I thought I would take some time out from fixing the Z and write up a 'How to' or rather, how I retrimed my cockpit panels and the materials I used.

 

Firstly I attempted the panels in a quality leather, for me this was a BIG NO NO, it looked like I had wrapped the panels up in Bruce Forsyths skin, there were creases every where but the places they were meant to be. Lucky for me I was given the material.

 

I then decided on a visit to a local Fent shop, and after pushing past the OAP's with their latest knitting paterns, I made it to the counter. Lucky for me there was a Gent there who had built his own kit car and gave me some great advice...........'If you haven't the correct tools for manipulating the leather into the correct shape, don't use it, use a pvc based leatherette'.

 

He then pointed out the rows of 'pretend leather' of which I was surprised at the variety. After choosing, paying (£22) and returning home, the fun then begun.

 

 

I tackled the easy panels first to test the methods advised by the man in the fent shop and they worked! So, what is the trick to getting a good result..?

Answer....Cheap as chips Super glue, not the good stuff (bostik) but rather, as in my case, Pound Land 15 tubes for, you've guessed it, a Pound.

 

Now I am armed with a fiver's worth of Super glue, some PVC leatherette and to finish my material collection off, some tubes of Evo Stik Leather Adhesive 381506.

 

I removed the old material from the panels and key'd up the surface and at the same time removed the old glue, by using one of those wire brushes that fits into a drill. Once cleaned up, I placed the cloth over the panels, cut roughy to the size, and dribbled the super glue onto and into the place I wanted to start, for example; on the rear cards I put a bead of glue from one end to the other where the black part met the old cloth. Starting at one end I used a feeler gauge to prod the material into the gap. Once the glue set and using a scalpel, I removed the excess material (It doesn't look that pretty at this point but don't worry). I then spread thinly the leather glue over the remaining panel.

 

The reason you use the cheap super glue is that it doesn't instantly bond on contact, allowing for repositioning but will hold firm after a few seconds. I then used a heat gun to manipulate and stretch the material, constantly wiping over it until the glue done its job. On the rear panels where the material wants to natrually lift away from the panel, mix in some of that superglue.

 

The heat gun and super glue will allow you to fully manipulate the material (See my stereo blanking panel).

 

Top tip from Mr Fent man. To cover up your awful slashing away of the excess material, use PVC coated electrical wire, glued in place with... you guessed it...Pound Land super glue. This acts as a finishing bead.

 

 

So to sum it up (I hear you saying thank god).

 

You will need a heat gun (be careful here, you don't want your interior looking like a scene from Michael Jacksons autopsy)

 

Loads of cheap Super glue

 

Leather glue

 

Feeler Gauge (as it's nice and blunt) and if you don't smoke............you will!

 

Clean hands and patience. Well worth it though.:wink:

Bit garish for me. Why have you got electrical wire running round the tops of the door card sections...if you cut it correctly and push the excess between the sections, you'll not need electrical wire to cover it up.

Edited July 5, 201015 yr by FunkySi

That's the beading ...... lol