Reupholstering time- how much will I need?

[40P10touring sedan]

I'm starting to look for new cloth for my P10 40 touring sedan, my 72yr old stock interior is complete but heavily worn out.

How many yards of material will I need to aquire for the 2 bench seats, all 4 door panels, front kick and rear smaller panels, package tray and headliner...anyone recently do their 4 door car and have an idea?

Still waiting to get a sample from SMS for a close match for my current mohair cloth, though I'm kind of liking my mother's idea of some kind of microfiber in sublte tan/brown stripes for it's long wearing nature.

My plan is to aquire the needed chipboard door panels, cover them with 1/8" closed cell foam, and cut out the oem door line decorations, then cover them to match in the new material..I like the art deco lines she's got and don't want to loose those.

Anyone wish to post pics of their recent{or not so} interior to inspire me..I'd love to see that!

[RobertKB]

When I did the interior on my '38 Chrysler about nine years ago, I decided I did not particularly like the kind of material used originally so I chose materials and colours that I did like, maroon and grey. The interior is one of the few things not done as original but I am happy with it. I did keep all the trim and patterns used in the original. I posted pictures of the back seat before (well used) and after. Hope this helps.

I am not sure how much material I used as the door panels and seats, although the same colour, are a different pattern. Bottom of door panels is the same as the carpet material I used and I ordered the headliner pre-cut and ready to install.

Edited May 11, 2012 by RobertKB

[desoto1939]

If you are going to use a plain color then four a four I would assume about 15 yards and this is not including the headliner.

If you are going to go with a material that has stripes then you should order more becuase they have to match up the stripes on the front and back seats when the bottom and the back of the seat come together.

Rich HArtung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[40P10touring sedan]

If you are going to use a plain color then four a four I would assume about 15 yards and this is not including the headliner.

If you are going to go with a material that has stripes then you should order more becuase they have to match up the stripes on the front and back seats when the bottom and the back of the seat come together.

Rich HArtung

Desoto1939@aol.com

Hmmm, excellent point! This is why I hang around here!

[40P10touring sedan]

RKB, that looks very nice. For me, even if I wanted to go correct oem material, I doubt I could...luckily I'm more flexible like you. I still want the decorations and lines, just in close types of material.

A microfiber in subtle stripes would be great for me....but I think I'd do my headliner in matching or "slightly" lighter material than what I wind up choosing as I'm not a huge fan of the oem light cloth headliner.

[BobT-47P15]

If I recall correctly, the upholstry supply house I bought some vinyl from

for the convertible sold me 17 yards. Only has two doors, but has side

panels in the back seat area. I dont know how much is really neded

as I have not used it yet.

[40P10touring sedan]

Thanks BobT...was yours solid colored or some sort of stripes...seems like alot for a ragtop coupe, but what do I know yet.

[40P10touring sedan]

OK, heres another question, what should I do for the panels...the guy I know from ebay says he has door, package tray and kick panels uncovered...I'd still need rear side panels. He states I'd have to install the plastic weather protectant cover{?} to keep them from getting wet from rain....news to me that these cars ever has that!

Given that he sells chipboard panels, can I treat/spray these with something to water proof or water resistant them?...or should I just lay some sheet plastic or pony up for the plastic boards...what have you guys gone with?

[greg g]

I used 10 yards to do the front seat and poor panels on my bizzy coupe. The coupe seat has a leatherette covered metal rear piece so the front seat backs are not covered.

I would think however that 10 yards would deal with the back seat of a sedan and the 2 door panels. And I also covered my package tray and a horizontal panel on the rear bulkhead. But there are arm rests and interior panels behind the doors so maybe 24 yards would do the entire seating area and all door and side panels.

If you go to an upholstery place in town, they will have backer board which is used for the door panels, you can get it with a plain surface and also with a leatherized texture for kick panels. It comes in 4 X 8 sheets ad isn't very expensive. Some people have used luan floor underlayment also but its is a bit header to work with then the backer board.

http://www.hotrodders.com/scratch-built/Upholstery:_Interior_Panels

[Rusty O'Toole]

Best way to be sure how much material you need is to measure your seats, door panels etc. Most fabric is 54" wide.

If you take apart the door of any car made since the fifties you will find a heavy piece of clear plastic stuck between the door and upholstery panel, with caulking around the edge. This is to keep dampness from the door from warping the upholstery panel. It is impossible to keep water out of a door, it runs down the glass and into the door. Make sure the drain holes in the bottom of the door are open.

Upholstery shops sell a special thick black cardboard for making door panels, package trays, the panel between the back seat and trunk, etc. It is sturdy and not hard to work. Or you can use Masonite from the lumber yard. It is harder to work with and to cut but makes a good job.

Another handy tip is to forget the metal clips and use Velcro to stick the panel on. You usually can't get the original clips anyway.

[Oldguy48]

OK, heres another question, what should I do for the panels...the guy I know from ebay says he has door, package tray and kick panels uncovered...I'd still need rear side panels. He states I'd have to install the plastic weather protectant cover{?} to keep them from getting wet from rain....news to me that these cars ever has that!

Given that he sells chipboard panels, can I treat/spray these with something to water proof or water resistant them?...or should I just lay some sheet plastic or pony up for the plastic boards...what have you guys gone with?

I purchased the cardboard type material for my P15, but after I cut out the panels, I applied two coats of spar varnish to each side.

[40P10touring sedan]

Thanks gentlemen! Anyone else....?

[Eneto-55]

I replaced the headliner in my 72 Dodge Coronet back around the time I got my 46 (81 or so), and learned one tip that I later unfortunately forgot. That is that before you take the stitching out of the headliner (to separate the different sections), you should either mark each piece in some way to realign the new sections to each other, or cut little 'v's (I think they call them darts? Or is that something else?) for alignment. I know I've seen them in dress patterns. I meant to do that before I took mine apart, but at the time I put it away still all sewn together. Then later I got it out and took it all apart, not remembering to mark for alignment. The problem I had with the headliner I did for the 72 (I believe it was deteriorated from a previous owner's extreme smoking habit) was that there is extra fabric at the sides, so it is not easy to tell exactly how the separate pieces should go together. I must have gotten some pieces off a bit, because I had a good deal of trouble in getting it to install smoothly w/o wrinkles, and still have sufficient cloth along all of the edges to get it to hold in place. Maybe another idea might be to make sure there is extra cloth along the sides, so that you can cut off excess, rather than discover that the way it looks best produces a gap along one section, or something.

Neto

[BobT-47P15]

Thanks BobT...was yours solid colored or some sort of stripes...seems like alot for a ragtop coupe, but what do I know yet.

I got a solid color maroon vinyl.

But, I think I'll change gears and use cloth or cloth/vinyl combo.

Looking for a color and style I like, but not looking real hard.

[bobostski]

For the door panels, I went to a plastic supply house and got sign makers expanded PVC sheets. This comes in different thickness.

" Expanded PVC sheets are probably the most versatile of all the graphics products. The ease of fabrication is why this product has shown dramatic growth. PVC foam can be cut with saws or knives, drilled, bonded by adhesives or hot air welding, heat bent or thermoformed, routed, machined, nailed, riveted etc."

Went on line an found this http://www.interstateplastics.com/Dark-Gray-Expanded-Pvc-Sheet- 1/8" 4x8 $36 - 1/4" 4x8 $72

I used 1/8 or .118. I works beautifully. No worry about water. You can remove panel very easily without worry of damaging it.

I went kind of wild with the fabric. I use upholstery Velvet for headliner, door panels and seats. The fabric looks more subtle in real life. Did all the sewing myself.

[Captain Neon]

There will be lots of corruplast in people's front yards free for the taking to make door panels very soon. Better to go for a trip out in to the country to acquire corruplast as the sheets are larger out there.

[Frank Elder]

Thanks gentlemen! Anyone else....?

There will be lots of corruplast in people's front yards free for the taking to make door panels very soon. Better to go for a trip out in to the country to acquire corruplast as the sheets are larger out there.

The captain means election signs work real good and are water proof......Young Ed is were I first heard this priceless gem from.

[40P10touring sedan]

For the door panels, I went to a plastic supply house and got sign makers expanded PVC sheets. This comes in different thickness.

" Expanded PVC sheets are probably the most versatile of all the graphics products. The ease of fabrication is why this product has shown dramatic growth. PVC foam can be cut with saws or knives, drilled, bonded by adhesives or hot air welding, heat bent or thermoformed, routed, machined, nailed, riveted etc."

Went on line an found this http://www.interstateplastics.com/Dark-Gray-Expanded-Pvc-Sheet- 1/8" 4x8 $36 - 1/4" 4x8 $72

I used 1/8 or .118. I works beautifully. No worry about water. You can remove panel very easily without worry of damaging it.

I went kind of wild with the fabric. I use upholstery Velvet for headliner, door panels and seats. The fabric looks more subtle in real life. Did all the sewing myself.

Ooooh, that stuff looks good, alittle shy of actual .125{1/8"} but completely do-able. Is that solid core PVC foam{all foam} or a laminant foam center{skin/foam/skin}?

How rigid is it, I mean would the door clips holes hold up to the panel being removed once in a while for access?

I was thinking about ABS or styrene in the 1/8" range but I worry about heat during the summer and sagging.

[bobostski]

It has a skin on both sides that is very tough. On the inner foam part you can not see the air bubbles. You can barely tell it is a foam. You can not tear it like paper panels and will not crack if bent like hard plastic. You can take panel on and off the car with ease.

The corplast people are talking about is like corrugated cardboard made out of plastic. It has hollow tunnels running parallel like box cardboard. The problem with it is that it likes to fold on these lines and never really straightens back out. It can be free though.

When I made my panes I lightly sanded the edges as they were sharp and I didn't want the panel to cut my fabric.

This stuff works great and is well worth the money.

[40P10touring sedan]

Thanks for the replies folks, but do feel free to toss up some pics of your car's interiors...I like the old styles and colors mopar did.

[Furylee2]

I did a quick make-over on the 37 last fall. I went to the local sign shop and told them what I was doing. They gave me a couple of pieces of corrugated plastic signs from their scrap bin. I went to the fabric store and found some brown vinyl. Bought the carpet from J. C. Whitney.

I wouldn’t pay the prices for the shifter boot and e-brake floor seal (like $80 from Roberts). Went online to Mac’s and bought the e-brake boot and chrome ring for about $12. Same for the shifter boot/ring. Lee