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Upholstery Tips

Tip List:

Appointments.

Call early. Most shops book 2-6 months ahead-some to a year. When you think you will be ready add 3 to 4 months to it. It always takes longer. Stay in touch with your upholster. Be sure to make an appointment then keep us informed as to progress especially with the body shop. If you have to cancel it’s ok. It’s a lot easier to move you back a month or two then to have to fit you in.

Preparing your Rod for the Trimmer.

Make a list. Ask your upholster what they need done and what you can do.

Wiring

Keep it clean, tied up, and leave extra especially around kick panels.
Steering column wiring; try to keep them running up and behind the column drop so they can be hidden easily.

Radio and Speakers

Find a location for your radio and wire it. At least stub in your Hot, Acc, and ground. Plan and wire any amps. Run CD cables, RC cables and Din cables. Stub speaker’s wires.
Mounting speakers are a good option.
Choose to show or hid speaker covers.

Overhead counsels are a popular option. **Remember an antenna and antenna lead to a radio, especially with an overhead unit.

Seats

Take time to mount your seats square. Also look through front and back windows to see that seats are level across the top as well.
If they are power, make sure the wire is long enough for the seat to move ahead and back, also up and down.
Make sure the seats fit in the car (size). You need to be able to fit your hand in between the door and the seat with some play. Will the door shut when the seats are all the way forward?

Seat Mounts

Bolting your seats in. If it takes two people (one to hold the nuts on the underside) you will have double the labor. Try to build mounts with welded nuts. Allow space for carpet on mounts under seat tracks, usually at least ½”.
If using original seats, clean and paint frames.

Seat Belts

After seats is a good time to install belts. If using three point, weld mounts in pillar (usually before paint is a lot easier).

Door Handles and Cranks

Stock-order new with roll pins.
Custom-mount and make functional. It’s good to do the door handles after the seats are mounted for comfort position. This is also the time to consider power window switch mounts.

Custom or Stock Dash

If you build a dash keep in mind the windlace at both sides of the dash. There must be at least a ½” gap between pillar and dash.
Plan ahead for door panel thickness between dash ends and door.

Dome Lights and Interior Lights

Plan general location and run wiring.
Wire door switches. Buy the lights ahead to save extra cost. However I don’t mind up-selling.

Windows and Garnish Moldings

All side windows should be installed and in good working order. New felt runners and guides. Power windows should be wired. Switches marked for comfort and where they don’t hit your legs while driving. Moldings should be clean and painted or clean and ready to cover if wrapping.
SEM-body color-upholstered?
Window felt sweeps. Cut and fit. Screw on with small #4 or #6 screws. This all takes a lot more labor than one thinks.

Heat Shields and Insulators

There are many good insulators now, from spray in to self-adhesive. Dynamat is a very good product but can make doors (especially fiberglass) very heavy. When placing Dynamat on the floor tape the seams. This keeps the black from seeping out when working inside. Dynamat is the only insulation I recommend installing on the floor prior to taking to the upholstery shop. All other should be left off floor until after the headliner is installed.
Dual Foil Insulation

(Preferred), why? Will reflect both ways.
**Jute Foil-not in doors/will absorb water.

Gas Pedal

Should be done before paint, after seat install and steering column install. Mount on high flat firewall using a spacer of at least a half inch. Tap square stock and weld to firewall. This will eliminate the need for someone under hood holding bolts, and it’s clean!

Tack Strip

IF your tack strip is good (very unusual) remove and replace with wood or plastic tack strip purchased from your upholster. Some cars have screw nails on front pillar and kick panel area instead of tack strip. These nails need to be removed prior to painting, especially in the dash area. Once the car is painted it is very difficult to remove without chipping .

Head Liner

Determine which style you will be using. Original bow or hardboard sculptured.
Keep your headliner bows in order number front to back. They may or may not be used for a sculptured liner. Many cars have a headliner tuck strip which goes above each door. This is a very important piece and must be kept.
Have your visor brackets cleaned and painted. The cardboard part is not important, but the rod and bracket are. The best thing is to reinstall these pieces prior to taking to the upholster. It’s a lot faster for us to remove them with a power screwdriver then dig through boxes looking for parts and screws.

Pricing

There are many variables in estimating a customer’s interior. Be prepared to explain what type of interior you like.
Theme of car: traditional-hot rod-stock-mild custom-radical-sculptured-hard form. The best way for me to get a good idea of what you like is to bring pictures of interiors you like. This gives me and idea of what you prefer. I can build and interior to fit your desires much better.
Do your homework, study the shops work, fit and finish.
You get what you pay for. So many put thousands in a chassis, engine, body and paint, and then cut corners on the interior and many times it shows.
Reminder:

Keep in mind this one important thing. If at any time you say, “The upholster can hide that.” It will cost you more labor.

Thanks, Roy.

Roy Keith Classics & Customs
719 Jensen Hwy.
Hot Springs, SD 57747
1-605-745-6413

click on link below to email
roy@roykeithclassics.com