A-pillar trim repair/replace?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 651
Likes: 45
From: Raleigh area, NC
A-pillar trim repair/replace?
My 75 coupe's foam is showing top of right side A pillar.....is this something that can be replaced?
Interior is silver deluxe package on a white body.
Don't see it in any of the catalogs so far.
Interior is silver deluxe package on a white body.
Don't see it in any of the catalogs so far.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,221
Likes: 4,310
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi PMR,
The upper part of the a-pillar soft trim often gets beaten up/torn by the front roof panel latch and the corner locating pin on the roof panel.
I'm not sure if anyone is recovering them or not.
The reproductions are good, but not great, (as is the case with most interior soft trim parts.
Maybe a photo of the condition of yours?
Regards,
Alan
Most of the larger vendors carry the pieces.
For instance…Paragon Corvette Reproductions….. #7472rh. & #7473 lh.
The upper part of the a-pillar soft trim often gets beaten up/torn by the front roof panel latch and the corner locating pin on the roof panel.
I'm not sure if anyone is recovering them or not.
The reproductions are good, but not great, (as is the case with most interior soft trim parts.
Maybe a photo of the condition of yours?
Regards,
Alan
Most of the larger vendors carry the pieces.
For instance…Paragon Corvette Reproductions….. #7472rh. & #7473 lh.
Last edited by Alan 71; Jan 27, 2017 at 06:12 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
If you just have a 'split' in the vinyl covering, you may be able to repair it. Mix up some 2-part JB Weld epoxy; use a toothpick to insert a good amount of the epoxy into the split ON BOTH SIDES; put some waxed paper over the repair & then duct tape to hold the repair down to its original position. Let cure for a couple of days. Remove tape/paper, clean with light wipe of solvent, then recolor with vinyl dye mixed to your interior color or to match your interior.
Less expensive than buying repops; and you still have the original parts.
Less expensive than buying repops; and you still have the original parts.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 651
Likes: 45
From: Raleigh area, NC
If you just have a 'split' in the vinyl covering, you may be able to repair it. Mix up some 2-part JB Weld epoxy; use a toothpick to insert a good amount of the epoxy into the split ON BOTH SIDES; put some waxed paper over the repair & then duct tape to hold the repair down to its original position. Let cure for a couple of days. Remove tape/paper, clean with light wipe of solvent, then recolor with vinyl dye mixed to your interior color or to match your interior.
Less expensive than buying repops; and you still have the original parts.
Less expensive than buying repops; and you still have the original parts.
The door panels have cracks, and the a-pillar on right side is missing a piece of the silver vinyl exposing the foam.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
Ahh... Getting the surface to have the original texture--that's the 'ticket'. Such a thing is "do-able". But, you need to get some silicone potting material which can be pour/cast over a 'good' area of surface so that it will create the reverse image of the surface.
With that in hand, you can make your repair with Bondo, Shoe-Goo, whatever, put some kind of parting material on the surface mold you made, then press that over the repair material to recreate the surface texture. It ain't easy...but it can be done. Is it undetectable to a trained eye? No. Will normal people see it? Not if they are not looking right at it.
If you can approximate the original surface pretty well and the repair area is not a sizable percentage of the entire part, a good recolor of the part will hide any decent repair job. Just sayin'......
P.S. I'm partial to the epoxy type repair products as they don't require 'air' to cure them. And that helps if you are also trying to recreate the surface graining on a repair.
With that in hand, you can make your repair with Bondo, Shoe-Goo, whatever, put some kind of parting material on the surface mold you made, then press that over the repair material to recreate the surface texture. It ain't easy...but it can be done. Is it undetectable to a trained eye? No. Will normal people see it? Not if they are not looking right at it.
If you can approximate the original surface pretty well and the repair area is not a sizable percentage of the entire part, a good recolor of the part will hide any decent repair job. Just sayin'......
P.S. I'm partial to the epoxy type repair products as they don't require 'air' to cure them. And that helps if you are also trying to recreate the surface graining on a repair.
Last edited by 7T1vette; Jan 31, 2017 at 01:56 AM.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 492
Likes: 40
From: SE Ohio
St. Jude Donor '16-'17-'18,'19
Hi pmr.
You might check out Creative colors international. Google wecanfixthat.com It looks like there are several shops in NC. There is one close to me that I've talked with about a small repair on my 91 and a cracked dash on my pickup. I haven't seen their work yet but it looks good in their video.
Bob
You might check out Creative colors international. Google wecanfixthat.com It looks like there are several shops in NC. There is one close to me that I've talked with about a small repair on my 91 and a cracked dash on my pickup. I haven't seen their work yet but it looks good in their video.
Bob
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