While sewing is needed for the seats and door panels there are a couple of trim pieces that don’t require sewing – I can start with those. The back seat has a trim panel that goes between the seat and the side of the car. These will be a great place to start.
These trim panels were not installed. I found parts of these panels in the trunk of the car. They were in terrible shape – worn, dirty, water damaged, and torn in half. Complete replacement was required!
Time for some CAD – cardboard aided design. A cardboard template was trimmed and adjusted until it fit the space.
Once the cardboard template was fitted the outline was traced onto a piece of 1/8″ hardboard and cut out.
The next step was to cover it with 1/4″ fabric backed foam and some of the JoAnn test vinyl, stretch the vinyl, and staple to the back. The result was OK, but had some wrinkles and was a bit thick. But it did fit properly.
Since I now had the real fabric I started on the actual panel. Once again, a piece of 1/8″ hardboard was cut out. This time I applied spray adhesive to the hardboard and a piece of 1/4″ fabric backed foam and secured the foam to the hardboard. I then trimmed the form to the hardboard so that the foam didn’t wrap around the edge.
The next step was to cut out a piece of the real vinyl – SoftSeat Light Cashmere – about 3/4″ larger than the template. Spray adhesive on the foam and vinyl, carefully position the vinyl, and apply the vinyl to the foam. After it was in the right position I rolled the vinyl to the foam to secure it in place.
I then flipped the panel over and started notching the vinyl close to the edge – but not so close that the cuts would show from the front or side. Starting from the middle of an edge the vinyl was carefully stretched over the back and stapled in place.
The end result was this complex shape with no wrinkles in the vinyl and good definition along the edges. I’m rather proud of the result! With the first piece a success, the second trim panel was made and installed.
If only the rest of the interior could go this smoothly! I rate the chances of that happening as somewhere between zero and zero, but I’m an optimist…