Interior: 1963 Avanti rear package shelf is sagging from water and age

[sbca96]

After a quick search online it appears no one offers a replacement of this part. I am referring
to the pressed board with the trunk access door. Mine is drooping something awful and needs
to be replaced. I'd thought about wetting it and trying to form it back, but I fear it will break
up and not be usable for a pattern.

Anyone replace one of these? What material did you use? I was looking at some marine use
high density polyethylene, but I'm not sure if it will allow stapling and gluing of the new vinyl.



Tom

[Gunslinger]

The package shelf is made of wood. You could simply buy some plywood or particle board the same thickness and use the original as a pattern to cut and trim the wood to match. Then use some foam padding and vinyl to cover it with.

Another alternative is to call Jon Myer and see if he has any good used ones from parts cars to replace yours with. Dan Booth at Nostalgic Motors may have a NOS one as well..he has a ton of NOS parts...maybe a package shelf might be among them.

[sweetolbob]

Tom

I used two pieces of 3/16" lauan plywood glued together to build the one in my 74. I left out the opening as I can access the lock through the 6X9 speaker hole. It wouldn't be hard to recreate the opening if you need one.

I used the 74 reinforcing bar and attached the panel to the body with a piece of galvanized angle to add rigidity. All of the bolts were sandwiched between the panels to hide them when I glued the sheets together. I'm not a fan of foam under the vinyl here so I filled and sanded the plywood and then glued the vinyl to it.

I used marine grade stretchable vinyl from Sailrite and glued it down with spray adhesive. It came out pretty well, I think.



Good to see you posting again. BTW not much sticks to polyethylene, ABS might work but it's a bit flexi-flyer in my mind. It's working great for my door panels however. You can glue ABS.

Bob

[JoeHall]

Tom

I used two pieces of 3/16" lauan plywood glued together to build the one in my 74. I left out the opening as I can access the lock through the 6X9 speaker hole. It wouldn't be hard to recreate the opening if you need one.

I used the 74 reinforcing bar and attached the panel to the body with a piece of galvanized angle to add rigidity. All of the bolts were sandwiched between the panels to hide them when I glued the sheets together. I'm not a fan of foam under the vinyl here so I filled and sanded the plywood and then glued the vinyl to it.

I used marine grade stretchable vinyl from Sailrite and glued it down with spray adhesive. It came out pretty well, I think.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]71932[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]71933[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]71934[/ATTACH]

Good to see you posting again. BTW not much sticks to polyethylene, ABS might work but it's a bit flexi-flyer in my mind. It's working great for my door panels however. You can glue ABS.

Bob

Not to side track, but glad to hear ABS holds glue. I plan n replacing both door panels and rear panels on the 63GT, using ABS as backing. (Have already bought the ABS.)

[sbca96]

It appears to be some kind of pressed board, like the kind used for peg boards with the smooth
side and the cross pattern side that looks like little waffles. At least this is what they used in
the first year. I kinda wanted to get away from something that absorbs water since this is an
Avanti, its going to leak something, somewhere.

I had considered aluminum sheet, but then I thought they might have gone with wood so that
it would crumble in a rear end hit and not decapitate the rear passengers.

I think I will make brackets to extend the reinforcement out to the sides to help support it from
sagging in the future, looking at it, I'm not sure why they didn't do this.

Thanks Bob, I'm around .. I just have WAY too many projects. I NEED to make a post about a
project I completed on the 1969 Avanti with the power windows. I designed a bracket to allow
the use of a $15 dollar GM motor in place of the $300 dollar (used working) long obsolete Ford
motor. Once I found out this repair cost ... well .. you know me .. out with the old ...

Tom

[JLB]

It appears to be some kind of pressed board, like the kind used for peg boards with the smooth
side and the cross pattern side that looks like little waffles. At least this is what they used in
the first year. I kinda wanted to get away from something that absorbs water since this is an
Avanti, its going to leak something, somewhere.

I had considered aluminum sheet, but then I thought they might have gone with wood so that
it would crumble in a rear end hit and not decapitate the rear passengers.

I think I will make brackets to extend the reinforcement out to the sides to help support it from
sagging in the future, looking at it, I'm not sure why they didn't do this.

Thanks Bob, I'm around .. I just have WAY too many projects. I NEED to make a post about a
project I completed on the 1969 Avanti with the power windows. I designed a bracket to allow
the use of a $15 dollar GM motor in place of the $300 dollar (used working) long obsolete Ford
motor. Once I found out this repair cost ... well .. you know me .. out with the old ...

Tom

PLEASE make that post with the details on the bracket and the GM power window motor. If you don't have time to give us the details on the bracket, please tell us what G.M. motor you used.........year model etc., I can figure it out from there.
Many thanks
John

[Corley]

Don't feel bad, part of my rear is sagging too.

[sbca96]

John,

I will eventually post to find out interest and then 'RAD Ideas' will offer the bracket. I am
already out quite a lot of money on my brake bracket effort that I need to recoup. Guess
I should have pre-sold. I feel this is a very saleable product based on cost savings alone.

Tom

PLEASE make that post with the details on the bracket and the GM power window motor. If you don't have time to give us the details on the bracket, please tell us what G.M. motor you used.........year model etc., I can figure it out from there.
Many thanks
John

[JLB]

John,

I will eventually post to find out interest and then 'RAD Ideas' will offer the bracket. I am
already out quite a lot of money on my brake bracket effort that I need to recoup. Guess
I should have pre-sold. I feel this is a very saleable product based on cost savings alone.

Tom

Tom, not sure I understand "RAD Ideas"

[Hallabutt]

Am I the only one who hadn't a clue what ABS is. I had to google it to find out what it is, but I still don't know anything more then it seems to be a plastic that can be melted to a liquid, re-solidified and melted again. ABS has always referred to a modern car's braking system. Anyone here willing to share some of the real world qualities that would make it better then then regular hardboard?

[Gunslinger]

Hardboard has lasted in Avantis for over fifty years...no reason it can't do so for the next several owners. Plastic will work and work fine, but wood is easier to cut, drill and shape, cheaper to buy so why not keep using it?

[sweetolbob]

Am I the only one who hadn't a clue what ABS is. I had to google it to find out what it is, but I still don't know anything more then it seems to be a plastic that can be melted to a liquid, re-solidified and melted again. ABS has always referred to a modern car's braking system. Anyone here willing to share some of the real world qualities that would make it better then then regular hardboard?

Google ABS polymer and read the Wikipedia explanation. It's better than hardboard as it's tougher, glues quite well, more flexible and water won't hurt it. It the black plastic drain (DVW) pipe used in regions subject to earthquakes as it not subject to brittle failure as is PVC.

Hardboard is usually more rigid and much cheaper so it is the choice for inexpensive uses like the Avanti deck panel. I like Lauan plywood better but no reason hardboard won't work here.

ABS would be far from my choice due to the thickness needed and the much higher price it would command. But for door cards (panels) ABS is hard to beat.

Bob

[sals54]

What color is your package tray? I may still have one in the parts car. Mine is biege.

[Ron Dame]

I'm planning to cut one out of plywood for mine this weekend. I'm thinking of coating it with epoxy resin, but the main thing is to stop that rear window leak.

[sweetolbob]

I'm planning to cut one out of plywood for mine this weekend. I'm thinking of coating it with epoxy resin, but the main thing is to stop that rear window leak.

Agree with stopping the leak but coating the plywood should help. IIRC, they made a lot of boats out of plywood. Seemed to float until folks quit taking care of them.

Bob