Correct Texture Template for Vinyl Upholstery Repair

[neon]

Some of our board who have recently so generously offered their expertise know that I am attempting an interior redo of my coupe. I will need to do some vinyl repair on the upholstery and need a a texture / pattern template to press into the vinyl compound to recreate and matche the original texture. Any idea of where to find this or how to creat a reasonable facsimile ?

Thanks
Dana

 

[Dick Steinkamp]

World Upholstery has the dies to produce the textured vinyl. You can buy their kits or they may sell you just the textured vinyl. If you are using a non stock vinyl, maybe they will texture it for you.

 

[dave v. in nc]

If it matters, and you want "year correct" texture, the earlier cars had what I'd call a herringbone pattern, the later cars had what I'd call a "perf" (perforations) pattern. Others can chime in on what the year change is; I can't remember...up to 72 for one, 73-75 for the other? What year is your car, Dana?
I do remember a wonderfully serious member here (cant remember his name) who made a metal embossing plate to make his own herringbone; it was beautiful. Best/easiest bet is to buy "door" skins, front and back and repro panels, but I appreciate your ambition....Dick is right that World has repro panels...Below are the two we had available in the early/late...

 

[bavbob]

What interior bits are we talking about? The non perforated part in Dave's second photo can be bought at World, the perforated part in the second photo can be bought at SMS (headliner stuff). The SMS stuff has slightly smaller perforations and is slightly thicker than OEM which makes the headliner replacement a bit more challenging.

 

[JFENG]

is slightly thicker than OEM

BavBob
Weird idea. If that SMS material is vinyl, could it be sanded down (on the backside) to reduce thickness along edges where it caused you figment issues?

John

 

[HB Chris]

I think he is trying to repair cracks with filler and then wants to press an original piece of vinyl onto it to recreate the texture.

 

[bavbob]

Figured but in case recovering can be done.

I have used black seam sealer to repair tears in vinyl and tried to use a piece of the World Upholstery vinyl to press down on it to re-create the original pattern.....that did not work at all. The seam sealer works well though, flexible yet firm. I have a small spray bottle of paint thinner that I spray on the seam sealer ( and on a finger) which allows you to smooth it down and message into cracks.

John, that's what we did but still, tight fit of alum strip along the headliner edge and tight fit of the sunroof. Recall the 20lbs of weights resting on towels on my sunroof in the sun.

 

[neon]

I should have posted a photo, and I will when I get home, but the goal is to repair a vinyl abrasion. So as HB Chris above discerned, repairing small vinyl abrasions, and later the dreaded but small dash crack and maintaining the texture is the goal.

 

[autokunst]

Could you make a mold from a good section of the pattern and then use it to stamp the repair area? I am not sure what one would make it with, but I have to imagine there are some formulas that could go on as a liquid and would harden sufficiently.

 

[neon]

E9 board, here is the piece I am trying to repair. Completely re upholstering is not an option ( too many rivets to remove etc). There is a piece of the vinyl missing and I may try to glue (Contact Cement) on a pice of the vinyl that I have to this spot. The rest is abraded vinyl with the sub textured layer painted with a magic marker