Worn out interior panel options?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 13,515
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From: Fisher, IL
Worn out interior panel options?
I started my interior rebuild yesterday, I have new carpet and will get the interior lights working as well as upgrades to the stereo while i'm in there.
I noticed quickly that the PO glued the carpet to some of the side panels and when removed it tears the vinyl up with it. They're a nasty dirty gold color anyway and i'm wondering what my options are to make things look better short of replacement?
Is it worth my wild to re-vinyl them? or maybe learn how to leather? Painting them an option that would be easy???
I noticed quickly that the PO glued the carpet to some of the side panels and when removed it tears the vinyl up with it. They're a nasty dirty gold color anyway and i'm wondering what my options are to make things look better short of replacement?
Is it worth my wild to re-vinyl them? or maybe learn how to leather? Painting them an option that would be easy???
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,273
Likes: 4,366
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi PV,
I'm playing with my 71 carpet right now.
I'm not sure how the carpet could have been glued to the rigid interior trim panels since they all go in after the carpet.
Did the p.o. use glue to hold the trim panels in place rather than the appropriate screws?
Regards,
Alan
Just one picture of the carpet going in.
I'm playing with my 71 carpet right now.
I'm not sure how the carpet could have been glued to the rigid interior trim panels since they all go in after the carpet.
Did the p.o. use glue to hold the trim panels in place rather than the appropriate screws?
Regards,
Alan
Just one picture of the carpet going in.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 13,515
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From: Fisher, IL
I'm no expert but I would say the carpet was not stock as i'm pretty sure **** carpet was never an option? It was in pieces and glued on the side panels all over the place in the seat area as well...
Sure it was under most of the panels but these side ones it was glued on for some reason.
And the center console parking brake area has seen better days.
Strip and paint a better option?
Sure it was under most of the panels but these side ones it was glued on for some reason.
And the center console parking brake area has seen better days.
Strip and paint a better option?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,273
Likes: 4,366
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi PV,
I'd say you're right. Someones bathroom rug ended up in your car.
If it looks like you can remove the old vinyl from the pieces of trim I'd say recovering them is a real possibility!
Regards,
Alan
I'd say you're right. Someones bathroom rug ended up in your car.
If it looks like you can remove the old vinyl from the pieces of trim I'd say recovering them is a real possibility!
Regards,
Alan
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
I would advise you to go find some used replacement interior parts at a Corvette show swap/parts meet and redye them to your interior color. [All of the interior parts should probably be redyed, anyway.] Used parts...that are not damaged...can be made to look like new, if they are not damaged on the visible portion of the surface, are cleaned well, and are redyed [not painted]. And used pieces are about 1/3 the cost of new parts (which probably won't fit that well, anyway).
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Fisher, IL
I talked to my mom today and told her I might be interested in leather covering my panels. She does some upholstery work as a hobby so I'll take her some of the harder pieces and see what she says.
If i leave the doors and seats alone. I'm guessing the tach and map area would be the hardest...
I'll most likely just dye the vinyl but i'm not going to eliminate leather(fake leather) as i think it would be awesome...
If i leave the doors and seats alone. I'm guessing the tach and map area would be the hardest...
I'll most likely just dye the vinyl but i'm not going to eliminate leather(fake leather) as i think it would be awesome...
Last edited by PUNISHER VETTE; Nov 8, 2010 at 10:55 PM.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Crossville TN
Well....OK. If you have a leather 'verneer' on some other surface, the outer surface is still "leather"...it's just very thin. By the way, I've never seen an object with leather verneer. (not saying it doesn't exist; just saying I haven't seen one)
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Fisher, IL
Who knows though... I might just make it easy on myself and dye the vinyl and buy replacement panels for the ones that are worn/damaged .......
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
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From: Florida
Faux is just a trendy neuvou name for fake, since everyone is trendy about not killing animals for their pelts.
There are only two materials, not a mix.
There is real leather of different types, top grain. full grain etc and there are a gazillion types of vinyl, some of which are made to imitate different types of leather. Some are so realistic that about the only way to tell is to either smell or look at the back side.
The only place to get thin grained vinyl for forming is from an industrial fabric supplier.
To get leather thin enough to form, it has to be "skived" (cut very thin) and treated, then a heat activated glue is used that solidifies and prevents delamination under prolonged higher temperatures.
It's common on high end cars.
Interior panels covered with vinyl were originally formed and glued in a huge dielectric machine under heat, pressure and vacuum.
I worked a summer in high school at an auto interior plant that made door panels.
Check with a custom wood veneering shop that does vacuum bagging for wood veneers. You can form wet, thin leather from your pieces that way and when dried, glue them together.
There are only two materials, not a mix.
There is real leather of different types, top grain. full grain etc and there are a gazillion types of vinyl, some of which are made to imitate different types of leather. Some are so realistic that about the only way to tell is to either smell or look at the back side.
The only place to get thin grained vinyl for forming is from an industrial fabric supplier.
To get leather thin enough to form, it has to be "skived" (cut very thin) and treated, then a heat activated glue is used that solidifies and prevents delamination under prolonged higher temperatures.
It's common on high end cars.
Interior panels covered with vinyl were originally formed and glued in a huge dielectric machine under heat, pressure and vacuum.
I worked a summer in high school at an auto interior plant that made door panels.
Check with a custom wood veneering shop that does vacuum bagging for wood veneers. You can form wet, thin leather from your pieces that way and when dried, glue them together.
