the pattern:

The red and black tufted panels are for my RL-755LST truck, the black ones and seats are for my R-612ST whenever I get to it.....

Only shown are the panels for the right side of the cab. The dogs are mirrored and face forward on the left panels and inward on the left seat.

 

That's some darn nice work..

[Rob]

3 hours ago, MACKS said:

That's some darn nice work..

Thank you. I'd never done anything like that before so wanted to try. Lot of trial and error but I did have a good helper whom guided me most every step. I used the original panels for templates so they are not a "best guess" type thing.

[harrybarbon]

AZB, the guy who invented the Lizard skin, Bob Call, was from Arizona. I spoke to Bob a number of times to get to understand the product, real friendly and happy to talk about his history building hot rods from age 13 and he said that insulation was the only area of vehicle development that had not really progressed. That was his motive to find a better way and he found it from the space shuttle.

Bob told me he bought up to 100 new fry pans for the annual national hot rod show. He performed the fry pan test throughout the show for 7 days. He would paint a thin cover of LS onto the fry pan inside base, allow it to dry, which it did quickly, then he turned on the electric power and let the pan heat to maximum temp. Bob would then place his hand flat on the inside of the fry pan base, just like the story in the bible. And no heat on the base. He said people thought he was faking it, so he got them to test the fry pans and then do their own hand tests and they were convinced of the LS.

When we first got the LS we did the same test as Bob, to test Bob's product for ourselves, but with 1 step in between, we painted all of the pan inside, bottom and sides with the LS. Left the LS to dry about 45 minutes. Then we added water about half full in the pan and left the fry pan heating for nearly 1 hour at full temp, with the lid on, the water remained cool, never heated. So then we removed the water, let the pan heat for 30 minutes on full heat, then did the hand palm test and no heat came through the LS.

Yes you are correct, once applied it stays on for ever. We have applied all the undersides of our B 75, including the underside of the aluminium hood. Tapping the hood and doors with knuckles, it sounds like tapping fiberglass. And great for under/inside the fenders to absorb/reduce road noise, the stones don't chip the LS on the inside of the fenders.

 

 

[AZB755V8]

That Lizard Skin is really good stuff and You defiantly have the history the facts. The Arizona connection a little funny. In the summer on a black or dark color car you can cook an egg on the hood or roof with no problem. My kids left string cheese on the car fender in the sun, it melted and stripped the paint under it. Heat is a issue here and I did not know that the LS was so good at controlling it. I Already have the mats on the inside of the cab and will consider putting it on the under side of the cab for heat. 

Wonder if the LS could be sprayed to the back side of the interior panels and stick to the cardboard to help with heat? It would be cleaner and faster than masking and spraying the interior of the cab. Could probably roller it on and get a good result. I will be using it on the inside the the hood and fenders.

  

[harrybarbon]

You can try applying with roller or brush, on the rear panel, it washes with water and you would only need a small quantity of LS. It is worth an experiment. We applied the Sound control first and then the LS on top to every panel that is an external panel with paint finish. Definitely the underside of floor panel and the fire wall, do the engine side if you can do it.

On hot day after running our truck, I feel no heat on the floor carpet, we have carpet direct on the steel floor, there is no underlay, the floor carpet directly above transmission was cool and same on the fire wall.

Bob Call told me that they did an experiment with 2 Safeway 48 foot refrigerator trailers in AZ or nearby on a very hot day around 95-100 F. Identical vans, trucks and exactly same products loaded in the 2 vans. The roof of 1 van had LS applied to the external roof top, the other van did not have the LS. Both trucks ran the same trip to various stores for deliveries over an 8 hour shift and all daytime under the hot sun, both had the same temperature settings for cooling inside the vans. They had test equipment in both vans. The results were that the van painted with LS had a 35% reduction in fuel usage for the frig motor and both vans had same internal cold temps maintained, because the LS van motor worked less than the non LS van.

Apart from motor vehicle usage, LS is great for securing air conditioning duct joints, for homes, offices and vehicles, normally we wrap duct tape around the joints to hold the 2 sections. After a time with hot and cold the duct tape dries and degrades and it lets go, and with air pressure the ducts separate. That happened to us the tape came off. I rejoined the ducts, reapplied new duct tape and then ran over the duct tape with thin coat of LS by brush covering all the tape. Repair now 5 years and duct joint is perfect. Also good for insulating around recessed lighting to stop heating inside the ceiling for fire risk.

 

 

 

 

[Patdbossct]

Id be interested in a couple of sets in tan if you make them 

[AZB755V8]

I will be trying to make door panels in the next few months. The machine being used to do most of the work just got fixed this week. The panels will be embroidered for the inserts not heat set like originally done and be very hard to see any difference. Original style, solid and perforated, naugahyde material will be as close to original as possible. I am after the original look but original NEW panels have not been available for over 10 years, in any color. Colors I will make are, black, tan and maybe, red, gray. I am not planning on making a lot of these but we will see how it goes. If well maybe a whole interior kit.

[880joe]

I would be interested in a set or two

[JoeH]

Let me know when you get a cost figured out, may be interested.