Do you have custom interior wood?

[adawil2002]

If so, please post a pic of your interior, curious to see what others have done.

I know Stan has Birdseye Maple. Chris Robbins has figured Mahogany.

Over this winter I'll be removing Athena's wood trim and sending it to Bela. Considering asking for Carpatian Elm Burl instead of stock French Walnut.

Feedback appreciated.

 

[Stevehose]

Burl is nice but to me it suggests Jaguar/Rolls.

 

[restart]

My concern would be getting a matching steering wheel and shifter knob.

I have burl on my bav. I like it. One thing I didn't consider is the heater controls are in german and my light switch is labeled in english.:sad:

 

[vince]

Here's mine;

Zebrano Wood, speaker hole filled, Madera Concepts did the wood, I put it all back together (along with my refurbed dash from 'Just Dashes). That was 11 years ago and it all looks as good as the day I finished it.

 

[Gary Knox]

I don't have a custom interior, but if I were to have one made, I'd have Koa veneer used. I made some Koa panels for one of my Porsche 928's, and they were beautiful, receiving raves from all who saw them. Very rare, but an American wood (grows in the Hawaiian mountains).

 

[lloyd]

Try as one might . . . Matched wood steering wheels with dash and door veneer often change with varying exposure to sunlight. This also includes color shift or fade. I recall seeing an E9 with a beautiful red wood stain that did not match the wheel but the contrast seemed exceptionally nice. Made me a lapsed purist.

Maybe I am not surprised no one has mentioned Benetton. I once recall seeing an E9 with a Benetton or Benetton-inspired multicolor interior. The colors and execution were not to my taste, but maybe with a little curry powder . . .

Alvin's zebra wood

Beautiful color

Benetton, for those who don't remember or don't want to remember.


Benetton Momo Wheel

 

[rsporsche]

i've been thinking about what wood to use in my coupe - i agree with Steve that Burls are nice, but more of Jag or Rolls ideas ... call it british. burls are generally small pieces of wood that will require flitch matching to come out good. one thing that might be of interest, less formal than burl is a pomele figure (or quilt figure). i have attached some different woods that i have looked at as well as a picture of a dash that i like

 

[adawil2002]

Great Posts!

These posts are very helpful, really appreciate it.

Also thinking of Cherry or straight grain Mahogany.

 

[dave v. in nc]

dash, etc

Thanks, Lloyd, for that time warp Benneton tour; I remembered the VW Golfs, but not the steering wheels..I dont think I need one, however.
Andrew, the bad news is that the more linear/stripey the veneer, the more distortion you can get as the dash curves (as seen from some of shots Lloyd shared..), the good news is that the burls aren't linear and look fine in that regard. (I know that you know wood, and know all of this...) The olive ash wood around its respective burl is probably one of my favorites for auto dashwood..looks like crotchety, gnarly walnut stump wood, but lighter in color, so you have more flexibility, light or dark...But in our very staid German interiors, I'm going with a figured walnut, similar to the Madera veneer, medium warm in color, probably a 10 sheen. The curly maples, cherry burls, and volcanic exotics are beautiful woods, but look funny/out of context in a teutonic environment...just my .02 cents worth.
DV

 

[HB Chris]

Wow, didn't know my interior was so well covered on the web. First shot is mine as well as three others grouped together. These photos make mine look more red than it is however.

 

[adawil2002]

Wow, didn't know my interior was so well covered on the web. First shot is mine as well as three others grouped together. These photos make mine look more red than it is however.

What veneer is you interior? Looks fantastic!

 

[adawil2002]

Here are some interior shots I found as inspiration when I bought Athena in 2011.
The red interior with Birdseye Maple is Stan's GR8WHT. ;-)

My interior is blue with bluish black leather, the last pic in the string. Taken as a sales pic. Only the leading edge of my door wood is bad on both sides, the rest is perfect.

 

[Stevehose]

Whichever you decide maybe Bela can turn a matching shift knob for you.

 

[adawil2002]

Whichever you decide maybe Bela can turn a matching shift knob for you.

Thanks for the idea Steve.

I have a black shift knob I bought from Murray Fowler a few weeks before he passed away. I like to think it came from Blumax, yet I doubt it. It fits my hand perfectly.

 

[rsporsche]

These posts are very helpful, really appreciate it.

Also thinking of Cherry or straight grain Mahogany.

take a look at flatcut figured cherry. here are a few other favorites, like black limba ...

you should also go on ebay and search hardwood veneers. the prices vary greatly as well as the size of the veneer flitches.

i am probably going to use etimoe with a clear finish. beautiful colors within the wood, similar grain to mahogany - just more expressive

 

[HB Chris]

Andrew, I have no clue but I like it.

 

[David]

Burled walnut

 

[bwalvoord]

I have whatever Bela sent me and I absolutely love it.

I tried to stain the shift knob to match and of course the wheel is a little off as well. All of that is quickly forgotten once I get in.

Well, maybe not the wheel...

 

[adawil2002]

I have whatever Bela sent me and I absolutely love it. View attachment 15184

I tried to stain the shift knob to match and of course the wheel is a little off as well. All of that is quickly forgotten once I get in.

Well, maybe not the wheel...

Do you have a bigger pic?

 

[Honolulu]

I had some reclaimed koa flooring sitting around, so I remade the right door trim with it. I think it looks nice but not spectacular by any means. As I get the energy the other door trims will likewise be replaced.

The door trims are easy to make and for anyone with a little experience in making short sticks from long ones, there is the temptation to push the cross section from gently bulging to a bit of a crease; to add a contrasting lengthwise strip of lighter wood within the darker, and so on. But the wife (who although she is named on the title generally refuses to drive the car) would go volcanic if I did that. Sounds like reason to do so anyway. Life is short!