50 Desoto Coupe-interior update

[50desotocoupe]

I thought I would post a few pics of the headliner on my Desoto.  The guy is doing full interior.  Looks like it will be done in a couple of weeks.  What do you think?  Not factory original material, but actually a new Dodge truck seat material. 

[Reg Evans]

Very nice !

[50desotocoupe]

A couple more update pictures.

[Bingster]

Are you doing this yourself?  If not, how expensive is it?

[50desotocoupe]

I am having an interior shop in Ft Morgan, CO doing it.  They guy has been doing it for years and does an incredible job.  When all is said and done it will be between $4k and $5k....which from what I understand is a screaming deal. 

[james curl]

It has to be love for the car and not about making money on selling the car for someone to spend $4,000.00 to $5,000.00 on upholstery plus $5,000.00 to $8,000.00 for a complete paint job, then a couple thousand to rebuild the engine plus another thousand for front disc brakes and front end rebuild.  Now we have invested $12,000.00 to $16,000.00 in a 60 year old car that if it is a coupe or convertible we might get $20,000.00 or $25,000.00 but if it is a four door sedan we might get lucky and break even.  It helps if we start with a good car that does not need rockers and extensive rust repair, so I would conclude it is all about our love of the old automobile and not a love of money.

[TodFitch]

It has to be love for the car and not about making money on selling the car for someone to spend $4,000.00 to $5,000.00 on upholstery plus $5,000.00 to $8,000.00 for a complete paint job, then a couple thousand to rebuild the engine plus another thousand for front disc brakes and front end rebuild.  Now we have invested $12,000.00 to $16,000.00 in a 60 year old car that if it is a coupe or convertible we might get $20,000.00 or $25,000.00 but if it is a four door sedan we might get lucky and break even.  It helps if we start with a good car that does not need rockers and extensive rust repair, so I would conclude it is all about our love of the old automobile and not a love of money.

At one point, when I was close to getting my car back together I guestimated that for every $1.00 I spent on the car I was increasing its value by about $0.25 to $0.50 and that was not including my labor. I am pretty sure that the cheapest way to have a nice car in this hobby is to buy one that someone else has "finished" as long as it has been finished to your liking. But a big part of this hobby for me is in the doing so that was not an option for me.

[pflaming]

I love this forum for here I can see a like object from many perspectives. Some like paint, really!;  some like to put front clips on old mopars and store them with wild animals, some like the low some high, some like them chopped and channeled, some have money to invest others like to find an old part clean it up and use it.  None are wrong. I like that. 

 

I have a wealthy friend whose wife had a 2012 $106,000 Jag. She didn't like the communication system so her husband told her to go and buy what she liked. So she bought a 109,000 Mecedes coupe.  Getting in and out of that coupe her knee went out and while it was  healing she drove her husband's $106,000 Camamerica Porch.  After a few days she told her husband he couldn't have his car back he had to take the coupe. So they gave the coupe to their son and the husband bought another Canamerica for $110,000.  Four years ago he paid CASH for a beach house in Oceano, CA. 6,400 sq feet, nothing between it and the Pacific Ocean. Price $2.3 million.  So it's all in perspective.

 

When I parked my truck, pre-fire,along side his Porche at a cafe, every one came and looked at my truck! So, go figure, oh and they loved the flat head six, and the exterior colors. 

[james curl]

As I said in my opening statement it has to be about the love of old automobiles.  Why else would someone take a complete basket case that needs every thing and spend hours and untold dollars on it to have it be worth about a quarter of what he has invested in it when it is finished?  It has to be about your need for an old car as it fulfills your needs to get rid of the stress of everyday living.  While working on it or driving it you are in complete charge of it unlike most other things in life where you are just along for the ride.  The old car fulfills a need to recharge your battery whether by physical active, creative active or just going back to a simpler time by driving it.

[Robert Horne]

I love my little 38 Coupe I bought in 1986, but I would never invest a large

amount of money in an interior. With my headliner, I used a quality blanket,

from Walmart I believe for material. I kept pulling and clamping the material

a little each day, until I was happy with it. After a few years, it looks as

good as new. Not bad for a hundred dollar investment......

[jhm1mc13]

The seat material looks interesting.    What is it and where did you get it?

Jim M

[50desotocoupe]

It was actually a material that the shop had on a shelf.  I think it is dodge truck seat material from a newer model like a 2013 or 2014. 

[50desotocoupe]

Well, the Desoto is back home from the interior shop.  I couldn't be happier with it.  Now I need to get on all the other little projects. 

[steveplym]

Looks great!  Sounds like you got a pretty good deal.  Looks like very nice work. 

 

I figure I spent almost $2500 to do the interior myself in my D-24.  So with labor figured in I'd say 4-5 grand is about right. 

Edited August 8, 2014 by steveplym

[pflaming]

I like the look of that coupe. I had a nice visit with Plymouthy and he explained that the Dodges, Desoto's, and Chryslers all were larger bodied 'full size' cars. I did not know that. Your coupe really looks like a balanced bodied car. Now shine up that black see the heads turn changing that patina would be like correcting the Mona Liza. Those seat covers are really nice. Good choices all the way around.

Edited August 9, 2014 by pflaming

[The Oil Soup]

Thinking about the salt flat wheels for my truck, they look super on your car!

[50desotocoupe]

thank you!  I used to really like the wheels, now going a different direction.  They will be up for sale in a couple of weeks!  They are in perfect condition.  I literally have only driven the car on/off a trailer since I put them on. 

[chopt50wgn]

I have always said when it comes to cars.................if you are building a car to sell and make money, you are building it for the wrong reason.

I think most everyone here on this forum just purely enjoys working on their own car. It gives you a feeling of satisfaction when you complete one project and you know you did it right. You step back and say to yourself..........."good job".

[Don Coatney]

 You step back and say to yourself..........."good job".

Be careful. The very last thing the high rise window cleaner did was step back to admire his work.

 

[pflaming]

Don, I think you are not quite correct on that window guy, That was the last thing in consciously did, the LAST thing he did was hit the pavement!.

[Don Coatney]

So I was 3 seconds off...

[pflaming]

Don, I think you are not quite correct on that window guy, That was the last thing in consciously did, the LAST thing he did was hit the pavement!.

 

So I was 3 seconds off...

 

My truck engine is 3 seconds / degrees off and it is dead also.

[Niel Hoback]

Whenever you do something, give 100% to it.  Except when donating  blood.

[deathbound]

Be careful. The very last thing the high rise window cleaner did was step back to admire his work.

 

wash.jpg

 

 

Don, I think you are not quite correct on that window guy, That was the last thing in consciously did, the LAST thing he did was hit the pavement!.

 

At least he's wearing his harness/lanyard, so probably would only fall 6'.....still enough to pucker the ole sphincter.