Gotta start researching interiors soon... I'm still a ways out (before paint) but I need an education...

I know there is fabric, vinyl, leather with $ $$ $$$ price increases... I have a set of Chrysler leather buckets in dark gray and would like to use these as is... so the doors/kicks/headliner needs to be done in a corresponding color/fabric.. I guess ??? see ?? I don't know nuthin

this won't be a daily driver or work truck... basically weekend cruiser/trip machine... so I want something nice without a mortgage note... work will have to be done and money saved for this project.

Tell the old dummy all he needs to know about what I need to know or point me to a reputable source of information.

pic below of what my buckets look like... truck will be Millineum Yellow.

thanks
john

 

The fabric is only a small part of the cost of a nice trim job. The labor to cut, sew, and install is the biggest part.....if you are paying a pro that is. If you can do some or any of that work you can save some bucks. It is time consuming work though...pick your poison.

Having the seats already done will save you a bunch. I would get some quotes from trim shops for the rest first before you dive in on your own.

I did all of the interior of my F-1 except the seat(no door panels either) for about $200 in materials. But it was a ton of work.

 

Them there seats are sweet.

 

Using the seats as is will save you a good chunk of change. There are a many low low cost options and that can yield fine results. I'll have well under $1000 into my interior once 100% complete and that includes buying a few ABS panels (headliner and firewall cover), the seat recover, chrome bits, insulation carpet etc.

The seat was recovered many years ago for in the $250 range, I finished out the visors and door panels. The door panels and kick panels are 1/4" plywood covered with Black Marine Vinyl, 3m spray adhesive and wrapped around to the back side. I got the Vinyl on sale at store closing for $5 a yard normal price was in the $30 range. The carpet (don't laugh) is a $10 area rug from Walmart that I cut to fit. Insulation is a self adhesive foam/foil backing for duct work from Frost King purchased at Lowes or Home Depot. About $80 worth did the firewall, roof, and floor.

A few pictures of my very budget friendly interior...

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-the-56-a.html

 

John,
I had the same basic starting point as you. I had saved seats from a 1990 Ranger. They are cloth seats which I wanted. I went with a seat to an established interior guy. He had books with fabric samples going back to my Ranger. We matched the fabric to the sides of the seats. I ordered the Fabric and a complementing carpet from Miami Corp. I purchased the backing per his recommendation. I have a canvas guy that I use from time to time. I cut and fit both materials and had him stitch where needed. My headliner came from Rod doors (fit like a glove) which I covered with grey commonly available headliner material. Total cost was less than $1K.

 

So, interior stuff isn't that hard and it's only as time consuming as you want to make it. Mild to wild, just like any other project. The problem with most upholstery and trim work it nobody really learns how to do it because it's not done on every car project... Not like fab work etc.

Anyway, if you want to learn how to do it, buy the DVD's from Sid Chaver. It's the best tutorial on the planet. While it shows the work being done on Dueces, the same techniques apply.

I bought a cheap chinese walking foot machine off ebay and learned how to do it with the videos. The pic below is the interior I did in my '32 Roadster. The F1 will be coming soon...

Last thing, alot of interior styles don't require any sewing at all if you aren't touching the seats. Get the videos, there are great styles and techniques that you can use. You can even do curved parts like the seat in my roadster, it's shaped like the body. I plan on trimming out the cab like this... Good luck... just get some foam, fabric and glue!

Brando

 

I am using the same seats I bought some matching material and door panels and head liner from mid fifty

 

Dbran,

is that leather or vinyl... I swear it gets harder and harder to tell the difference... well, until you write the check. yours looks great. Are those Rod Door panels ???

Will, nicely done... nothing extreme... but nice and makes your truck look great.... I'm sure using cloth saved you somee $$$ I never liked leather seats until I got a car with them... man I love them now... specially in the winter with heated seats and back... nice on a long trip.

 

that's a good question the seats are said to be leather they are out of a 300 but this has a type of fabric backing so I would say vinyl those are rod door panels thanks for the complements

 

Hands down the very best material for price, appearance, comfort, and durability is Ultraleather. The upholstery shops love to work with it and it is as soft and supple as any fine leather. I bought mine from sources on ebay. There are large distributors that sell off over runs from big aircraft and yacht construction jobs. Last 20 yard roll that I bought cost $20 a yard. I would also recommend Leatherique as a source for leather dye and leather restoration products. I use their dyes to change the color of the ultraleather that I use. In my case I sent them a sample of my House of Kolor Sunset Orange paint and they matched it perfectly. Now I can upholster everything in black (cause that's what I have on hand) and then dye the trim sections in orange. You could do the same in yellow if you like.

 

ball park guess.... how many yards of material to do kick panels, console, headliner, behind seats...... oh crap... everything but the seats ???

 

Figure it by rough measuring the areas. Headliner will burn up a yard. The back wall of the cab will burn up another. You can get door panels out of one more and maybe have enough scrap if you cut it right to do kick panels.

Now, you could probably get it down from 4 to 3 but you really gotta lay things out right and can't screw up. Using less expensive stuff I always buy as much extra as I can justify just in case and for future repairs. When you are dealing with leather hides, you really gotta lay things out and use every last inch you can... Hope this helps, 100 ways to skin a cat...

 

Why not just paint the card board panels John.. Like me..

 

that's a good one, John... 25 years and large $$$ and I'm gonna paint the cardboard...????? besides, I got no cardboard panels... p.o. trashed all that years ago... I had a bare cab when I bought it... you a funny guy though..

j

 

I have ABS panels and just plan on painting them.