Interior refresh
Discussion
I've been tasked with giving my dads new chimaera a refresh while he's away on holiday...
Here is how it started. Reasonably clean, but the leather looked grubby and the carpets were stained and bleached from the sun over the years.
So my lists of jobs include... Attack all leather with a magic eraser, remove seats and dye carpets, fit new stereo, new handbrake handle, new indicator stalks, new vent trims, new steering wheel, speed up windows, fix wobbly wing mirror...
Anyway onto some photos...
New stereo (Pioneer DEH P77MP - great head unit, just fitted one in my Cerb too) and new handbrake handle from leven. Also you can see the difference between the dash that's been magic eraser'd and the seats which haven't yet...
Mucky carpets... And seats coming out...
Seat on the right has been magic eraser'd...
Masking up ready for painting the carpets...
Now for the first bit of carpet dye... I tried it on the mats first and was really impressed by the results.
Then onto the interior...
So this is how it stands tonight... Really happy so far. Also steering wheel now on... (thanks to ukdj for helping with the wheel)
Next up tomorrow is to refit the seats, install new stalk and aluminium vent things...
Here is how it started. Reasonably clean, but the leather looked grubby and the carpets were stained and bleached from the sun over the years.
So my lists of jobs include... Attack all leather with a magic eraser, remove seats and dye carpets, fit new stereo, new handbrake handle, new indicator stalks, new vent trims, new steering wheel, speed up windows, fix wobbly wing mirror...
Anyway onto some photos...
New stereo (Pioneer DEH P77MP - great head unit, just fitted one in my Cerb too) and new handbrake handle from leven. Also you can see the difference between the dash that's been magic eraser'd and the seats which haven't yet...
Mucky carpets... And seats coming out...
Seat on the right has been magic eraser'd...
Masking up ready for painting the carpets...
Now for the first bit of carpet dye... I tried it on the mats first and was really impressed by the results.
Then onto the interior...
So this is how it stands tonight... Really happy so far. Also steering wheel now on... (thanks to ukdj for helping with the wheel)
Next up tomorrow is to refit the seats, install new stalk and aluminium vent things...
That looks very good! Well done!
What is this magic eraser of which you speak?
Carpet wise - are they still soft ? I have some olive dye here from the furniture repair shop I was going to re-green mine (They are a little bluish now due to sun) but when I have seen dyed carpets up close they seem... not so supple anymore.
That Steering wheel is the b
ks - can tell us more ?
What is this magic eraser of which you speak?
Carpet wise - are they still soft ? I have some olive dye here from the furniture repair shop I was going to re-green mine (They are a little bluish now due to sun) but when I have seen dyed carpets up close they seem... not so supple anymore.
That Steering wheel is the b
ks - can tell us more ?Thanks for the comments.
I swear by magic erasers! They are essentially little blocks of foam that with a dab of water you rub on the leather and it takes away years of grime in a few wipes, you get more obvious results on lighter coloured leather. I use it them on every one of my cars. You can get them from asda, wilkinsons, Robert days, Argos. Look for 'JML magic eraser' I got a pack of 30 block off eBay for £7.50!
Carpet dye does make the carpets less supple but I've found giving them a good scrub with a scrubbing brush after makes them softer again... From what I've seen so far they will remain slightly harder but the benefits outway these small problems IMO.
Steering wheel is a Nardi Classic from a company called Driftworks.com not cheap though. I didn't order it myself but I think they are close to £300 delivered... I think Nardi are the sister company to Personal (who make the black chimaera wheels) basically it was a straight fit using the existing hub and horn button.
Cheers
Lee
I swear by magic erasers! They are essentially little blocks of foam that with a dab of water you rub on the leather and it takes away years of grime in a few wipes, you get more obvious results on lighter coloured leather. I use it them on every one of my cars. You can get them from asda, wilkinsons, Robert days, Argos. Look for 'JML magic eraser' I got a pack of 30 block off eBay for £7.50!
Carpet dye does make the carpets less supple but I've found giving them a good scrub with a scrubbing brush after makes them softer again... From what I've seen so far they will remain slightly harder but the benefits outway these small problems IMO.
Steering wheel is a Nardi Classic from a company called Driftworks.com not cheap though. I didn't order it myself but I think they are close to £300 delivered... I think Nardi are the sister company to Personal (who make the black chimaera wheels) basically it was a straight fit using the existing hub and horn button.
Cheers
Lee
Edited by Rochester TVR on Saturday 1st February 20:51
I ordered two cans of charcoal grey. £25 delivered.
http://www.fabricspray.co.uk/upholstery-spray-pain...
Two cans is just about enough for a Chimaera's interior. If you have carpet on the doors I'd get 3 cans. You can use stuff by a company called Dylon aswell but this seemed easier as its ready mixed whereas Dylon needs mixing with salt and water and getting your own spray gun... I went with the easier option! If I'm being picky I think it could do with a bit more towards the rear of the drivers side compartment. It looks a bit blotchy but dries with a uniform colour.
http://www.fabricspray.co.uk/upholstery-spray-pain...
Two cans is just about enough for a Chimaera's interior. If you have carpet on the doors I'd get 3 cans. You can use stuff by a company called Dylon aswell but this seemed easier as its ready mixed whereas Dylon needs mixing with salt and water and getting your own spray gun... I went with the easier option! If I'm being picky I think it could do with a bit more towards the rear of the drivers side compartment. It looks a bit blotchy but dries with a uniform colour.
sapper said:
Thanks for the info, im surprised at grey, it looks more green to me, I might try the hunters green.
I too used the same fabric spray and the same charcoal grey colour. I think the colour looks different in photographs. In the pics it looks a little green as you say.
But in the flesh it is actually grey.
The carpets do go a little stiff after spraying,but that is a small price to pay for what is an excellent finish.
If you have the time and patience, circa £350 plus, and love a challenge and the smell of glue, then treat yourself to a full new set of carpets.
On the other hand for an afternoons work and £60.00 max use the fabric spray.
My car didnt need new carpets, they were in good condition, but had faded from grey to an awfull light green colour.
Link to a thread when i sprayed mine.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Forgot to ask, is that new radio backward compatible with my old pioneer radio/cassette player with the 6 cd changer in the boot? Also, how do you get the old radio out? I've had mine 11 years, never once tried to remove it. Presume you need a couple of long keys one either side or something to release?
I used the carpet dye from furniture clinic. I think with another couple of applications it would be better… a job for dryer weather! two/ three days including the seats. The dye doesn't make the carpet stiff either. Somebody had painted my carpets before, so it took a bit of scrubbing to lift back some of the pile. Not perfect, but an improvement!
Before:
After:
Before:
After:
TJC - your thread was the inspiration to do this. Cheers.
Supercharged: the stereo just pulled out quite easily actually. I took the facia trim off and just pulled the old cassette opening. The old loom plugged straight into the back of it without any problems. Was the same case on my Cerbera too... It's nice to enjoy these simple jobs once in a while.
Oh just remembered the cd autochanger had a different plug, so I just left it unplugged...
Supercharged: the stereo just pulled out quite easily actually. I took the facia trim off and just pulled the old cassette opening. The old loom plugged straight into the back of it without any problems. Was the same case on my Cerbera too... It's nice to enjoy these simple jobs once in a while.
Oh just remembered the cd autochanger had a different plug, so I just left it unplugged...
You'll be very hard pressed to find an actual new one. Pioneer stopped making them about 6 years ago I think...
I got both of them off eBay, both used. My dads chimaera one was £55 but has some small scratches on the left dial. My one was £100 and although used is in pretty much mint condition.
Personally think they are one of the best looking headunits you can / could buy. None of this fancy disco led stuff, just simple white light to the buttons.
I got both of them off eBay, both used. My dads chimaera one was £55 but has some small scratches on the left dial. My one was £100 and although used is in pretty much mint condition.
Personally think they are one of the best looking headunits you can / could buy. None of this fancy disco led stuff, just simple white light to the buttons.
I can`t afford a new carpet set so dyeing would be a easy fix ,most of the carpet is in very good condition except the passenger side ,inner sill and where it meets the left hand side under the dash ,I wonder if I could buy 1 meter f carpet and a bit of piping where its come off and looks tatty.
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