Hot Rod Interiors presents: “How to prepare for your custom interior” Getting new custom upholstery is a very exciting part of building a hot rod or rebuilding a classic car. The transformation from an empty shell into a finished, comfortable, cabin really changes the appearance and feel of your car. When you get into a properly trimmed car three of your five senses will be triggered. You will notice things like the new car smell, the feel of the soft material and the quietness provided by insulation underneath the upholstery. There are many unseen sides to a custom upholstery job. The interior’s design and materials must be determined, then, the interior must be “built”. This includes one-‐off tailoring and mounting of all panels to be used in the vehicle, installing carpet padding, fabricating headliner bows, and much more. With the age of these cars it isn’t uncommon for them to be missing some key parts. If this isn’t addressed before the car arrives at the upholstery shop it will be up to the upholsterer to locate or, in many cases, fabricate the part. Once all of the panels are made, the seat is securely fastened, and the panels have attaching points, then all of the custom tailoring, pattern making and upholstery stitching and installation begin. This guide is design to help educate you on obstacles many upholstery shops face during a job. These obstacles are generally items that should be thought of before the car arrives for interior work, and in turn will drive up the end price of the upholstery bill. It is recommended that you use it as a checklist, going over each item closely, while examining your project for tasks that could/should be taken care of before dropping it of at the shop. Many small items that go overlooked during the general build process of the car can end up costing you more money on the upholstery, as well as later on after the vehicle is completed. By following this guide, and having a good line of communication with the upholsterer, you can save yourself some money, and headaches, and have a finished product that both you and your upholstery shop will be proud of. www.hotrodinteriorsbyglenn.com
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Pricing •
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Estimates made via the telephone or email are “ball park” prices Estimates made in person are good for 6 months Prices will range with labor time and cost of materials Most interiors will take 3 to 6 weeks to complete Every interior job is different. Even if they’re the same body style, there will be differences in construction that will affect an interior job’s price. For example, wiring, A/C, stereo system, seat style, and center console all could be different. Adding items to the job after the initial estimate will increase the price to some degree When getting an estimate it’s recommended that you have an idea of what style interior you like. This would include the type of seats to be used (stock, aftermarket, bench, buckets, or custom). This way the shop can give you a more accurate price range. Intricate consoles, custom trim and full two-‐toned leather interiors will increase the job’s price easily. Appointments Please call or contact the shop well in advance to schedule your appointment. It is not uncommon for an upholstery shop’s schedule to be booked out 6 to 12 months in advance. Make sure that you get on the shop’s appointment list. It is better to cancel or push back the appointment then to not have one at all. If you do have to cancel, the shop will keep you in mind and will usually work you in quicker when you are ready. If you are told the schedule is three months out don’t expect to call back in three months and get in without an appointment. Keep in mind that the time of your appointment is also when your vehicle should be ready for interior (see the tips checklist to follow). It is very important to stay in touch with the shop. If you have any questions while you are preparing/waiting for your appointment it is better to ask early then to wait until the day the vehicle is to arrive at the shop. When it comes time to bring your vehicle to the interior shop, make sure to stay in close contact with them. There is a certain buffer time the vehicle will need to be in the shop before the interior job begins. All materials are ordered after the car arrives. If you do not make your scheduled appointment and you have not communicated with the shop you could lose your place or be pushed back three or more time slots. Deposits Most custom interior shops take deposits. It helps keep their appointments on track. Making an appointment and not sending a deposit will not ensure your place on the list. Sometimes only a received deposit will ensure a place on the list. Some deposits are refundable and some are nonrefundable. Deposits are also used by the shop to make the initial material purchases. It is recommended that you discuss the deposit policies with your upholstery shop as every shop is different. www.hotrodinteriorsbyglenn.com
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Deadlines It is best to not push a custom interior shop to make a deadline. By doing this you force the shop to work faster under pressure, which can cause them to make mistakes or cut corners just to make a short deadline. Projects turn out much better when time is taken to allow for proper design and craftsmanship of an interior. Relax Don’t worry about all of the details of upholstery. Experienced upholsterers will be very happy to guide you through the details and styles available to you and your car. Just remember to contact the shop early in the interior process, giving you plenty of time to plan and prepare. It is very important to be patient. All things worthwhile take time. Pre-‐paint Preparation Tips •
There are a few things that need to be addressed before your car gets final bodywork and paint. This is a short list of tips to have in mind while communicating with your painter. Taking the interior into consideration this early in the project can really help you have a nicer upholstery job and save money doing it. •
Determine all rubber seals and spacers to be used. This is the time to check and fix any possible tolerance problems. You want your doors and trunk to seal and to be flush. •
Treat the inside door gaps and jams as you do the outside, especially if you don’t intend to use wind lace. Without wind lace you will want a tight gap and flush surfaces. •
After aligning the exterior of the doors, look to the interior door gaps and alignment. The gap should not exceed 3/8 inch between the doors and jam if you use wind lace. Door surface should be flush to the jam, “A” pillar, and “B” pillar surfaces. If door surface shuts past jam surface, the wind lace maybe have excessive pressure, not allowing your door to shut properly. If your door is not flush to the jams or has too large of a gap, the wind lace will not fill the void. If wind lace is not desired, a consistent 3/16 gap is required around the door. •
Hinges should not extend into the car past flush of the “A” or “B” pillar when the doors are closed. The jams need to be corrected at this time. If it is not fixed, the hinge will put pressure on the kick panel or quarter panel (if suicide doors). •
A tolerance of 3/8 to ½ inch should be allowed for interior panel thickness. When the panel extends below the sill line and/or the gap between the door and sill is too tight, large, or inconsistent, it can affect the appearance between the two, as well as the fitment of the door when closed. If using sill plates, pre-‐mount and check your tolerance of 3/8 to ½ inch. Cutting the panel off at the sill line is undesirable. www.hotrodinteriorsbyglenn.com
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A common regret is not detailing hinges or hinge pockets of jams and trunk drip edges. Mount window frames, look from the outside for unfinished or raw edges as this is the first impression of the interior. •
Sand or grind to eliminate any raw, rough, or jagged edges (sills, jams and trunk) that might not allow your interior panels or carpet to mount flush. •
Prepare and paint at least one inch farther into jams and trunk than you feel is needed. This will help cover up any jagged edges meeting the wind lace, carpet and window whiskers. There is nothing worse than an area that is unpainted which cannot be covered with upholstery. It is also very difficult for the painter to go back and touch up these areas after the interior is installed. •
Pre-‐fit all glass. Bondo squeeze the inner lip to create a totally flat surface. A very flat and true surface will allow for a very thin urethane bead. •
Replace any necessary tack strips. Also pull any tacks and staples. Try to make the surface as flat and as flush as possible. Hammer, grind, etc. as needed. A flat surface will allow panels to mount better. Most interior shops will install new tack strips but if you can have all of the old removed as well as the tacks and staples it is one less time consuming task you have to pay them to do. •
Remote fill for brake reservoirs under the floor will eliminate the need for an access panel in the floor and carpet. Post-‐paint preparation checklist and tips Like any large project, the more details you can do yourself, the more money you will save in the long run. This is a list of items and tasks that will ensure a successful and more cost-‐effective project. The time you invest at this stage will save you in the end. • Schedule your appointment months in advance and keep in touch. • Pictures of interiors with a styling that you like will help in designing an interior for you. If you like styles that, after review doesn’t fit your budget, inquire with the upholsterer to see if a similar design can be achieved at a lesser cost. • If possible, it is nice to have the running boards left off the vehicle for the interior process. • Think about style when mounting door handles, window cranks, and switches. Consider possible armrest shape and seating position when mounting handles or power window switches. Window switches mounted in center consoles or other hidden areas outside of the door are preferred for a cleaner appearance of the door panel. • Your vehicle MUST be drivable and have working brakes. Please no gas or other fluid leaks. www.hotrodinteriorsbyglenn.com
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Drive the vehicle several miles to work out any fluid leaks or mechanical malfunctions. It is much easier to make repairs, solve problems, or add new ideas before the interior is started. It is essential that the mechanical and electrical systems work properly. It can be very frustrating to remove parts of your brand new interior to make a repair or trace an electrical problem. •
Make sure all of the gauges are working properly. •
Test that all seals are in good working order and not leaking water. This should include trunk, doors, and all windows. A leaking window can destroy your new interior and cost you to have it repaired or replaced. •
Fiberglass window frames (garnish moldings) require extra effort for a proper fit. Sand and straighten all edges of window frames until they fit nicely. Allow 3/8 inch for interior panel thickness at the bottom of the frames or wherever necessary. Window frames should be properly mounted with countersunk screws. Once the window frames are mounted, look from the outside of the car for exposed, raw edges or large voids around the frames. This is commonly overlooked and will really show up when everything else is finished nicely. Mount window whiskers (anti rattlers) onto the frames with small screws so that they can be removed for paint or wrapping the frame in materials. It is important to make sure the windows still operate properly with the whiskers on the frames. •
All glass should be in the car by the time it arrives at the shop. Again, it cannot be stressed enough to be sure that they are properly sealed. A black fret line is recommended for a more professional look. Consider the interior panel thickness of 3/8 inch. Particular attention should be paid to the windshield, “A” pillars, header, and dash. Note: on some cars the windshield and back glass need to be out to install the headliner. Consult your upholsterer about your car’s needs. •
Substructure complete – we need something to mount the interior panels to. Many fiberglass or chopped cars are incomplete. It will cause an additional expense to have the upholstery shop create mounting points for the panels. This is especially difficult after the car has been painted. •
Paint any items you wish to match the interior color. Dash, column, brake arm, light bezels, door handles, window frames, seat tracks, and stanchions are just a few items people commonly want to be interior color. If you are going for the leather look, choose your leather ahead of time so you can get a quart of SEM interior paint to match. This is something that the upholstery shop can take care of for you, but it will save you a bunch of money to do it yourself, if possible. •
Make sure door handles and window cranks are mounted and functioning, allow 3/8 inch tolerance for interior panel thickness. Trunk lifts and latches must be functioning. A rotating power trunk lift requires only a small hole in the trunk side panel. There are no large, unsightly slots to deal with. •
The dash should be mounted with a 3/16 inch clearance on each side between the dash and “A” pillars to allow for wind lace. If the dash extends towards you, make sure there is tolerance for the door panels of 3/8 inch. www.hotrodinteriorsbyglenn.com
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Mount and wire stereo, speakers, lights and switches before your car comes to the shop. Please remember to send the stereo release tool with your car. Stereo, lights and switches to be mounted in the floor or overhead console require a 12-‐inch extension with plug style connectors. Instrument gauges should also be wired with plug style connectors. This helps at the interior shop and for the life of the car. All electrical to be mounted to kick panels, trunk panels, headliner, etc., should be mounted with plug style connectors. Please do not solder wiring to anything that may need to be removed. This is especially important with dome lights in the headliner. •
A large diameter group of wires can be impossible to cover. Spread wires flat, away from sills. PLEASE keep slack in wires. Wires that are too tight cannot be moved and can sometimes be forced into being exposed. A center console can allow the wiring to run down the center of the car and remain accessible. •
Heat and A/C units need to be mounted as high as possible, including hoses, which also should be kept tight to the firewall. The unit should be wired and functioning, even the vent hoses. Condensation leaks from the air conditioning tubing are common and easy to fix at this time. Be sure to test it. Don’t forget to install and test the condensation drain hose. Keep in mind that carpet or panels will have to be installed around all hoses. If they are not well positioned they risk being exposed. •
Pre-‐upholstered, after-‐market seats are just as cost-‐effective as salvaged seats in the long run. Purchasing pre-‐upholstered seats and materials will allow you to pick your interior trim paint, seat belts, etc. and set the tone for interior styling. Pick salvaged seats for which you like the factory design and fit. Restyling may add to the final cost. After-‐market seats without covers will require the expense of custom tailoring. Allow at least 1 ½ inches between the seats and the door panels. Remember, door panels will be about 3/8 inch thick with the material and padding. •
The seats and seatbelts need to be mounted with all of the bolts and hardware you wish to use in place. Consider an extra ½ inch in the bolt length to compensate for the carpet thickness. Seat tracks should be cleaned and painted, extending the seat tracks fully in each direction during painting. Paint all plastic side shields and mechanical parts. •
Mount the battery securely. Tuck the battery in an inconspicuous space, but still accessible. If the battery will be concealed by interior panels, it will not need a bulky box. A convenient battery shut off is a great feature for safety and theft-‐prevention, and is highly recommended. •
Any nuts or bolts that will eventually end up behind a panel or under the carpet must be welded in place, otherwise they may become impossible to tighten. Once the panel is installed, a bolt or nut then can be secured, such as gas struts in the trunk or three point seat belt uppers. •
Installing insulation yourself can really give you big savings. Any upholstery shop will do it for you, but it can be labor-‐intensive and cost you a good day or more in charges. You will want to do a good, thorough job on the insulation, as it will be buried by the upholstery and impossible to access later. www.hotrodinteriorsbyglenn.com
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Half wrap steering wheels are the most versatile choice. •
Cars without outside door handles or trunk handles should have a mechanical emergency release. •
Install all window frames, door handles, window cranks, door sill plates, power window switches, dome lights, etc. This will ensure that they fit properly and the upholstery shop can see what their orientation is, especially after you have taken the time to fit everything properly. •
Headliner bows should be painted, numbered, and re-‐installed in their proper location. Save all headliner pieces (if possible), and paint anything with rust. Rust can bleed into the material and stain it. Make sure the tack strip is complete and replace it if it is not. Remove all staples and tacks, and straighten any metal mounting flanges and tack strip to ensure a good, flat and flush mounting surface. Seat Choice and Mounting •
For the most practical, and best looking results, mount your seats so they are centered over the tracks and the seating position is in the primary location for you. This will allow for seat adjustments in both directions. Make sure to mount seats square and level. •
Some seat tracks can be swapped inboard for outboard or driver for passenger, to hide bolts under seats. You will need at least 1 inch of clearance from the bare floor at the rear of the seat for full travel. •
Choose seats that you like the style as it is. Restyling will cost more. •
Keep ALL plastic seat parts. This includes cracked or bent parts. Some of the parts are hard to replace. In addition, keep all plastic seat track covers pieces and any retainers. •
Remember to keep at least 1 ½ inch clearance between seats and doors. Remember, most street rods narrows towards the front. •
Once mounted, sit in the seats and check head clearance, width, and front room. Carpet and additional padding will raise you up slightly. We like to have the occupants sitting in the seat to where they are looking through the vertical center of the windshield. We have found this to be the optimal seating location for the driver. •
Not all after-‐market seats are created equal. Sit in the seat to ensure design, quality, and comfort is good for you before you buy them. Be sure to also take several measurements to ensure a good fit. It is a very common occurrence to remove an after-‐market seat and replace it with a custom built seat. After-‐market seats have a tendency to be too big once installed. •
For smaller roadsters and pick-‐ups, seats that are custom and hand-‐made are preferred in most cases. A good interior shop can handle this and will custom tailor the seat for you for proper fit and comfort. www.hotrodinteriorsbyglenn.com
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Follow these tips and suggestion and you will have a very pleasant experience with your upholstery shop and get the best interior you can while staying within your budget. www.hotrodinteriorsbyglenn.com
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