Soft Doors

My current project is to add soft doors to the Montero.  I had initially started looking into replacing the doors completely during the summer with tube doors.  This would have been a pretty easy solution, people do it all the time, but there are two issues.  The first is that I don't really have anywhere to store 5 truck doors during the summer, and the second is that I just don't like to get my feet wet when I am wheeling.  So when the drivers side power window quit this window it suddenly hit me, soft doors would be perfect.

Window Frame Construction Started (April 17th)

Worked on the frame work for the windows.  Got the two passenger side windows framed up.  I will be wrapping the frame with vinyl to make it somewhat water tight.

The frames on both passenger side doors are complete

Close-up of the front door

Close-up of the rear door

Sheet metal fabrication work complete (April 14th)

Got the doors completed and painted.  I
think the flat black is just temporary. Now
its time to start making the frames
 for the windows.

Passenger Side Sheet Metal Work is Done (April 11th)

Just some random welding shots while working on the rear door.  Why, cuz they just look cool. Thanks Ro for taking the pics.
The finished product outside in the sun.

Passenger Side Front Door Update (April 8th)

This is the front door before I added the door handle

This is the front door completed... just had to add the latch

Fabrication Started (April 7th)

Started fabricating the new sections of the door that I cut out.  Here is what I have done so far on the passenger side.

Cutting up the doors (March 29th)

Spent Saturday afternoon cutting away the doors.  Should look nice once I get the new sheet metal welded on.

Starting the Work (March 24th)

Gutting the doors

Laying out the cuts with masking tape

Making the first cuts

Ok, I finally started working on the doors this weekend. 

On Saturday, the first task, which was gutting the doors, went pretty easy.  After about an hour for each door, I got all 4 doors stripped, with the old glass removed.  The entire power window mechanism was taken out and while I will be using the latches, I didn't see any reason to reuse the power locks since the windows will be held on with Velcro anyway.

With the glass out of the way, I decided it would be a good time to layout my cuts with masking tape.

March 23rd, 2008 - On Sunday I started cutting the drivers side door out.  I can't say that his is the best cutting job that I have ever done.  The 4.5" cutting wheel I was using is a bit less precise then what I would prefer, I finished with a reciprocating saw, which is also the wrong tool.  I think what I need to get is a die grinder.  This cut isn't to bad from far out, but if you zoom in you will see that it really isn't that strait.

Planning (Beginning of March, 2008)

So now the plan develops, its easy, just cut the top of the door off, remove the guts and top it with sheet metal, fabricate a frame and sew on some fabric.  Ah, but there in lies the problem, what material to use, where to make the cuts, how to make it strong.

At first I had thought about using the skins off from some jeep doors.  Its an easy enough solution, unfortunately the openings are just to different.  Would have looked weird, so I decided that I would just make them myself.

The material

Ok, so what to make it out of.

To start with I had to find clear vinyl for the windows.  This part was pretty easy.  Strataglass is a DOT approved extruded and polished clear vinyl.  No brainer. It was about $140 for a 110" x 54" inch sheet at PerfectFit.com.  It has pretty good cold resistance and strength, as well as it is made

Finding the right fabric took a bit more time.  I ended up deciding on a product called SeaTarp.  SeaTarp is a very strong and a polyester material that is coated with vinyl.  I got 6 yards from PerfectFit.com for $8.95 a yard. Other options that I had considered were Sunbrella (for making sunshades on boats) and military canvas tent material.  Neither option really seemed to be right.  Then I found SeaTarp and it just seemed like the right material.

Sewing Machine

One thing that I had been thinking of for the entire time of looking into the material was how thick this stuff is.  After asking relatives I quickly realized that I did not want to use one of their sewing machines to fabricate the doors.  I am afraid that if I did the plastic gears would quickly get destroyed. So after looking into older industrial models on eBay I found a 7" sewing machine made brand new by Campers Tent Maker.  It only does a straight stitch, but it will sew just about anything.  It uses a walking foot design so it can sew multiple layers without slipping.  Cost was $289 from their eBay store.