GREAT write up Eddie! :nicejob I use something called here "velvet dust" (I don't know the term for it in English). I put a layer of white glue on the surface to be covered and then sprinkle the dust over. The result is pretty good.
Carpeting Tutorial
After a few requests for a tutorial on installing carpeting, I have put together this brief, but hopefully helpful tutorial on how I install carpet in a model using faux, (fake) suede.
First off, don't be shocked. I just discovered today that car interiors come in other colors than black. Shocking, of course, but I will adapt to that fact eventually. I am carpeting a Yat Ming 1967 Camaro Z28.
First off, you will need some fake suede in the desired color. I buy 1/2 a yard for about $3 and it's enough to carpet several vehicles. I know it's available in several colors, but our local fabric store only carrys five.
Next, paint everything in the interior tub that needs, or you want to paint first. I gave the console, rear seat, side panels and package shelf two coats of insignia red acrylic. I sealed the console, side panels and rear seat with semi-gloss clear acrylic, and the package shelf with flat clear acrylic. I painted the firewall and upper inner inside of the firewall semi-gloss black acrylic. The clutch, brake and accelerator pedal were molded into the floor and I shaved these off since I will be installing donor pedals from another model. I filed four small holes in the underneath side of the interior tube where the bottom and top portions of the rear seat meet so I can install seat belts later on.
Using a small ruler, begin measuring the area of the interior tub that you want to carpet and transfer those measurements to a regular piece of paper. This will be your template for cutting the piece of carpeting. Don't forget to add cut outs for raised portions like mounting studs for the front seats, or notches for things like the dead pedal, if your model has one.
Cut out your template. Fold it in places where the carpet piece will have to bend to fit in corners, curves, etc. Fit it into the interior tub to check if it's accurate. If you've measured carefully, it will be close to the final product you want. If it needs major adjustment, re-measure and make a new template. If it's close, remember what adjustments it needs and transfer them onto the carpet piece.
Turn a piece of your fake suede upside down. Turn your paper template upside down and trace a pattern of the paper template onto the fake suede. If your using black carpeting, use a white colored pencil to trace the template.
Cut out your carpet piece. Test fit it into the interior tub. If it needs trimming, do so now. Starting at the back, apply some glue and begin gluing the carpeting down. DO NOT try and glue it all down at once. I use the brush on plastic cement. Glue half the flat floor part first. Make sure you get it tight in creases such as where the floor meets the drive train tunnel. Use a blunt pointed tool to glue it in tight in corners. Apply more glue and glue down the rest of the floor portion. If you have a car that has a drive train tunnel glue that part of the carpet on next. Make sure you have a good bond against the plastic and the upper edge of the carpet. Now glue down the part of the carpet for the kick up in front.
Repeat this procedure for the opposite side. Don't assume that that the other side will be a mirror image, because it might not be.
I've added pictures of the mostly-finished interior tub with rear window crank handles added and scratch-built seat belts. . .
First off, don't be shocked. I just discovered today that car interiors come in other colors than black. Shocking, of course, but I will adapt to that fact eventually. I am carpeting a Yat Ming 1967 Camaro Z28.
First off, you will need some fake suede in the desired color. I buy 1/2 a yard for about $3 and it's enough to carpet several vehicles. I know it's available in several colors, but our local fabric store only carrys five.
Next, paint everything in the interior tub that needs, or you want to paint first. I gave the console, rear seat, side panels and package shelf two coats of insignia red acrylic. I sealed the console, side panels and rear seat with semi-gloss clear acrylic, and the package shelf with flat clear acrylic. I painted the firewall and upper inner inside of the firewall semi-gloss black acrylic. The clutch, brake and accelerator pedal were molded into the floor and I shaved these off since I will be installing donor pedals from another model. I filed four small holes in the underneath side of the interior tube where the bottom and top portions of the rear seat meet so I can install seat belts later on.
Using a small ruler, begin measuring the area of the interior tub that you want to carpet and transfer those measurements to a regular piece of paper. This will be your template for cutting the piece of carpeting. Don't forget to add cut outs for raised portions like mounting studs for the front seats, or notches for things like the dead pedal, if your model has one.
Cut out your template. Fold it in places where the carpet piece will have to bend to fit in corners, curves, etc. Fit it into the interior tub to check if it's accurate. If you've measured carefully, it will be close to the final product you want. If it needs major adjustment, re-measure and make a new template. If it's close, remember what adjustments it needs and transfer them onto the carpet piece.
Turn a piece of your fake suede upside down. Turn your paper template upside down and trace a pattern of the paper template onto the fake suede. If your using black carpeting, use a white colored pencil to trace the template.
Cut out your carpet piece. Test fit it into the interior tub. If it needs trimming, do so now. Starting at the back, apply some glue and begin gluing the carpeting down. DO NOT try and glue it all down at once. I use the brush on plastic cement. Glue half the flat floor part first. Make sure you get it tight in creases such as where the floor meets the drive train tunnel. Use a blunt pointed tool to glue it in tight in corners. Apply more glue and glue down the rest of the floor portion. If you have a car that has a drive train tunnel glue that part of the carpet on next. Make sure you have a good bond against the plastic and the upper edge of the carpet. Now glue down the part of the carpet for the kick up in front.
Repeat this procedure for the opposite side. Don't assume that that the other side will be a mirror image, because it might not be.
I've added pictures of the mostly-finished interior tub with rear window crank handles added and scratch-built seat belts. . .
7
