Console lid interchage? Carbon fiber door panel Parts?

[RamAirZ]

Is the console lid on the VX specific to the VX or can it interchange with another Isuzu? The 98+ Rodeo lid looks very similar to the one in the VX. Also, anyone have a line on the carbon fiber inlays for the door panels? My drivers side has some cracks in it and the passenger side has a small one.

[Mile High VX]

If you have the blackk/grey panels there are two on e-bay at the moment but the buyer states they are not perfect.

The lid is specific to the VX, but the guys at www.planetsvx.com can recover it for you.

[RamAirZ]

hhmmmm.......change panels to black/grey :) possibly. I've seen that lid recover service on SVX before. Not sure if I wanna go that route yet or not. Probably will though. Thanks for the ebay hint

[etlsport]

my carbon fiber inlays on both sides cracked too, i took the panels off and put a layer of fiberglass under the whole thing to make it a little sturdier but the cracks are still visible, in the process of painting over the carbon fiber now... as it turns out its basically painted on and has a clear film of some kind over top of it

[RamAirZ]

hhmmm, let me know how that turns out, I may have to try that!

[etlsport]

so far so good.. should be posting photos tomorrow hopefully

heres a progress photo

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/medium/door_panel_002.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=17470)

[RamAirZ]

nice!

[WormGod]

Ya, I have contemplated painting the crappy fake c/f panels. I ran into a guy who owns an upholstery shop locally who said I should trim them out in leather. THAT would be sweet, but $$$$ (maybe go with pleather?). Maybe I can go with light gray leather like the most awesome shifter boots I used to have. ;)

[RamAirZ]

I thought about that too, just covering them in vinyl or something. Would look pretty good I think.

[etlsport]

def considered it, i just am not sure how well it would work, they way the two pieces connect, the CF piece fits into grooves in the door, so added thickness may not work well

[RamAirZ]

true, fiberglass and paint may be the way to go. I'll have to check it out

[SilverBullet75]

so far so good.. should be posting photos tomorrow hopefully

heres a progress photo

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/medium/door_panel_002.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=17470)

LOL
Are those my old ones?! I remember Jim was trying to sell them. I like the blue!

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/Interior_Mods_-_01.JPG (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8140)

[99VC]

They are still for sale if anyone is interested.

[etlsport]

LOL
Are those my old ones?! I remember Jim was trying to sell them. I like the blue!

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/Interior_Mods_-_01.JPG (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8140)

heh pretty much, they were inspired by yours, but nope, another set of original VX door panels have done the way of the rattlecan

[etlsport]

drivers side is done!

passenger side should go 10x faster since there will be no repair work. you can still see where the cracks were, but the panel is now solid and the cracks are very faintly noticeable. all in all a successful project, I'm gonna ride around with one of each for now and see which i like best

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/medium/VX_Door_004.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=17513)

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/medium/VX_Door_003.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=17512)

basically i used some superglue to hold the panel together at the cracks

put a thick (1/8" maybe?) layer of fiberglass under each spot, continuing 3-4 inches on either side of it, i tried putting fiberglass on top of the panel, but it got too thin to be helpful once it was smooth

although in the curved part of the door forward of the door latch, i fiberglassed pretty thick on top and blended it in so the whole painted surface is fiberglass, that eliminated the crack completely in that area

but in the areas where i could not glass on top of the panel, i primed the surface, then used a crack filler, sanded smooth, primed again, sanded smooth and put 4-5 coats of color, sanded and buffed, clear coat, another sand and buff until shiney, then gave it a coat of wax

[RamAirZ]

That turned out really nice! Looks awesome!

[SilverBullet75]

heh pretty much, they were inspired by yours, but nope, another set of original VX door panels have done the way of the rattlecan

...(thought the "Vehicross" decal imprint was from mine.. sorry :o )

[etlsport]

oh yea i had the decal on the door originally, and my idea was to peel it up after painting to expose the carbon fiber through the blue paint, but well it just didnt turn out how i wanted it to, so i wound up sanding down and painting again