Gray (elephant skin) vinyl & masonite side panels in trunk

[schuetz1619]

(1) My 74 US 2002 (RIP) had the gray vinyl on the floorboards, and three pieces were glued to the chassis, front floor and both sides. My euro model 71 tii (April, 1971) came with no vinyl or sign of there ever having been any. (Then again, it came with almost nothing anyway . . . )

Would the glued-on pieces have been present in the first place on an early euro model?

 

(2) Would the masonite side panels have been present in the earliest euro tiis? I've read a 2019 thread here that touches on the side panels butsdoes not answer this particular question.

 

By the way, should you need side panels, you can get them from Walloth and Nesch.

 

Thanks in advance to all who might have such offbeat knowledge.

[Son of Marty]

I have never seen a 02, or picture of one, with out the gray vinyl on the trunk boards.

[Conserv]

55 minutes ago, Son of Marty said:

I have never seen a 02, or picture of one, with out the gray vinyl on the trunk boards.

+1

 

And on the sheetmetal floor ahead of the two trunk boards (consisting of one floor panel and two flanking strips to cover the junctions of trunk floor with rear wheel wells).

 

I don’t recall that my ‘67 had side panels, but it had the floor and flanking strips. I also don’t recall side panels on my ‘70. Could they have arrived with the Modell 71 facelift/upgrade (April 1971)? I’d bet that all round taillight tii’s had trunk side panels from the factory.

 

@Mike Self will know!

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[Rich]

If I recall, I got my side panels from Dave at Aardvark Racing

[Mike Self]

The side panels were added on US spec cars to protect the wiring for the side markers, which gained lights (and thus wiring) sometime in late 1970/early '71.  Unfortunately the parts book is incorrect in showing those illuminated rear quarter side markers didn't appear until "modell 74" cars.  They were introduced several years earlier. Cars with reflectors on the rear quarter panels don't have the side panels.  I repainted mine with grey primer out of a spray can, and they're a great match for the original.

 

And to agree with Steve, even the very early cars came with that light grey vinyl stapled to the plywood trunk floorboards.  And IIRC (but it's been a long time!) they all came with the grey vinyl strips glued around the bottom edges of the inner rear wheel arches, and on the trunk floor between the rear wheel arches.  I know my Feb 69 car did, and so did all the '68 2002s I've seen.  

 

mike

[JohnS]

My 73tii has the side panels.  My 74tii never had them since I've owned it.  Did square taillight big bumper cars ever have the sideboards?  With the relocation of the jack to the left hand side of the trunk and all?

 

W&N - Set of trunk covers left and right.

 

Part # 51 47 1 814 982

 

Still in the shrink wrap...

 

 

Edited October 30, 2022 by JohnS

[schuetz1619]

On 10/29/2022 at 12:36 PM, Conserv said:

+1

 

And on the sheetmetal floor ahead of the two trunk boards (consisting of one floor panel and two flanking strips to cover the junctions of trunk floor with rear wheel wells). I don’t recall that my ‘67 had side panels, but it had the floor and flanking strips).

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

[schuetz1619]

My elephant skin pieces have been in my stock so long that the the foam backing has turned to dust but the vinyl's still good.

 

Any idea as to the least messy way to glue them in?

 

Thanks,

 

Gordon

[Dudeland]

My 75 didn't have any side panels, although I like the look. 

 

8 hours ago, JohnS said:

My 73tii has the side panels.  My 74tii never had them since I've owned it.  Did square taillight big bumper cars ever have the sideboards?  

 

[John_in_VA]

'74-'76 cars didn't have the side boards due to the added inner panels & jack mounting. 

I've not seen the boards glued into place - just friction-fitted.

[Oldtimerfahrer]

On 10/30/2022 at 7:31 AM, Mike Self said:

The side panels were added on US spec cars

Are you sure that its a US market thing? My eurospec 02/1971 ti had side panels, with the wooden boards, the back panel between the arches and two smaller pieces along the dome/Floorplan joint with some foam cushioning. I've wondered about the white protective strip  that slips on the flange where the panels meet, to protect you from cutting yourself...but I've seen pictures of them on others, so I thought they were correct as well...all of mine had some light Colorado overspray, so I took them to be original to the car.

Andrew

[slowbert]

On 10/30/2022 at 7:51 PM, John_in_VA said:

'74-'76 cars didn't have the side boards due to the added inner panels & jack mounting. 

I've not seen the boards glued into place - just friction-fitted.

 

I think the 'friction fit' comes from the tabs riveted on the panels.  I am heading to Home Depot to pick up some 3/16 hardboard and remake the side panels.

 

I also need to find some of that elephant skin vinyl...

 

 

[esty]

39 minutes ago, slowbert said:

I also need to find some of that elephant skin vinyl...

if you can't find it, if interested, i have some and will sell you enough to cover your side panels

[slowbert]

22 hours ago, esty said:

if you can't find it, if interested, i have some and will sell you enough to cover your side panels

Thanks for the offer!

 

I got 2 yards of the elephant skin vinyl at Hobby Lobby which was - as close as I can tell - identical to original.  That was enough to do the removable panels and the rest.  They also had some 'headliner' material with about 1/8in foam, which I put underneath the vinyl.

 

My side panels were just painted gray and had no vinyl covering.

[slowbert]

Before and after.  Still need to attach the wooden stops on the edges.