Question for an interior Pro:

Looking for a cheap, interim way to improve my cracked panels. I have some matching vinyl so I was thinking-

Is it possible to recover my 67 deluxe door panels in vinyl and have them look good? Can vinyl be stretched and worked around the contours? What glue would work for this?


Thanks.

depending on the cracks and rips, u might even consider putty?

It will be easier to get these and do them your self.
http://www.rickscamaros.com/product.asp?pf%5Fid=DP%2D27&dept%5Fid=3400
THis is what I did on mine...
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii15/davidcalligan/PICT0515.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii15/davidcalligan/PICT0512.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii15/davidcalligan/PICT0511.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii15/davidcalligan/PICT0518.jpg

he has deluxe , the std panel's are dirt cheap , deluxe panel's are anywhere from $500 to $700 buck's per pair with no trim :sad:

when I first got my 67 those panel's were $299 which I almost fainted over , then they went on sale for $320 and I bought mine new one TAXMAS at $320

where they are priced now if I needed them again I would just sell all the deluxe part's out of my car and put std interior in it , anything over $350 for those panel's isn't just high it's STUPID :sad:

I still have my original cracked one's which I am gonna recover , the best way will be to

#1 buy white material (EASY TO DYE)
#2 buy auto vinyl top glue
#3 cover them and let them dry
#4 buy the color matched dye and spray them

that will get you the best result and will also match other stuff you dye for you interior such as the kick panel's / seat back's / seatbelt cover's / and so on ,,

he has deluxe , the std panel's are dirt cheap , deluxe panel's are anywhere from $500 to $700 buck's per pair with no trim :sad:

when I first got my 67 those panel's were $299 which I almost fainted over , then they went on sale for $320 and I bought mine new one TAXMAS at $320

where they are priced now if I needed them again I would just sell all the deluxe part's out of my car and put std interior in it , anything over $350 for those panel's isn't just high it's STUPID :sad:

I still have my original cracked one's which I am gonna recover , the best way will be to

#1 buy white material (EASY TO DYE)
#2 buy auto vinyl top glue
#3 cover them and let them dry
#4 buy the color matched dye and spray them

that will get you the best result and will also match other stuff you dye for you interior such as the kick panel's / seat back's / seatbelt cover's / and so on ,,
The material I've had for 25 years is an exact match but I don't have enough. I need turquoise. Classic Industries sells the vinyl with the correct grain by the yard. I figure, what have I got to lose. At the crazy price of new panels, if I'm going to toss the old ones anyway I may as well try recovering them first. I may be able to get out of this for just the cost of the material and some carpet pieces. So less than $100.

But the big question in my mind is how to get contours to look right. Can the vinyl be heated and stretched? It looks like I will have to use 2 pieces, one upper, one lower, but the seam will mostly be hidden by the chrome trim.
Somebody must have tried this before? Let me know how yours come out.

I would go to a local upolstery shop and talk to them. Most would be happy to tell you how they do it. I have streched the vinyl and formed contours using a heat gun, not hot enough to melt it though. Get some 3M HD spray contact adhesive at Home depot and give it a try. The thickness of the new vinyl may not show the contours as sharp as new. The vinyl was streached when they were made, except they were on the bare panel to show the contours. Good luck!