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New Carpeting / Interior ....

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George Zeck

George Zeck

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Anyone ever replace carpeting & interior (door) panels ?

Was wondering if Moss was the best solution or if I could use a 'home brew' solution. Looking at an old catalog and all the carpeting edges are sewn together (like a floor rug) to prevent fraying. Any work around on this (burn the edges / glue the heck out of them?)

Seem to remember a thread in the past but good luck searching under interior or repair on this site.

Tx-

George Zeck
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif
 
I used the kits from Victoria British. For once, it was worth the money and went in quite easily. Carpeting took me 5 hours and panels took me 3 hours.
 
I'm taking an interest in this as a guy at work is convinced that MR2 seats will (please chime in on this if anyone has experience with seats from other vehicles) fit, I would prefer to do a 'oe' vinyl kit this winter for the panels, carpet and roof and would like to spend less than 1500.
Biscuit looks goooood.
My neighbour got the entire interior kit from VB for his B and it looks great, is of good quality and has held up over a couple of years, having seen his, it's prob the way I'm going to go also.
 
Just purchased the VB carpet for my midget. Wasn't bad and installed easily. The carpet I used from VB was the mid level and thinner then the carpet sample I had used originally from a carpet store.

Looking at the VB catalog you can get the package for $1099.95 so that falls within your budget. I suppose the question for you is do you want to go that way which isn't bad or are you on a tight budget. For years I was so I ended up first making up the carpet and using used panels. As money became available I ended up purchasing the VB stuff as it is just more "professional looking".

If you had the old carpet you could remove it and use it as a pattern. I didn't have any so I was without a pattern. The difficult area for me was the tranmission tunnel. As far as edgng I would go to a carpet or fabric store and ask them. I've seen women use some iron on edging that might work.

In regards to using MR2 seats, I've read on some of the forums that they have been used but mostly the mazda miata seats are used from what I recall. Even those require some fabrication to work but I believe it was easier to install. By the way I just rebuilt my seats and they are fine. Wasn't hard and a good winter project.

Good luck
 
I used Heritage Trim for my carpet and interior panels in my Bugeye. Great quality and fit.
 
$1100 for an interior on a Spridget!
I usually do my own for a couple hundred bucks at best, add $100 each to have the seats done by a local shop and I have a new interior for $400.
I do my own carpet, modern upholstry shop carpet does not fray when cut. I glue it in, there are no ugly edge binds, it's water proof, and it fits. The same shop will sell me vinyl by the yard to match the seats. An $8 sheet of masonite for the panels, $5 worth of 1/8" foam and a couple cans of glue.
Have lots of razor blades on hand and you can do the whole thing in a weekend.
If you have the heat/melt seams in your panels (factory original cheap outs) and want to go that route, I guess your stuck with catalog parts. But you can always do the earlier style panels which look a lot nicer (IMO) and can be home made.
 
SpriteNut --

When you say "modern upholstry carpet" - do you mean home carpet (ie:; Home Depot) or something 'special' If so - what kind of store would sell it?

Any idea for the dashboard ?

Tx-

George
 
[ QUOTE ]
I used Heritage Trim for my carpet and interior panels in my Bugeye. Great quality and fit.

[/ QUOTE ]

Have a web site or something for this? I'm open to anything, my main focus for the interior is for it to 'look expensive!'
 
Click the link to get to Heritage Trim

And it appears they have 25% off sale going until September 15th!

BTW, ain't Google great?! Typed in Heritage Trim and the second result was the one.

Tim
 
Thanks Tim, I wanted it to look expensive, but wow!
I love that place but I think my $1500 budget will be blown on a gearshift gaiter!
I noticed they have no prices on-line, but the biscuit with dark green piping might be worth saving for....
 
The carpets and upolustry that Moss and VB sell is very close to orginial if that is your intent.

From there it's all the way in stages up to real leather, etc etc.

I my humble opinion the Moss and VB kits are just fine for our little friends.
 
I agree with Jack, but will Moss do a custom color?
 
[ QUOTE ]
$1100 for an interior on a Spridget!
I usually do my own for a couple hundred bucks at best, add $100 each to have the seats done by a local shop and I have a new interior for $400.
I do my own carpet, modern upholstry shop carpet does not fray when cut. I glue it in, there are no ugly edge binds, it's water proof, and it fits. The same shop will sell me vinyl by the yard to match the seats. An $8 sheet of masonite for the panels, $5 worth of 1/8" foam and a couple cans of glue.
Have lots of razor blades on hand and you can do the whole thing in a weekend.
If you have the heat/melt seams in your panels (factory original cheap outs) and want to go that route, I guess your stuck with catalog parts. But you can always do the earlier style panels which look a lot nicer (IMO) and can be home made.

[/ QUOTE ]

What kind of glue did you use for this I use 3M spray 90 at work and was wondering if that will work to attach vinyl to foam & foam to board.
V
 
I used Heritage for leather seats and panels, wilton wool carpeting, and hardura trunk lining.

Pros: good quality materials (their leather is terrific, carpet is plush) that look very classy (no high sheen super cheesy vinyl looking stuff that I personally hate). Nice folks

Cons: Takes a long time (6 weeks or so), so plan accordingly. Pretty darn pricey

Both Pro & Con: They use factory specs to cut and size the leather, carpet, etc...Pro: the carpet is cut perfectly, etc. Con: Given the sprite was an "affordable" (read: cheap) sports car, the amount of cushion and padding in the seats is minimal (as original). Also, for example, you can see the "rib" like supports running around the back of the seat (as original), etc. So it looks like original, which some would say is good. I was just expecting it too look better (more plush) than original, I guess.
 
Heritage has beautiful products, but they do not have anything for Box Sprites. I did a Moss kit for carpet and was quite happy. I used the pads provided in the kit and also cut out pieces of the foil backed insulation to help with heat and noise.

As for the panels, I pulled off the old ones and used them for patterns. Pretty easy with a skill saw and that thin fiber board. Only thing I didn't like about the job I did was the foam I picked was a little bit too thick.

Just takes patience.
 
I don't use home defect carpet. Go to your local auto/boat upholstry shop, they sell vinyl, leather, and carpet.
I use 3M #74 for the carpet, it holds for years yet is removeable and easily reglued for access to the tranny fill plug.
I use Weldwood contact cement (or Formica brand) brush on glue for the back of the masonite panels.
I have done cream interior on a green Bugeye, blue and off white with a speckled carpet on a 67 Sprite, I have done several LBCs in all kinds of colors. Next is a 58 Sprite with red/black speckled carpet and red interior.
I even have an off white tonneau cover for my blue Speedwell Sprite. My local shop made it for me for $40, get THAT from mo$$. I have seen the moss interiors, I can pick em out from across the field, they just look fake top me.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I have the Miata seats in my car.

[/ QUOTE ]

Was an drilling, milling, reinforcing needed to get those seats in, or was simply bolt new rails on?
 
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