Interior reassembly

jonathan49bat

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Just how difficult is it to strip out the interior, i.e. breaking clips, fastners, stretching panels etc? and if things are damaged how can one replace?

While it seems all the mechanical bits and metal can be refurbished, the interior items are very difficult to come across and therefore can let any restoration job down (if you want to keep to originality) what do others think?

There was a post on here sometime back of someone who was remaking the interior vinyl door trim was anything further heard?
 
Interior

I am at present in the process of an interior rehab on my '74. Headliner is installed. This required the R & R of both front and rear glass, as well as the door weather stripping. The replacement of the weather stripping was made at this point, kind o' pricey. We are waiting for material "perf" in order to complete the interior panels (SMS of Portland, OR 503-263-3535 has stock of the vinyl or leather if preferred) I started out with the mechanical repair of the sunroof, and the project kind of snowballed from there. A local piano restorer did the the rehab on the wood. I am told that GM has a bigger color selection for the "perf" material. I have not taken any photos to this point, but I can start, if anyone is interested. No "before" shots to this point. So far clips and plastic bits have not been an issue. Gotta be brave. Just a car, you take them apart and put 'em back together. Perfection is the dream but rarely the reality, and most times innovation is the key. Good luck to you.
 
Panels

Once the panels are done, I will post the results. My good friend and journeyman upholstery guy is confident. Recently, he has done a 1903 loco machine, then on to Ford , then the siena. Bread and butter, the best around. He feels he can build these panels cost effective, once the beta is done.
 
The door panels are still available, in black only, from Mobile Tradition:

http://www.bmwmobiletradition-onlin...el=3435&mospid=47811&btnr=51_3455&hg=51&fg=50
http://www.bmwmobiletradition-onlin...el=3435&mospid=47811&btnr=51_3479&hg=51&fg=50

$2200 for all four panels is a hard pill to swallow. I made my own, which turned out good enough for my own consumption. Any professional upholsterer could probably do a better job if it were not for the NLA early chevron upper panel pattern and the heat formed faux seam stitching. A local upholsterer got very pissy with me when I asked about heat forming. So, I had to machine my own heated dies to duplicate these elements. If anyone is really trying to duplicate the early panels, in colors other than black, I could heat press vinyl fabric pieces for subsequent assembly by your upholsterer. You would have to supply the colored vinyl fabric.

The pattern isn't identical to the original, but it is probably closer than anything else available.

d664f1574e3e918c32d0f796f8e9e235.jpg

26819c7ee6572273b3dad82b75702a7e.jpg
 
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