how to do-it-yourself plain, lo-$$, upholstery
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how to do-it-yourself plain, lo-$$, upholstery
Posted: April 27 2007 12:29 PM
 
Frank Carey (aka fordorfrank) [ View ] [ carey@well.com ] [ Car Ads ] [ Blogs ]
Melbourne, Florida
 
I want to star with the simple. Door panels and kick panels. Where can I get flat ABS? What thickness should I look for? I have the steel pieces that surround the door windows and want to keep the main door panels the same thickness. This rules out any luan, etc. Is that reasonable? Since I have decent black vinyl seat covers, I want to use black vinyl on doors - no patterns, no pleats, no sculpting, etc. I assume I should first put on a thin sheet of foam rubber. What thickness, what kind? Where can I get it? (what is "closed cell" ??) What should I use for glue? Any tips for gluing it all together? I have the original panels and will try to reuse the clips. Is that unwise? Should I try to find the wire clips that you push into a small hole and which then expand? Or perhaps the plastic ones with flat heads and lots of "barbs" ? Where can I get these? I've been fooling around with rods for over 50 years and now that I'm retired and have the time, I don't have the $$ for an upholstery shop nor the know-how to do it myself. Any advise will be greatly appreciated. I usually attend York, Syracuse, and Burlington and will be glad to meet anyone on this forum. Thanks in advance.
 
 
Comments
 
Posted by bigdude  -  04/27/2007 12:34 PM
If you dont have the $$ or dont want to do it yourself-then you better start praying real hard,or find a magic wand somewhere! Roddoors has all that stuff
resident know it all [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Three Rivers, Michigan Charter Member since January 2004
 
Posted by EZRodder  -  04/27/2007 01:14 PM
Get the Roddoors DVD. It will show you how to do it. Then also check out EZ Boy Interiors. They seem to have better pricing on the ABS material. http://www.rodinteriors.com/panel-upholstery
EZRodder [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Bernville, Pennsylvannia
 
Posted by Streetrodder007  -  04/27/2007 02:54 PM
I have used Roddoors stuff, not bad, but its alot more expensive than buying from a local sewing shop. You can buy a decent low buck vinyl for about $20 per yard.

My last streetrod used about 18 yards, used 1/4" foam on doors and headliner and all side panels. yellow spray cheese glue in a spray can is only about $10. A 4'x8'x 3" sheet of LUX foam for seats is $95. Cheap carpet is $50 a roll. Water board is what guys used to use, until it gets moisture in it and looks like hell, its very cheap.

I usually figure about $5000 for interior/ upholstery.
Streetrodder007 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Port Huron, Michigan Charter Member since April 2006
 
Posted by Rods & Customs by Leon  -  04/27/2007 04:10 PM
Door panels are quite easy to make, I have several projects with plenty of pictures, I also have an account with ISS here in Houston that carries everything you need. The only difficult part in an interior is the stitching,
Rods & Customs by Leon [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Highlands, Texas Charter Member since May 2004
 
Posted by Willys33  -  04/27/2007 05:44 PM
Go to Lowes or Home Depot and get the fiberglass shower panels ( 4' x 8'). These are waterproof in case of leaks. Go to Discount Auto and get the upholstery glew made by 3M (8088 is the number). Go to a auto upholstery shop and get Landau foam (1/4" or whatever you need). Cut a 1 foot square of the fiberglass panel, dream up a pattern and glue the foam on the panel in some sort of sculpture and start with the center and work the vinyl into the cracks and edges. Of course glue the foam and then glue the vinyl as per instructions on the can. This is a test but you will be so proud of yourself that you will do something neat on the doors. Sky's the limit...at no extra cost!
Get off the trailer and drive [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Alamogordo, New Mexico
 
Posted by DavyJ  -  04/28/2007 04:25 PM
Look in the phone book for any industrial plastics supply house. One that sells lexan, ABS, and

UHMW. They should have the raw material you need really cheap.
Still driving the wife's car, cause I am slow. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Niagara Falls, Canada Charter Member since February 2005
 
Posted by timkins  -  04/29/2007 09:56 AM
I just completed the interior on my 32 sedan. I purchased the material from "www.yourautotrim.com" for less than $400. I purchased about 10 yards of tweed material and 5 yards of 1/8" foam, another 4 yards of 1/4" foam, a box of AUVECO clips to hold the panels on and about 6 yards of marine carpet. I then went to Home Depot and bought 3 cans of "3M Hi Strength 90 Sparay adhesive" and 2 cans of "3M Super 77 Spray Adhesive". I then went to my local plastics seller and purchased 2 sheets of 4'x8' 1/8" abs plastic and made all of the flat panels by using the originals as patterns, and the 2 sheets cost me $100. I di no try to do the headliner as it was in good shape. In total I spent about $550 for the interior and I am very satisfied with the the way it came out.
timkins [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Fishers, New York Charter Member since March 2002
 
Posted by Rods & Customs by Leon  -  04/30/2007 10:17 PM
This is a pretty difficult interior job that Im doing right now, I am doing a 67 Camaro and the interior will be in the style of the new Concept Camaro, Starting with a wood paneling base I then bond sections of dense Urathane foam that is then shaped in sections. the reason for working in sections is, If you make a mistake you not discarding a full panel, This foam isn't cheap so you want to use it smart. Once its completely shaped I will then fiberglass it over and work it out just like doing bodywork that will be the buck for the mold that I will use to make the final panel. That panel will then be covered in a thin layer of closed cell vinal top padding and upholstered as needed.
I know not to many of you would want to do an interior this drastic at home, But I hope it gives you some ideas. Interiors are quite easy but you need to be vary accurate and keep a close eye on details from the start.

This full interior package is being produced so that it can be installed without any alteration to the original structure and it will be avalible to purchase for those who want to do thier own the same way. If everything goes right it will be avalible in 6-8 weeks. If anyone is interested, please feel free to contact me, I will have to work out the details on the final cost. I will start taking orders in the very near future
Rods & Customs by Leon [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Highlands, Texas Charter Member since May 2004
 
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