ABS Plastic Car Panel

Interior Cover Panel

The task was to create an ABS cover panel.
I started with a basic plan

Purchase List:
ABS black textured plastic (paid link)

Subtotal: $20

Tool List:

scissors, tape, pen

3M 77 spray adhesive (paid link)

band saw
heat gun

sanding block

Introduction
The panel went into a 1932 Ford pickup project. An AC system was retrofitted into the cab, and this panel will protect the hoses entering the cab at the passenger floor board.

Cardboard Templating
I started with understanding what the panel needed to do, how it would attach, and what it needed to protect. From there, I proceeded with pieces of cardboard, cutting, fitting, and recutting to get a basic shape. I taped additional pieces of cardboard together as needed, and once the shape was complete I used tape to refine edges.

Creating a Plastic Shape
I used the cardboard template to trace an outline onto paper. I wanted the plastic shape to be a single piece. I drew an outline and also noted where I would fold the plastic. I left tabs to attach the side that folds in so I could plastic weld it later.

I sprayed just the paper, make sure it's the back side, with spray adhesive. I attached that to the ABS plastic, only spraying the paper makes removal easier.

A band saw cut the plastic to shape. I used a sanding block to smooth edges and any burrs. I used a heat gun to shape the plastic, leaving the paper in place as it had folding notes. The plastic can get very hot. To create some of the bends, I had to heat, bend, and repeat many times. You may get a few bows in the plastic, but careful heating can help keep the panel faces straight. While heating and shaping, use a workbench to help fold. Take bends slowly, this will help prevent warping faces.

It's important to make sure you glue the 'correct' side. I didn't and realized I had shaped the panel with the smooth side out. I tested the backwards panel in the truck and noted a few adjustments.

Final Thoughts
Being at the floor level, it provides leeway if the panel isn't quite perfect. The panel blends with the interior so that you almost don't notice it. It's main job is to protect the AC hoses and it does that.