Hey everyone,
Thanks so much for the opinions and replies, I really appreciate all of them! My goal on this truck is to put it back to as close to factory original as possible. I don't really mind using a newer material over an old one (like cardboard vs. a wood or synthetic material), but I do want to stay true to the look and fitment as much as possible. Thus, the reason I do plan to buy panels that are as close to original as possible. I have seen pics of trucks restored to "original" by Willys America (see the 1947 picture from their site below), and they have left me somewhat confused because the door panels in the pictures do not appear to be covered in any material, and dont match the upholstery as many say was the case originally. They look to be more of a brownish wood look, so I am confused as to what they actually used on these trucks originally. There seem to be too many conflicting ideas on what EXACTLY a 1948 pickup came with from the factory as far as headliner and door/kick panels are concerned!
More pictures of the truck I am talking about at the bottom of this page:
http://www.willysamerica.com/restorations/trucks/index.html *** My truck is the exact same Potomac Grey with Red wheels as seen here, so I am trying to make it as correct as possible, and I assume basing it off this restoration by Willys America would be a good one to mimic? Or am I wrong?