When we start the R&D process, we approach it with the mindset that the purpose of the part (function) should be the starting point for its design (form).
For our aluminum door cards, most of the time folks are replacing them because the originals are deteriorated or missing.
Some owners want to track their Z cars and, in a race circuit, you can't leave the sharp edges of the door interior exposed to the driver. Additionally, keeping the panel tight to the door frame is desirable for fitting a roll cage.
So, we were working toward a lightweight, slim-fitting panel that would serve both the owner who wants to track their car, as well as the one who wants a sharp-looking, functional and durable replacement for their street car or daily driver.
Some portions of the S30 OEM door card design were important to retain. The original piece forms over the top of the body of the door, so we replicated that. We also include felt with each door card that helps guide the window.
But other aspects of the OEM design were not retained. For example, the lower part of the original door card has a crease in it that doesn't go all the way across the door. We looked into replicating this stylization, but making it out of aluminum would require either an extremely expensive one-hit die, or we could cut, weld and form them back together in a labor-intensive process.
In the case of our S30 door cards, as with all of our parts, when it comes to certain design characteristics, we evaluate how to balance style and helpful features with manufacturing processes that will still keep the parts affordable. We are proud of the final design that made the cut.
We offer our door cards in both a raw aluminum finish and a black powder coated finish. We've seen folks upholster them, wrap them in leather, wrap them in vinyl, as well as custom-paint them. Your creativity and imagination takes Skillard parts and incorporates them into the vision you have for your build.
We love to see it!
We also produce door cards for the S30 2+2, the 280ZX 2-seater AND 2+2, as well as the Datsun 620.
Skillard is driven to provide solutions for the Datsun/Nissan community.
This comes primarily in the form of fabricating parts that help solve problems.
We celebrate that each build is unique, and we expect that our customers will use our parts as a launchpad for their skills, creativity and vision.
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