improve the interior: cracked parts

darshie76 · 09-14-2008, 06:47 PM

Hi all

I am trying to figure out how to improve the interior of my car, without spending a fortune

I have a plastic dash that cover the original one, cracked in a couple of places (and really bad cracked), plus the side top area on the door (the ones made in the same material of the dash) are damaged from cracks too.

The seats are cut too, and the carpet are practically in decent shape (this means that it would be the last thing that i would change, unless i have to)

I was thinking to change the color of the interiors, buying replacement parts; but in this way do i diminish the value of the car? or can i buy some covers and repair and cover the broken parts?

The car will never be a concourse car; at least for now; so what i am looking for is to keep it original without spending too much on it

Any suggestion/place where to look? I saw the main dash for 1200 dollars....is almost 15% of what i paid for the car! Please help!

scottb · 09-14-2008, 07:02 PM

Try this guy: http://www.928leathershop.com/. He does 911 stuff in addition to 928 interiors.

Also:

www.autosintl.com
www.worlduph.com
www.autobahninteriors.com

Good luck!

ossiblue · 09-14-2008, 07:52 PM

Look around the "For Sale" board for pieces you need--except the dash--there are often used, good condition interior parts that owners offer up. The dash is another story, and a recent thread spoke to the lack of proper fitment for the factory replacements. Do a search (using the search button on top of this page) and read about dash replacements.

In general, you won't diminish the value much if you stay within the bounds of originality, and don't make permanent or unrestorable changes. Changing interior colors is no big deal.

darshie76 · 09-14-2008, 10:32 PM

Thanks a lot

I've checked the links Scott, and now i am waiting for the emails to come back

Anyway seems that the dash is the main pain in the neck of the 911 in general....i think that the only way that i have to fix it is to temporarily cover it with the cheap plastic cover that i have now, waiting to find the right dash and remove the windshield and install it.

I found a nice deal for 400 dollars for side panels and back seats (included dash, but is a vinil not a leather one); i think that i will go in that direction

What about seats? is better to buy a reconditioned seat or keep the one that i have and cover it again? the problem is that i have no idea which is the original color, since the dirt basically is all over and the color is kinda faded away...so at this point i am thinking to change the interior except the dash....if only i can find a solution for the seats now

Thanks Ossiblue for the suggestions!

ossiblue · 09-15-2008, 06:31 AM

Let us know the year of your car, and post pictures. Someone will be able to identify the seat color from the pictures or model year. Also, it's hard to answer your question about seat replacement/recovering without knowing the year. There are many seats offered for sale both here and eBay and, depending on the year car, it could be cheaper to buy a decent set than do a quality reupholster. Actually, we've cut you a little slack by answering your posts--usually a new poster gets teased a bit until they post a picture of their car. I guess I'll start it, though very gently

.

darshie76 · 10-19-2008, 01:38 AM

This is the back seat; the front are now covered witha cheap cover from kragen, and they are not even the original ones (seems that they came off a 924); and the other picture shows the original color of the trim (burgundy?) while the top dash is covered by the blackdash cover that soon will go away (like the steering wheel

)

Thanks for the help even without pictures

right now i am doing a lot of weekend projects, since this car is my daily drive

the targa seals are the one that i have on my plate this weekend.

Maybe i found on craigslist a couple of seats for 200 bucks; but i wonder if is better to get these seats or get mine fixed.

ramonesfreak · ramonesfreak's Garage

ive got some similar issues

but
my interior is brown. not easy to find good condition used parts

ive concluded that the only way for me to do it right is to save the money and send my dash to 928 leather and to get the seat covers in leather and have them recovered with new foam

not a cheap undertaking and thus, will have to wait until the time is right

i think buying old seats and an old dash are the wrong way to go about this, as they will soon enough, crack and tear

RoninLB · 10-19-2008, 09:35 AM

I can't be sure but it looks like you may need cork parts.

I was told a cork used dash in good condition will cost big bucks.

Larrybrook · 10-19-2008, 10:51 AM

It's not hard to do AT ALL!! I did my '74 seats, and I think they turned out really nice. You can get kits on line or from e-bay, just make sure your foam/bolsters are in good enough condition before you buy. I re-painted the frames and oiled up all the gears. They are like new again.

Also you'll need a set of Hog Ring plyers ($20.00)

darshie76 · 10-19-2008, 11:03 AM

Srandalf: i agree that is not a cheap task; but the pros and cons of get old stuff vs restore is usually a matter of money....having the chance to not worry about money would bring me to find the best guy that do covers and spend 2K to do the job

Ronin: how is possible that my interiors are cork? yours looks more reddish/yellowish than mine (and mine are faded, i agree), and in this case why do i have burgundy parts all over my car while the carpets are different? (yours looks all the same color, dash trims and everything else)

The idea that i have got now is to fix and repaint the dash (no, i will not spend 1200 for another dash that will crack in few years), then apply a cover, like the one that are sold here on PP....maybe one day i will find a nice coupe with concourse interiors and exteriors to buy...this one for now is a car to lear (and to drive and love before everything else) and is my first project car

considering that i paid it less than 8K

Larry, yours looks amazing! do you have any name to go straight to the right covers, instead of checking around and waste money?

Thanks everyone!

RoninLB · 10-19-2008, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darshie76

Ronin: how is possible that my interiors are cork? yours looks more reddish/yellowish than mine (and mine are faded, i agree), and in this case why do i have burgundy parts all over my car while the carpets are different? (yours looks all the same color, dash trims and everything else)

I inferred it was a guess what you have. It does look like many spare interior parts were thrown together in your car.

before I spent thousands on interior parts I'd vinyl paint everything. There is a prep solution to make old color acceptable to new and some very good paint/dye mfg around. I've only done black but member "bell" has shot a few different colors. We've both been very successful. Extra time in prep work is well worth the extra effort.

ISpeed2day · 10-20-2008, 09:32 AM

just look around for some local trim shops. Most do excellent work and its not that expensive.

darshie76 · 10-20-2008, 03:11 PM

yeah, got some hints and checked out PH in hayward; they sell recovers and get back yours for 500-600 bucks; I had the chance to take a look at the kits to recover, and the prices are about 300-400 dollars, plus you must have a minimum of precision and ability to recover the seats in a decent way, and i know my limits :P

At this point i think that i will stick with my tan panels, but will get a carpet kit in black, and i've already painted the trims from burgundy to black using spray paint (seems that is working for now, and looks pretty good

), so the car will end up being black and tan....can't find better solution, since seems that my car was already "customized by the previous owner

Ronin, can i dye the carpets too with these spray? they are old and really worn....

SCHNELE · SCHNELE's Garage

I have an entire black interior from my 87 930 with 37xxx miles on it but the seats are full power and it is in beautiful condition. The dash is not included but everything else is, my carpet is sliver knit, nice door cards etc.

RoninLB · 10-20-2008, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darshie76

Ronin, can i dye the carpets too with these spray? they are old and really worn....

I don't anything about dyeing carpets.

Car Care Specialties, Inc. is at all the Porsche concurs meets and sells good product for doing just about anything.

I don't have an info site, only a toll free phone, 1-877-796-8300

he'll walk you through doing any project.