280i FHC Re-trim Starts

280i FHC Re-trim Starts

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v8s4me

Original Poster:

7,234 posts

218 months

Sunday 18th June 2017
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The panel for behind the seats is finished at last...




v8s4me

Original Poster:

7,234 posts

218 months

Tuesday 20th June 2017
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Here's another example of the dreadful build quality on these cars. Have a look at the gaps where the rear and side panels come together...

Right.


Left.


The cut-outs for the overlapping corners are different on each side but both are far too big so the gap will be visible even with the closure panels fitted. Both sides will need building up with GF to get the right gap. Or maybe it might be easier to leave an overlapping fold of scrim & vinyl to cover the holes?

This car was built in March(?) 1981. Did the build quality improve on the later ones?

On cars which have been re-trimmed, have flaws like this been corrected or preserved in the interests of "originality"? laugh

Edited by v8s4me on Tuesday 20th June 09:08

phillpot

17,105 posts

182 months

Tuesday 20th June 2017
quotequote all
v8s4me said:
Did the build quality improve on the later ones?
roflroflroflroflroflroflrofl




v8s4me

Original Poster:

7,234 posts

218 months

Thursday 22nd June 2017
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No prizes for guessing what these are for...



Looking at the photo I’m wondering why I didn’t make them fit more neatly around the rear panel. I measured and cut them with the wheel in place and they looked OK then. Oh well, I’ve cut and edged the carpet bits now so I’m not doing them again. In true TVR style, near enough is good enough and they will be easier to get out with that little bit of "slack" to get my fingers under. Maybe edging the carpet pieces is a bit of overkill though..smile.


v8s4me

Original Poster:

7,234 posts

218 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
quotequote all
v8s4me said:
.........In true TVR style, near enough is good enough....
No it blredfaceredfacedy well isn't! Do them again!





And a better way of holding the wheel in place rather than relying on friction.



Edited by v8s4me on Friday 23 June 17:56

v8s4me

Original Poster:

7,234 posts

218 months

Tuesday 18th July 2017
quotequote all
Nearly there!



Just the driver's inner sill, the headlining, door cards (already trimmed) and a few other fiddly bits to do and it will be finished - hopefully!

mrzigazaga

18,534 posts

164 months

Tuesday 18th July 2017
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All your hard work shows mate...Well done...(Did you trim the transmission cover?)

v8s4me

Original Poster:

7,234 posts

218 months

Tuesday 18th July 2017
quotequote all
Yep, I thought I'd have a go as you were up to your eyes with BBWF. It was tricky and took ages to cut and sew all the pieces but came out pretty well and I'm pleased with it. I'm sure you would have done it better though thumbup

mrzigazaga

18,534 posts

164 months

Tuesday 18th July 2017
quotequote all
v8s4me said:
Yep, I thought I'd have a go as you were up to your eyes with BBWF. It was tricky and took ages to cut and sew all the pieces but came out pretty well and I'm pleased with it. I'm sure you would have done it better though thumbup
Looks good to me...smile

MADNESS

222 posts

240 months

Tuesday 18th July 2017
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Good job mate, looks great!
Do you have any templates, going to start doing mine soon ;-)

Where did you get all the fabrics?


v8s4me

Original Poster:

7,234 posts

218 months

Tuesday 18th July 2017
quotequote all
I simply used the old vinyl pieces as templates. The velour was shot to pieces but the door card covers were easy to measure and cut. I made new door-cards from 3mm ply because the old hardboard ones were rotten. For the carpeted areas I made templates from Proplex.

Most of the materials came from a local trimmer. When you come to do yours you will be amazed at how much you spend on the sundries eg glue, thread, sound-deadening etc. The actual materials you see eg the carpet and the vinyl are quite a small part of the overall cost.

This project has give me a very good insight into why trimming is so expensive and shown that it is hard graft as well. My fingers, knees, back and neck will stop aching eventually, or so I've been told thumbup

v8s4me

Original Poster:

7,234 posts

218 months

Monday 24th July 2017
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This is the inside of one of the door caps...



Does the number 189 indicate that this car was the 189th FHC off the line?

Alan461

853 posts

130 months

Monday 24th July 2017
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Does it tally with the last three numbers on the chassis?

v8s4me

Original Poster:

7,234 posts

218 months

Tuesday 25th July 2017
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Driver's door-card and cap done...





In the photos the concealed fir-tree clips are much more noticeable. I used large diameter low profile ones as well. Strange.

mrzigazaga

18,534 posts

164 months

Tuesday 25th July 2017
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v8s4me said:
Driver's door-card and cap done...

In the photos the concealed fir-tree clips are much more noticeable. I used large diameter low profile ones as well. Strange.
Hi Joe


Did you use some scrim foam over the clips before putting the vinyl on?...and did you glue the facing vinyl to the door cap?



v8s4me

Original Poster:

7,234 posts

218 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
quotequote all
I used 3mm scrim foam which I stuck to the moulding with spay glue. I then used a thin coat of spray glue to hold the vinyl to foam. Where the vinyl is folded over onto the back of the moulding I used stronger contact adhesive to hold it in place.

mrzigazaga

18,534 posts

164 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
quotequote all
v8s4me said:
I used 3mm scrim foam which I stuck to the moulding with spay glue.
Thats good..

v8s4me said:
I then used a thin coat of spray glue to hold the vinyl to foam.
Ahh..this is why, normally the vinyl is stretch over and only glued on the back...Personally I would use a thicker scrim foam...say 6mm...

v8s4me

Original Poster:

7,234 posts

218 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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The original foam was glued on both sides so I just copied that. You live and learn.

mrzigazaga

18,534 posts

164 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
quotequote all
v8s4me said:
The original foam was glued on both sides so I just copied that. You live and learn.
Oh I see...Most that I have had apart are only glued on the back...No drama's though, still looks okay....smile

v8s4me

Original Poster:

7,234 posts

218 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
quotequote all
This is the original door-cap trim...



This is the last large piece to trim...



The door-cards are new and made from 3mm ply. The head-lining is done but not yet fitted. So there's now light at the end of the tunnel biggrin