74-89 Improving the cardboard door pockets

[scarceller]

Thought I'd start a thread to share ideas on improving the door pockets in the 74-89 911s.

I'm redoing my interior this Winter and really was unhappy with the stock cardboard door pockets. I decided to purchase the ABS plastic door pockets:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/185961404099

They are plastic and require some trimming to get them to fit properly. They also needed a bit of heat from heat gun to slightly reshape them. You need to take your time to mock them up and get proper fitment before you cover them.

I then hated the way these pockets screw to the door at the bottom. To improve that I decided to use a 1/8" Aluminum U channel. This channel gets bolted to the door bottom first and the pocket simply slides into the channel. No screws or bolts go through the pocket at the bottom.

The other area I modified was the pocket area just under the arm rest. I added a 3/8 aluminum bar along this area of the pocket to give it extra strength and support.

Once everything was mocked up and fitted I then covered the pocket with 1/8" closed cell foam padding and then wrapped on top of that with very nice heavy duty vinyl but you could also simply wrap with carpet.

Here's some pics, more to come later.

This first pic shows the pocket carefully mocked and fitted before it was wrapped. The black door upholstery is actually original and was burgundy/wine color I dyed all this leather black. Topic for another thread.



Notice here how I had to reshape the area near the door pull handle, this is so the handle clears the plastic without rubbing.






The finished wrapped pocket

[quattro4]

very nice.

[Jonny042]

On Project Heavy Metal I wanted to emulate the longhood door pockets with the alu trim on the pockets and used these same ABS pockets to do so. My aluminum stiffener was functional and decorative. I think turned out really well.

Originally Posted by Jonny042

[nospiners]

Some great ideas here!!

[scarceller]

Originally Posted by Jonny042

On Project Heavy Metal I wanted to emulate the longhood door pockets with the alu trim on the pockets and used these same ABS pockets to do so. My aluminum stiffener was functional and decorative. I think turned out really well.

Really like this exposed aluminum trim. How is it attached to the pocket?

[Jonny042]

Originally Posted by scarceller

Really like this exposed aluminum trim. How is it attached to the pocket?

I used 3M weatherstrip adhesive to ensure it stayed in place but honestly the U shaped channel fit tightly enough over the combined thickness of the ABS pocket and the vinyl I trimmed it with that it probably would have held on its own.

[scarceller]

Originally Posted by Jonny042

I used 3M weatherstrip adhesive to ensure it stayed in place but honestly the U shaped channel fit tightly enough over the combined thickness of the ABS pocket and the vinyl I trimmed it with that it probably would have held on its own.

Got it, it's a U channel. I could not tell in the picture and I thought it was L. Makes perfect sense. Very cool idea.

[austria3]

@Jonny042: went to re-read your built thread but couldn't find an answer. how did you mange to shape the u-bracket around the curved edge? Did you cut off the inside section of the channel?

[scarceller]

Originally Posted by austria3

@Jonny042: went to re-read your built thread but couldn't find an answer. how did you mange to shape the u-bracket around the curved edge? Did you cut off the inside section of the channel?

Not sure how he bent the u channel but some aluminum is easy to bend and the channel in the picture seems like thin material?

[Jonny042]

Originally Posted by austria3

@Jonny042: went to re-read your built thread but couldn't find an answer. how did you mange to shape the u-bracket around the curved edge? Did you cut off the inside section of the channel?

I may not have detailed it in the thread, but I annealed the aluminum and it was like BUTTER after doing so. Made it super easy to bend without kinking it.

The aluminum U channel came from Home Depot of all places!

[PeteKz]

Nice design touch.