Warped Package Tray

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

The last 6"-8" of my package tray next to the rear window has curled up due to the leather shrinking. I've removed the leather and foam from the cardboard backing backing material (I'm not sure what the material is?) and wondering if anyone has any experience in removing the curl/warping from the board/backing?

I thought about trying to take a damp/wet towel and steaming the board, or maybe wetting it and slowly clamping it between two boards. Does anyone have any suggestion?

thanks,

chocolatelab · chocolatelab's Garage

i replaced the warped backing from the doors on mine with a pressed board I found at home depot

use the old one as a template as best you can

chocolatelab · chocolatelab's Garage

pics

euro911sc · euro911sc's Garage

It is either a thin type of finish plywood like the pedal boards or a thicker type of press board. those are the two types of material I have seen, but I could not tell you which was OEM. You could probably pattern it and then get something at Home despot that was similar and make it anew. Or you could buy mine

but I think you could make one for less.

It is probably warped due to water and age so you might want to make sure you are not leaking into the package shelf. Easy rust area as well.

Best regards,

Michael

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

Michael,

No it's not water, it's the sun... It's the same thing that happens to our leather covered dashes, the leather shrinks and warps everything under it short of Crypton. This panel is attached to a Masonite panel and I don't want to remove the leather from where these two panel meet up if I don't have to.

I was trying to take first things first and save the panel if I could. It has speaker cut outs with aluminum escuthions so for now it would be easier to repair the panel.

bkreigsr · 10-07-2009, 05:55 AM

Mitch, if you find someone that is willing to separate the backrest panel from the shelf, then reupholster, let us know. I'm trying to undo the PO's stereo install where he cut the leather speaker holes out for his Alpines.
What is that shelf made of anyhow? Mine (77) has what looks like POR-15 sprayed on both sides, and I found a large amount of sisal filler in the pocket trough along the window seal.
thanks
Bill K

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

Bill,

I haven't stripped the leather back to see how the two panels are attached, but I'm sure that any good upholstery shop could duplicate the factory connection one way or another. I'll look at my panel and let you know if there's any form beyond a flat panel. If not you could duplicate in a variety of materials.

Also I had member PM me with a brand new panel for sale. I've asked him for more information, I will forward to you if you're interested...

bkreigsr · 10-07-2009, 06:22 AM

thanks Mitch. I'll pass on the new panel. (unless it"s cork leather with factory speaker holes) - Bill K

euro911sc · euro911sc's Garage

Your water idea may work. Soak it up then place some serious weight on it or use a lot of clamps then let it dry itself out. When I was in Thailand several years ago we visited a boat yard. This was a serious old skool boat yard. They bent and shaped wood in ways that would qualify as art. Anyway... they would steam/soak the wood for a few days then bend it into the shape they wanted. After the board was staked they would build fires around it to fast dry it. They were careful not to burn the actual board, though. similar technique should work for you.

If the warping is due to the material pulling it then once it is straight it should stay that way until your new material shrinks

Best regards,

Michael

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

This is a follow up to my warped package tray thread: This evening after removing the foam rubber from both sides of the backing material I took a wet towel and my wife's iron and steamed the backing board and got the panel fairly straight. Once is was the board was hot I could even work it with my hands.

I think I will rivet some .032" aluminum doublers to both sides of the board to stiffen it and keep it from curling up again. The new foam will cover the doublers. I don't think if you're running vinyl you have that problem, it's only leather that shrinks and warps the under laments.

Paulporsche · 10-10-2009, 05:55 PM

Sounds good. Let us know if it stays flat.

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

What I found out several days later once the board had dried out from the steaming, the laments separated. This actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It was hard to get all of the curl out of the lament because each lament curled at a different radius so when you tried to straighten it out you were fighting that problem. I hope you can visualize what I'm saying. Once the laments separated all the tension came out of the board.

I ran epoxy glue down between the laments, clamped two 2X6's across the trailing edge and as you can see from the picture the tray became dead flat. Since I already had the aluminum in stock I decided to give the edge a little reinforcement with a .032" aluminum doubler. Probably a little over kill, this is what happens when you've got too much time on your hands...