The 'Stuff I Build' thread. Or...the 'Why I don't have a build thread', thread.

[sewlow]

Door panels.
There's a little more than 10 hours in each, start to finish. 40+ hours. A regular work week for 'normal' people with real jobs.
I started them on a Monday. Finished late Wednesday night/early Thursday morning.
I lose track of time when I get into the 'I'm creating, damn it. Leave me alone!' zone.
'Scuse the crappy lighting. Wrong side of the shop. The sun was messing with the camera's brain.

Front passenger.

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Rear paseenger.

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Still have the cargo area 1/4 panels, the modified rear seat & pix of the finished job to come. But I need to have something to eat.
Stay tuned.

 

[sewlow]

When stuff like this happens, it's usually just about time to pack it in for the day.
Check out how much I had already sewn before doing this!
Like...WTF, Al? 4 hours out the window. J-e-e-z! Start again.

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Cargo area 1/4's.
Before they were covered with the vinyl, I padded them with 1/16" closed-cell foam. They didn't come that way from the factory.
When the owner stopped by to check things out, he couldn't keep his mitts off of them. Kept touching them to feel the padding! "That's so cool!" Right on! He's smiling? So am I!
They were a bit of a pain to do. Big panels, big chunk of material, with a seam that has to be straight. ...and the panels have a slight bulge to them in the middle so the measurement from the top edge to the seam is not the same over the length.
The passenger side is 2 pieces, so not only does the seam have to line up between those, but the passenger panel's stitching has to be the same as the driver side. Measuring things 3x!

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[sewlow]

The console. Owner made. Damn it!
Former cabinet maker. This not the way I usually build one. Absolutely no consideration for the additional bulk of the foam & vinyl.
Nor was it designed with any idea of how someone was going to be able to cover it, and yet still make it look good!
This thing had me scratching my head for more than a few days.
I'd look at it for 20 minutes. Try a couple ideas with some scrap cuttings, & walk away shaking my head.
But he'd made it before I got the job, & it's what he wanted, so...
I like to make all the parts, cover them, & then assemble it. Makes for a better looking, better finished product.
This one was not coming apart. Plywood & MDF held together with liquid nails & 2" staples.
Didn't take pix of working on it. It can be seen finished when I get to the completed interior pix.

This is what I had to start with.

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[sewlow]

Rear seat.
The owner just wanted it recovered.
Nope. That wasn't gonna happen.
Originally, it was a flat cushion & backrest.
...that folds down.
The trick was to be able to make it look like this & still be able to fold it.
As the car wasn't in my shop, this took a couple of trips back & forth to the owner's place (45 minutes, one way) for the test fittings.
I've done this to seats several times over the years & already had the plan in my head before he dropped it off.
He didn't expect the seat to look like this. HeHe!
Pleasantly surprised is an understatement. Called the wife outa the house to show her. Interrupted the neighbor cutting his grass & dragged him over for a look. Took pix & sent them to all his buddies.
Yes. It folds down AND locks into place!

No progress pix, just the finished seat. I need to hold back 'some' secrets!

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[GarrettGmc]

Damn man that looks awesome.

 

[Hipster]

Very nice work!

 

[Z71Hobbs]

You’re gonna have a line of customers

 

[sewlow]

Thanks, guys!

 

[sewlow]

You’re gonna have a line of customers

Somebody walks in tomorrow for a complete custom interior, they're looking at 18 months before I'd be able to start.
I'd rather be behind than ahead, though.
I'm a little slower these days. No longer a punk-ass kid. I don't pick up '50's Cadillac electric bench seats by myself anymore.
"You'll be sorry one day!"
"Get the hell outa my way, old man!"
Yea...well...
I just did a headliner in a '67 Chevelle. 6 hours, with my hands over my head, stretching vinyl while sitting on a step stool with my knees folded in 1/2 .
Had to take the next day off.
Walking like a Grampa, (Oh...wait a minute...) knees poppin', back aching, feeling like my arms were gonna fall outa my shoulder sockets.
Painkillers. Voltaren.
I used to be able to do one every day for a week. Like nothin'!
Damn. Lol!

 

[Kv5137kv5137]

Very nice work


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