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TR4/4A Center Console Recovering

KVH

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Hey folks, I bought that new vinyl piece that is to be glued over the aluminum console "hump" bracket on my 4A. This is the fitted console that houses the gear shift and the various electrical switches and contains the radio cutouts.

The Moss catalogue has a short bit of advice saying the old foam glued to the bracket is to be removed. Is that correct?

The old foam seems strong and is quite substantial along the upper sides of the bracket and I'm concerned the new vinyl won't fit snugly. On the other hand, maybe the vinyl doesn't adhere well to the old foam.

Anyone have experience to say what I should do?

Also, when I'm ready, do I use contact cement?
 

Popeye

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Does the new cover include foam?

It’s been a few years, but I bought the trf tunnel plus trf cover. The cover was essentially molded foam covered with black vinyl. contact cement glued the two parts together, but it was tricky at best. Next time I would buy the completed assembly!
 

PeterK

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When I did mine, I dry fitted it a couple of times and planned my sequence for gluing with contact cement. You don't have to do it all at once and I set one section at a time then waited overnight to dry then glue some more the next day. Take your time, keep it straight as you glue each section. I glued the edges last.

My 4A "console" had a raised section around the shifter which the new cover did not have, so my only solution was to use a barrel sander and slightly enlarge the hole grinding down the raised section some. not all, just enough to fit the cover downwards over the hole and still have the feet come out covered. Like I said plan it then do a little at a time unless you're on a roll, then roll with it!

Good luck.

https://home.myfairpoint.net/kentech0822/triumph/dash_support.jpg

https://home.myfairpoint.net/kentech0822/triumph/cover.jpg
 
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KVH

KVH

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Very helpful. Peter, how'd you clean that up like that? Should I use one of those flap wheels on a drill to get all that old foam off the aluminum bracket/facia?
 

PeterK

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Been a while, I used a scraper and sturdy putty knife to clean it off, maybe a wire brush to brush the remaining bits off. You don't really need to sand the aluminum.

Photos are before I actually glued it down, trying to get it to sit correctly before glue (which is pretty much final)
 
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KVH

KVH

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Here's pic of the cover I received from TRF. I'm at a loss how to cut it to bend and form around the legs and shift housing. Any ideas? Angle cuts? The vinyl cover must be bent and folded in two directions, each apparently in conflict with the other--around the legs, but also around the bulbous shift housing seen upside down in the pic. There must be a known trick for this. Just seems like a perfect opportunity to make a mess.

consolecover.jpg
 

Popeye

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Smarter folks than me will have better answers, but I assume you need to make some cuts... angle cuts etc. to get that to fold over.

Again, no fun!
 

PeterK

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Look at the lower edge of my 2nd photo (from post above). This is a Moss cover and it already has relief cuts. Notice the holes punched at the end of the cuts to prevent the cut from spreading - very important. The feet also has relief cuts but is more forgiving since the carpet will hide most imperfections. As I said dry fit several times and glue the main sections down and dry before proceeding.

The Moss cover doesn't wrap around the bottom of the center section, your TRF cover is longer and could be trimmed after installing the cover. Carpet hides the edge here too.
hth
 

Popeye

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Good point about the stress relieving holes - circle at the end of the cut. Important to keep the split from growing!
 
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KVH

KVH

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I dropped it off at a shop. They mentioned angle cuts, heat guns and all that, and i can tell it's all beyond my capacity. I admire any skilled artisan, and I think I found one. I'll post the results.
 
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