[gomickeygo]

Has anyone tried or actually covered their console successfully? Or does anyone recommend a DIY or shop?

[NeighborsComplaint]

Interior shop told me no go. The only way to do it was leather and stitched seams at the top edges like a slipcover.

[gto4evr]

I recovered an automatic console with vinyl a few years ago in one piece without any seams. Patience and a heat gun and it came out beautiful. fast forward a few years and the glue let go as the vinyl wanted to shrink and it pulled up around the back side of the console. If I'd stapled it somehow it would probably have been fine.

friend had his done at a shop with stitched seams on the edges. that looks like crap in my opinion but to each their own

[dataway]

Weren't the originals stapled in a few places on the inside of the console?

I'd love to get some matching raw vinyl, some glue and my heat gun and see just what a person could do covering various shapes. What would be trouble is the thin layer of "padding" under a lot of the vinyl, like some kind of spray on foam that adheres very well to the vinyl. Not sure how a person would replicate that.

[gto4evr]

Originally Posted by dataway

Weren't the originals stapled in a few places on the inside of the console?

I'd love to get some matching raw vinyl, some glue and my heat gun and see just what a person could do covering various shapes. What would be trouble is the thin layer of "padding" under a lot of the vinyl, like some kind of spray on foam that adheres very well to the vinyl. Not sure how a person would replicate that.

yes, staples on the originals but they look like thin short paper staples so no clue how to replicate that with nothing more than a regular stapler! Actually it depends on the year console we're talking about. I believe only the 68 consoles were padded. The one I redid was from a 70 and it was covered with a vinyl pattern thin plastic that looks like it was vacuum formed down over the console, wrapped on the edges and stapled. When I did my interior back then I'd paid the extra money for some vinyl yardage they made the seat covers out of. Anyways, I don't know if I'd want to put myself through that again, it's a real pain stretching the vinyl that far without tearing it on the back side of the console. You can feel it start to really let go as it heats. Lots of slicing required to pull all the wrinkles out in the corners.

[Paul E]

I am interested in this also as I have to do on a 70 Automatic console with ripped covering on the side. Has anyone tried something like a rocker chip guard and paint to give a texture? Bed liner would be to heavy and likely crack if the console flexed.
Paul

[Blowd]

I have had this idea on the back burner for awhile. I have a couple of consoles stashed away if I ever get around to it. My plan is to use a vacuum table/ heat lamp setup as a functional one can be built fairly reasonably (anybody got an old air hockey table?). The problem I ran into originally was sourcing the unlined Morrokide / Naugahyde, as has been mentioned. If anyone knows of a source, please pass it along.

[HWYSTR455]

Air hockey table. Hm. That might work, but not sure you can get even vacuum on that. Probably have to drill the holes larger too.

Controlling the temp, and getting the temp evenly across the entire surface can be a challenge too.

The material is available to my knowledge, but you have to buy a whole roll, not very cost effective.

Anyway, the process for thermo-vacuum forming is common, and just like CNC, there are places that will do the work for you, T&M. Time comes to be a factor for the initial form, so it would make sense to get a group together and share the costs.

Google 'vacuum forming companies' and companies that offer the services in your area will pop up. Again, setup is the majority of the cost, and it's T&M, so be sitting down when you get quotes.

Shame no one makes like a heat shrink material to do dashes and consoles, someone should invent that stuff. I could be made with adhesive already on it too.

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[Blowd]

LOL "air hockey table" was a bit tongue in cheek but some of the home builds I've seen bear a striking resemblance . If anyone else is shopping this I found a place in new jersey that sells unsupported vinyl by the yard. http://www.sommers.com/ecommerce/pvc...nsupported.jsp Unfortunately the Castillian grain is the closest they have to a Madrid.
I'm curious if 3M Di-Noc wrap would be flexible enough. Pricey but their carbon fiber is popular...

[gomickeygo]

I have someone that can do the 4spd center console. If we do a group buy maybe we can all get a good deal. Let me know and I can start having this conversation with him

[HWYSTR455]

What's the required group buy participation numbers? Or breakpoints?

Can the 4 speed and auto consoles be done with the same jig/setup?

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