Trimming

[Guest Ant]

Ok folks, it's trimming time. There seems to be absolutely nothing on this in the videos. Can anyone give me some useful advice on what to do and where to do it? Here's my "semi-plan". Will it work?

 

- Fit a flat piece of carpet in each footwell, and another under the seat behind the floor tube. Hold these in place with sticky back velcro and make them a snug fit.

 

- I've panelled the outer edges of the cockpit so these just need flat pieces of carpet. Will velcro work here too? If not then what?

 

- Tunnel - help. I have a tunnel top handbrake. Any suggestions?

 

- Seat back panel - one piece of carpet, wrapped over the horizontal square section behind the shoulders. How do I fasten it the other side?

 

- Side chassis tubes - plastic pipe, cut and covered with foam and vinyl and then held on with velcro on the inside? What's the norm here?

 

- Curved chassis tubes where the quarter moon sections are rivetted on. What's the plan with trimming here?

 

All help appreciated as, apart from having two large rolls of sticky back velcro, I have no idea of what to do to make it all neat, tidy, and practical.

 

Also, I remember seeing somewhere that the carpet supplied in the later kits is "heat bendable". Has anyone done this? It seems very stiff to work with otherwise.

 

Thanks for the help

Ant

[Guest SteveL]

Hi Ant

 

I'll be in the same boat soon, and here's my thinking:

 

> - Fit a flat piece of carpet in each footwell, and another under the seat behind the floor tube.

> Hold these in place with sticky back velcro and make them a snug fit.

 

I'm going to make a false floor for the drivers side (plywood covered in carpet) to raise my feet up to the pedals. The passenger side will be the same as you're planning.

 

> - I've panelled the outer edges of the cockpit so these just need flat pieces of carpet.

> Will velcro work here too? If not then what?

 

I'm going to make the side panels out of plywood, carpet them, and then attach them to the chassis with small stainless socket head machine screws. Could you carpet your panels, then attach them?

 

> - Tunnel - help. I have a tunnel top handbrake. Any suggestions?

 

I'm going to make up a cover for the entire handbrake (a small box with a sloping front and a large slit in the front for the handbrake to move up and down) which is the same width as the tunnel. This will then blend in with the tunnel sides. The tunnel top will be covered with the same material so it should look okay.

 

> - Seat back panel - one piece of carpet, wrapped over the horizontal square section behind the

> shoulders. How do I fasten it the other side?

 

Contact adhesive? I can't see you wanting to remove this carpet once it's in place?

 

> - Side chassis tubes - plastic pipe, cut and covered with foam and vinyl and then held on

> with velcro on the inside? What's the norm here?

 

That's what I was going to do as well. If you remove a small strip down the length of the pipe, you should be able to "clip" it over the top chassis rail. This is then held in place when the interior side panels are attached.

 

> - Curved chassis tubes where the quarter moon sections are rivetted on.

> What's the plan with trimming here?

 

At the last show, I saw someones car, and they had used a leather steering wheel cover, cut in half, and each half glued to these curved tubes. I'm sure the same thing could be done with vinyl. I don't think they had the crescent shaped pieces of the steel bodywork fitted, so the tube was entirely covered by this.

 

> Also, I remember seeing somewhere that the carpet supplied in the later kits is "heat bendable".

> Has anyone done this? It seems very stiff to work with otherwise.

 

I'll let you know when I try this out!

 

Have fun.

 

Steve

[Guest Mr Pid]

Hi ant,

 

I will write you a report of how the trimming went on my car, as you were kind enough to supply details of your bonnet build, i get some pics to if its nice this weekend.

 

Its very easy to do and lets you have "artistic freedom" as it would be crap to stare at a bog standard boring interior if you have a nice looking car on the outside.

 

Stu

[Guest SteveL]

Hi ant,

 

I will write you a report of how the trimming went on my car, as you were kind enough to supply details of your bonnet build, i get some pics to if its nice this weekend.

 

Its very easy to do and lets you have "artistic freedom" as it would be crap to stare at a bog standard boring interior if you have a nice looking car on the outside.

 

Stu

I'd be interested in how your trimming goes too.

 

Maybe you could write a Build Tip(z) for the main RHOCaR site?

 

Steve

[Longboarder]

Quick visit required to your local cheapo carpet shop to get a can of spray contact adhesive. You can then spray carpet and panel just like you use spray paint, wait five mins and stick the carpet onto the panel. Very quick for doing large areas. Best to make floor carpet removable for when it gets wet but other trim can be more permanent.

 

Nigel

[Big Jim]

Right guys, your going to do a lot of work that you will finish up re-doing again in about 12 months time.

Velcro is no use for this, forget it, you need to stick the carpets down with glue. Talking about glue, the spray on stuff is not much good either, it's either the heat up the tunnel, or the damp (and they do get damp!) but it will un-stick within 12 months. If you go to a proper car trimmer, they use contact adhesive from a tin that you brush on, and it smells for all the world like EVOSTICK. When I replaced my carpets a few years ago (Some stuck with the spray stuff, well....unstuck!, and some stuck with No-Nails!, boy that bit was stuck, I had to disc grind that stuff off) Once I had run out of the 'proper' stuff, I went and bought some Evostick. they have been on now for over 2 years, been cooked, soaked etc, and they're still good.

 

I would suggest that you cover the tunnel and sides, down to the floor with approx 1" - 2" overlap on the floor, then do the floor last, up to the side edges, either glued to a wooden piece, or direct to the floor. Be aware that mats don't work! because of the way we have to get in & out of the Hood's, they soon ruck up and get in the way, I have a piece of ally "chequer plate" painted black (black carpets) for my heels to wear on when I'm driving.

[Bob Tucker]

Some extra suggestions....

The tin glue is Dunlop S1358 from car trimmers or car shows.

 

The crescent shaped s/s bit is a very different shape to the chassis.

You can glue stretchy vinyl direct to the tube instead.

 

Lash out on a NEW bit of drain pipe, twice the length of the

cockpit side chassis tubes. Dont cut it in half, cut it to about 3/4,

it will spring over the chassis rail & stay in place.

Cover in your favourite flew...flour...brightly coloured vinyl

& ping it on.

Lay it in a length of angle iron to get a straight mark or cut.

If you must use velcro, get the sew-it-youself version,

glue it on with the Dunlop glue & put a pop-rivet at each end.

Bob

[geoff shep]

Yes, agreed, you need to use glue. I used the supplied spray glue which worked well initially but is now coming unstuck. Mine's obviously a monocoque, but used one piece over tunnel top and sides, one piece each side wall round to front footwell and one piece for boot floor and down behind seat backs. Floors each side are plywood and have a rubber mat under driver's feet to stop them slipping on the wood. Mat needs to be stuck down or it rucks up. Gear/brake levers gaiters are supplied vinyl cones and trims are cut from alloy sheet. Not sure if this helps or is relevant to tubies?

 

Here's a picture if it's any use: Cockpit

[Big Jim]

Geoff, you have just won the 2003 award for bravery! either that or you don't drive your car very much. Those old RH seats are killers!! get rid of them, put some decent seats in and start enjoying your Hood!

[geoff shep]

Strangely, I don't find them too bad although there's not much insulation from vibrations and there's no side support. I will be putting others in when I find the right ones.

 

At the time I built it I was being treated for lymphoma and completed it pretty much to bottom spec as I didn't want to invest too heavily - all in about £2200 on the road. The most expensive thing was 5 new tyres. Now I'm modding bits here and there. Replaced the engine (for another pinto) and just got a set of refurbed pepperpot alloys plus brand new tyres (5 off) for £75. Next will be ties bars and rear wheel spacers to sort out the camber and the seats. New engine? - I rather fancy the sound of a V6 which would be a small project in itself.