How to: Interior Makeover(PIC HEAVY)

Roadeater · Dec 12, 2010

Firstly, this is none of my work, I am just transcribing it, so all pics and comments are from a source on 300zxClub.com

This thread is intended as a reference for those who are interested in the proposed Leather Trim Group Buy. All future posts in this thread are quotes and the pics are copies.

I have never done finish leather work before or reskinned seats but I am learning as I go. Painfully slow process for me on the leather retrim. Planning ahead before you reach for the spray glue can, is an absolute requirement.

I pulled all of the interior out of the car first and bagged and tagged the hardware.

Tools and Supplies:

Leather Trim Kit.

Leather Seat Kit.

Basic hand tools.

Spray glue.

Razor blades, exacto knife, scissors.

1\4" thick closed cell foam.

1\2" thick open cell foam.

Hog ring pliers.

Hog rings.

Leather stretcher tool for the seats.

Heat Gun or Hair Dryer.

Digital Camera

Quart size sandwhich bags for "bag + tag" of hardware.

Patience

1\16" thick x 3\4" wide aluminum sheet stock.

Felt pads

Coat hanger wire

Sharpie

Click to expand...

Pic of my OEM seat and OEM center console side panels and console lid cover:

The Ratty OEM cloth lid cover and fissure cracked lid, after removal of the inside cover:

Reinforcements for inside of the lid. I used 1\16" thick x 3\4" wide aluminum scrap strips, rough cut to fit and secured with gobs of epoxy. They do have to look pretty:

I used self stick felt to preload the space between the lid and inside cover to alleviate flex on the lid when someone wants to use the lid as a pommel horse:

The original hard foam top. It appears it has permanent indentations (ugh):

I used 1\4" closed cell foam as a new base material and left the original black crap foam right where it was.

New closed cell foam applied to the lid:

I used 1\2" open cell dense foam for a cushy top:

Finished lid:

The OEM side panels for the center console:

One side panel covered with closed cell foam and leather and the other with just the foam applied. Once the closed cell foam is sprayed with glue, it is difficult to work with, when applying the leather. Once it's down...it's down. I wanted the leather to have some flex or cushy feel to it, rather than hard to the touch.:

Here is the piece of rectangular leather trim piece that I have rough cut for it's intended destination for the foamed side panel:

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Roadeater · Dec 13, 2010

The new covers.

The skins are purchased "prefoamed". The foam is sewn in and laminated.

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Roadeater · Dec 13, 2010

The glove box:

OEM Glove box before teardown:

The glove box lock mechanism with the rear cover/compartment removed (in case some of you have never seen it):

The front of the glove box OEM cover. If you look close at the edges, you can see the color difference after 18 years:

After sanding the cover I applied the leather to the face of the glove box (any imperfections in the surface WILL telegraph through the leather to the viewing surface).
I chose not to use the closed cell foam on the glove box and the adjoining pieces that mate up, because of clearence issues and the %*#@!&% difficulty of working with the glued leather and applying it to the foam on tight areas (wrinkling).
The first peice I worked on a few weeks ago was the center, rear contoured panel (behind the seats) and it came out like crap. The foam caused wrinkling in the leather, as the foam was squised out of position, working the leather around the contours. I plan on re-doing that piece:

Getting the backside ready for relieving the leather to wrap the edges:

The finished glove box reassembled:

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Roadeater · Dec 13, 2010

Forward console:

Getting the right forward console to glove box panel ready for sanding:

Rough cutting the leather to fit the panel:

Using a hair dryer (Amy doesn't know I "borrowed" it) to work the leather around the contour after gluing to face of the plastic. This piece sucked to work with on the contour; it wanted to billow:

Finished panel:

Both pieces mated together for photo prop:

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Roadeater · Dec 13, 2010

Driver's side panel (remember this is quoted from a U.S site)

This is the OEM panel that attaches under the steering wheel:

This is what I use (Oops!), to remove the glue from the front of the panel. You WILL get glue on the finish face. It will happen because it gets on your fingers from working the material once the glue is applied:

The rectangular finish piece is removed with 2 screws. The round finish pieces are removed by inserting small tools and popping them out. They are a slight press fit and glued in place:

This is the uncovered panel:

I ran into major problems attempting to cover this piece, which resulted in my first failure. The molded (composite ?) base material had deteriorated over the years and had obviously seen moisture. It was quite brittle and pourous, as I found out when I applied the glue. I managed to make it look somewhat presentable, prior to applying the glue but I had a bad feeling as soon as I removed the OEM cloth. Removing the OEM cloth material pulled some of the molded facing off in chunks.

The glue leeched into the material and did not provide a good bond to the leather. Because of the contours and curves of the part, it was bubbling\lifting and looked like ass.

I removed the leather a few times to re-glue and reposition but more of the molded facing pulled up, leaving holes and defects in the surface. I fought with it for a couple of hours until I realized continuing was fruitless, as it was crap and no amount of hoping was going to make it better.

I will need to obtain another piece of leather and put a new top surface on the panel, before I attempt to recover with new leather.
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Roadeater · Dec 13, 2010

The original poster's thread jumps around a bit, so please bear with me. Ok, now we're into the seats:

The leather trim project is on temporary hold due to the weather being so cold. I had some time yesterday so I broke down the passenger seat for eventual reskinning.

Ready to remove the seat belt hardware, seatbelt wiring along with the plastic finisher cover at the hinge point, as well as the frame rails:

Headrest removal:

On the passenger side headrest, the locking mechanism has a release lever on the outer side (closest to the door) that must be depressed to slide out the headrest. The drivers side release lever is on the door side as well. You have to pull back the leather in order to see it (end of screwdriver is pointing to it):

Once the headrest is out, the plastic finisher for the front of the seat back under the headrest can be popped out. Pic is headrest off and finisher removed:

Removal of the tilt lever knob entails sliding it straight off the lever. I just used two large screwdrivers and gently tipped them fore and aft until I could get the knob sliding up off of the lever:

The lever opening finisher has bevels that allow it to snap in place. I used a small screwdriver to get it started. Be careful, as this plastic brittle:

Fully removed:

The adjusting knob for the seat back angle is held on the splined shaft with a "C" pin clip. Press down the leather to gain access and pull it out with a needle nose:

You can see the slot it slides into and the groove in the shaft:

Remove the U shaped spring loaded clip from each side of the chair where the seat back meets the seat cushion to allow seperation of the seat from the back:

Removal seat tilt stop bumper by removing the bolt and pop it straight up:

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Roadeater · Dec 13, 2010

Now for the clips:

Cutting the old hog rings off (I used a pair of cutting dykes that are from 1980):

Be careful of the listing wires. You will have to reuse them. The listing acts as the support for the leather when you clamp the hog ring to secure the material. The listing slides in a pre-made pocket of the leather seat skins:

More hog ring removal:

These two tabs go through the seatback and are hog ringed on the other side:

This is a good pic of a listing wire and the right side of the seat cushion on tha passenger side where the leather has a piece of angled plastic that slides into a crevice on the frame to secure it without hog rings:

The headrest leather is secured with staples:

Naked seat:

I plan on installing some extra foam under the seat back springs, as well as the seat cushion springs:

Old skins piled up and ready for removal of the listing wires and transfer of reference holes for the new hog rings:

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Roadeater · Dec 13, 2010

Positioning the listings:

I transfered the Passenger seat listing wires from the old leather seat cushion and seat back skins to the new skins.

It has become increasingly important to me, to keep the Drivers side seat "intact", until I complete the passenger side. Too much stuff to remember, when performing this job intermittantly. I will break down the seat hardware but I will keep the skins on the Drivers side, to utilize as a comparison model.

A closer shot of the release pin for the headrest. The scribe tool is pointing to the rectangular release pin

This is an example of one of the listing wires (Fig 2). They come in different lengths, dependent on the location on the skin listing pocket. The listing supports the pocket that is sewn to the skin to allow the hog ring to attach around it and secure the skin:

This pic shows an example of a couple of the listing wires still installed in the old skin

I layed the old skin seat cushion next to the old one and then turned them inside out for a better view of the listing pockets. I removed all the listing wires from the seat bottom and reinstalled them into the new skin pockets

This is the old seat back skin, as seen from the foam side, near the top of the seat (Fig 6). Notice the one tab still attached to the listing pocket (there are two tabs, but I had already removed one):

This is the new seat back skin at the same location. I installed the listing wire first, then made two slits in the listing pocket and threaded the tabs throught the slits

This is the middle of the seat back skin, as seen from the foam side. Notice the original listing wire length, versus the length of the listing pocket. I elected to cut a new listing wire (a metal coat hanger is the same wire diameter). The wires are folded at the ends in a hook fashion

This a pic of the front of the seat back listing pocket. I did the same thing here as the seat cushion, and just transferred the wires from the old to the new skin. The side wires are somewhat shorter than the pocket, so I had to go fishing. It appeared from the old hog ring mount points, the wires did not have to be the full length of the pocket, so I retained the original length

On the top perimeter of the seat back listing pockets (which are leather, not the felt like normal listing pocket), the OEM old skins utilize a plastic, bendable listing device that is sewn into the leather. As these sections bend and mold around the seat frame and foundation cushion, I can understand why they did this. I slit the leather pocket to get a better view. The new skins have sewn in support in the same location and do not require listing transfer:

I installed 1/4" closed cell foam between the seat cushion springs and the OEM hard foam for a little more cushion (Not much extra space in there). I had the Closed Cell foam (firm) left over from interior piece work:

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Roadeater · Dec 13, 2010

More of seats:

The seat belt side of the drivers seat and the routing of the electrical connections, along with the disgusting dirty seat and mounting rails:

The lumber support lever removal. It is held on the shaft with a spring clip and removed with needle nose pliers:

The bolster adjuster knob. Unlike the passenger side knob which has a spring clip securing it to the shaft), the drivers side has a cap cover over a screw that secures the knob to the adjusting shaft. The cap pops off with a small prybar (screwdriver):

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Roadeater · Dec 13, 2010

Under the seats:

All the electrical connectors for the drivers seat posture postion adjustments. You must disconnect all of these. You also have to remove the seat floor mount rails from the frame. The top of the photo is the area that running left to right, is the securing points for the damn hog rings. As you can see (or not see...lol), there is no access (yet) to the hog rings.

The underside of the seat cusjion with the floor mounting rails removed from the frame, along with the main drive motor and connecting shaft (all one unit when you remove the mount rails):

I am at the point now where I will cut the perimeter hog rings on the cushion and peel the leather back and up over the cushion, so I can use the drivers cushion as the "model" for securing the hog rings on the new leather for the passenger seat, so that I can replicate exactly where the attachment points should be.

the frame rail floor mounts (4 bolts to remove) with the attached drive motor, drive shaft for the fore + aft motion of the chair and the electrical control box that was mounted on the left side of the chair cushion. The entire assembly is removed in one piece:

The underside of the seat cushion cover and the tool of choice (hog ring pliers). The new seat cushion leather skin and laminated foam piece is turned inside out for application

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Roadeater · Dec 13, 2010

Seats continued:

Once the first two hog rings are secured, start threading the two flaps of leather through the sides of the seat cushion from the top, so that they come out the bottom, on the spring side of the cushion:

The flaps pushed through to the underside of the cushion:

The one of the two skin tabs that need to be pushed through the slots in the cushion so that they come out on the underside of the cushion:

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Roadeater · Dec 13, 2010

Seats yada yada:

The inner (shorter flap secured to the springs:

The longer (outer flap) floded inwards, to allow access to the attaching skin listing wire and the cushion listing wire:

The hog ring attachment progress along the sides of the cushion listing wire to the skin listing wires. I used a sharpie to draw a quick reference mark to the original hog ring attachment points when I tore the OEM skin off:

Attachment of the outer flap to the spring, after the side has been secured. The flaps can beused as grab points for your hands, to pull the skin tight, prior to hog ringing the listing wires:

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Roadeater · Dec 13, 2010

Getting the skins on:

The rear of the skin attached to the rear of the cushion listing wire:

The front of the skin attached to the front of the cushion listing wire:

A plastic insert on the OEM skin, which is located on the vehicle entrance side of each OEM skin. This insert is NOT included in the new skins. The insert is sewn into the OEM skin, so that the side of the skin can be inserted into a slot in the seat frame to secure it, rather than use hog rings, which would be visible upon entrance into the vehicle. I did not hog ring either side of my new skins, as they were snug enough:

The new passenger skin attached and getting acclimated to the new stretched position. The creases will calm down in time:

Leather Stretcher Tool that was used sparingly:

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Roadeater · Dec 13, 2010

The seat back:

The next victim awaiting its fate:

I started the passenger seat back new skin application, using the same method as the seat cushion. I partially tore down the OEM skin on the drivers seat back, to serve as a model to refresh my memory on install:

The front section of the new skin (I unzippered it from the rest of the skin for photo purposes), that serves as the front of the seat back. Notice the two stitched holes. Those holes allow the head rest to be inserted through the skin into the top of the seat.

The seat back front cushion that the skin has to be mounted to. Notice the arrows. Those are the two mounting points for the hog rings to the underside of the skin listing wire:

Zipper the pieces back together and feed the front section, through the slot in the top of the seat from the rear to the front (once again, I unzippered the two sections for photo purposes).

The seat back front cushion laid on top of the springs. Once again, notice the arrows for ground zero attaching points. Attach hog rings at each arrow. Once attached, fold the flaps around to the rear of the front skin and front cushion combo and attach the flaps with hog rings to the white felt covered springs:

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Roadeater · Dec 13, 2010

Seats mid way:

After the flaps are secured, this is how the front skin should look. Leave the front skin and front cushion combo in this position for the next steps after:

Shows the top of the skin attched to the top of the seat back. Hog ring the smaller, bottom flap first, prior to securing the top section to the head rest section:

Now take the front skin cover and cushion combo and flip it out of the way to the left, over the head rest section of the seat back. Stand the seat back up on your work bench at the hinge points and pull the seat skin assembly down tight over the seat back and wrap the skin around the bolster sections. You can set the seat back down in the original position.

The flap being lifted to expose the seat frame listing wire (the curved, horizontal rod), where the hog rings are used to secure the skin listing wire to the frame listing wire.

The hog rings attached to the frame listing wire:

Once the entire side length is secured, pull the flap down and secure it to the seat springs:

Now, secure the opposite side. You will find that the opposite side is MUCH more difficult to secure, as you have to stretch the material A LOT to reach your destination of marrying the frame listing wire to the skin flap listing wire. The next pic shows the gap of space I had, after stretching the piss out of it:

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Roadeater · Dec 13, 2010

Seats getting there:

Okay...after you have recited every swear word that you can remember while securing the final bolster side of the seat, you can now position the front skin and cushion combo and attach the rear of it to the springs.

Once the combo is attached with hog rings (same listing wire spot location on the rear of the cushion, as where the front skin attached to the front of the cushion). Once attached, position the bottom, curved section of the combo around the frame pipe on the bottom of the seat back and conjoin the bottom rear and bottom front listing wires to each other:

Now stand the seat back up and check it out, while you wonder if your hands will ever work the original way they were intended, ever again...

Attach all your finishers, knobs, etc. Use a fresh razor blade to slit the leather for the tilt lever. You will see the lever poking into the leather on each side of the passenger seat.
It is resting at the BOTTOM of the slot cutout in the seat frame. DO NOT CUT below the lever. Gently touch the razor blade to the end of the lever. Remember, the leather has just been stretched...it is tight. You don't want to screw up. Once you have broken through the leather, push the leather down over the tip, so that the tip protrudes through the leather. Now, using the finisher as a desired length 'model', slit the leather about 1/2" of the length you need and stick your pinkie in the hole to check out the actual slot length that the lever travels and finish the cut. Measure twice, cut once. Don't worry, the leather and foam will spread apart enough from the stress relief to allow the finisher to be inserted:

The seat back section re-attached to the seat cushion section. I still have to install the Head Rest Finisher, install the leather on the head rest and install the frame rails to the seat bottom before the pasenger seat is completed, but it came out very nice. The drivers seat back should be easier, now that I know (sort of) what I am doing:

Okay, time for a break. right now, I have to go see a nurse about the damn pain in both of my hands...

The passenger seat mounting rails getting prepped for new color on the visible ends:

The completed passenger seat with all hardware installed:

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Roadeater · Dec 13, 2010

I did say picture heavy, right?

This is only about half of the entire original thread, the remainder goes on to do door trims, behind the seat trims, sound deadening, etc. I'm guessing that you now have the general idea though. If you would like pics of the afore mentioned segments just reply and I'll take care of it.

URHYNS · Dec 13, 2010

Now THAT is a pro job. Nice and FULL and TIGHT!!
If you gonna do it yourself, this is the way to do it. But Jesus Christ, thats a LOT of work! Glad i paid for it. LOL!!

ross79 · Dec 13, 2010

Awesome post! I'm expecting my stuff to arrive this week. Now I don't have to search the net for a guide By the looks of it, this will chew up most of my xmas holiday time, provided I actually get time off

Sanouske · Dec 13, 2010

I really want to get a set of these, but i can afford it atm. Bugger!!

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How to: Interior Makeover(PIC HEAVY)

Roadeater Warrior of the Wasteland

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How to: Interior Makeover(PIC HEAVY)

Roadeater Warrior of the Wasteland

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Roadeater Warrior of the Wasteland

Roadeater Warrior of the Wasteland

Roadeater Warrior of the Wasteland

Roadeater Warrior of the Wasteland

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Roadeater Warrior of the Wasteland

Roadeater Warrior of the Wasteland

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Roadeater Warrior of the Wasteland

Roadeater Warrior of the Wasteland

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Sanouske Retired Moderator

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