Fred Mattson - How to Install Automotive Interior Kits

CarTech Inc.

838 Lake Street South

Forest Lake, MN 55025

Phone: 651-277-1200 or 800-551-4754

Fax: 651-277-1203

www.cartechbooks.com

2020 by Fred Mattson

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission from the Publisher. All text, photographs, and artwork are the property of the Author unless otherwise noted or credited.

The information in this work is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. However, all information is presented without any guarantee on the part of the Author or Publisher, who also disclaim any liability incurred in connection with the use of the information and any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Readers are responsible for taking suitable and appropriate safety measures when performing any of the operations or activities described in this work.

All trademarks, trade names, model names and numbers, and other product designations referred to herein are the property of their respective owners and are used solely for identification purposes. This work is a publication of CarTech Inc., and has not been licensed, approved, sponsored, or endorsed by any other person or entity. The Publisher is not associated with any product, service, or vendor mentioned in this book, and does not endorse the products or services of any vendor mentioned in this book.

Edit by Wes Eisenschenk

Layout by Monica Seiberlich

ISBN 978-1-61325-526-1

Item No. SA475

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Mattson, Fred, 1960- author.

Title: Installing automotive interior kits / Fred Mattson.

Description: Forest Lake, MN : CarTech, Inc., [2021] | Item no. SA475.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021058704 | ISBN 9781613255261 (paperback)

Subjects: LCSH: Automobiles--Interiors. | Automobiles--Upholstery. | Automobiles--Parts--Installation.

Classification: LCC TL256 .M385 2021 | DDC 629.2/6--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021058704

Written, edited, and designed in the U.S.A.

Printed in China

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CarTech books may be purchased at a discounted rate in bulk for resale, events, corporate gifts, or educational purposes. Special editions may also be created to specification. For details, contact Special Sales at 838 Lake Street S., Forest Lake, MN 55025 or by email at .

DISTRIBUTION BY:

Europe

PGUK

63 Hatton Garden

London EC1N 8LE, England

Phone: 020 7061 1980 Fax: 020 7242 3725

www.pguk.co.uk

Australia

Renniks Publications Ltd.

3/37-39 Green Street

Banksmeadow, NSW 2109, Australia

Phone: 2 9695 7055 Fax: 2 9695 7355

www.renniks.com

Canada

Login Canada

300 Saulteaux Crescent

Winnipeg, MB, R3J 3T2 Canada

Phone: 800 665 1148 Fax: 800 665 0103

www.lb.ca

WHAT IS A KIT INTERIOR?

As an auto trim specialist, I began my career by making my own seat covers and door panels because there were only a few seat cover sets available, and they were not made very well. If you ask anyone who has purchased and installed a prefabricated interior what they thought of the fit and finish, most would say that they would never buy one again. Why? Its because the individual components of a reproduction kit do not fit as well as the original covers and panels that came from the original manufacturer.

The seat covers have many issues with the materials that are used and the actual tailoring of the seat cover. Patterns used in manufacturing vary greatly among manufacturers, and the fitment is not standard for the different models that are offered. Another problem with so many of the upholstery products offered is the poor quality of the materials.

Not all of these reproductions are as accurate as they could be. Some seat covers fit better than others, as with door panels and other interior pieces. There are also issues with the embossed patterns on the panels. Some are sharp and clear, while others have been known to lift from the backing material. A few manufacturers use their own version of the original-style patterns, and what they produce does not fit as well as it could. Some of the material choices used in the manufacturing process are not the correct factory grain or color and are not as durable as they should be.

Until now, it was the opinion of others that swayed the buyer on what to purchase and where to purchase the new materials for their project. These opinions were often harsh and unjustified for many reasons. What I have found is that a majority of the aftermarket products were just poorly installed, which is no fault of the maker. Problems encountered with a product should be discussed with the manufacturer without making a disparaging post online.

So, what are the best products to use and where do you get them? Well, I just do not have a good answer for that. There are too many variables, and there are no guarantees on the results you will get upon installation of a premanufactured interior component. I have installed many different products supplied to me by my customers and have made them work. I know firsthand that there can be problems with mail-order items.

There are many reasons why a car owner would buy a reproduction interior product. One reason is because they are much easier for restoring a car and less costly to obtain than to have an interior made from scratch by a professional auto upholsterer. Another reason is because many interiors have complex embossed patterns in the vinyl panels that cannot be replicated by sewing the design into the upholstery. The biggest factor is that many restorations are performed because of the love of the car, and the owner wants to do as much hands-on work as possible. Unfortunately, most restorers do not have all the skills or knowledge that they wish they had.

A lot of misinformation has been dumped on prefabricated kit interiors and their manufacturers for many years, which gave them a bad reputation.

The common problem with prefabricated interior kits is that most people do not know how to install them correctly. There are a lot of little tricks to get the cover to fit well and look good. As a trimmer, it has always been my job to install interior components wrinkle-free and have them look as if they were originally installed at the factory. I will show you how to get the best fit and finish on a kit interior with the least amount of trouble.

My aim is to provide you with the confidence to install a prefabricated interior, tips to overcome some of the most basic installation problems, and knowledge to help you complete your project with exceptional results.

MANUFACTURERS

Many independent manufacturers of restoration interiors and classic car parts go into the business because of their personal love of the automobile. Most of these individuals found that there just were too few new old stock (NOS) parts available to repair their prize car. This gave them the initiative to create new parts that were missing from the marketplace.