Tips Prior to Upholstering
Allen Carswell’s Pro Auto Interiors and Tops is a Full Service Custom and Original Fabrication Trim Shop with over 30+ years experience. We can design and fabricate any automotive interior components out of 1/8th thick ABS Plastic (our material of choice), or weather board (only by request), for your car. We also specialize in convertible top frame and lift repair, along with top installation on any make and model. The list of items below is for your benefit. The more you can complete yourself, the more money you will save.
Wiring:
Your wiring should be completed when you bring your car to the upholstery shop.
Always have your fuse box mounted. Our shop will not begin work on the interior until wiring problems are fixed. It is better to address the wiring concerns yourself, as it may cost you a considerable amount, aside from the interior price. If you do need us to wire your car we will be happy to accommodate you.
Things to keep in mind are: door locks, door poppers, power locks, power windows, wipers, A/C,heater, radio, speakers, CD changer, amp, third brake light, dome light, courtesy lights and any items that will be placed in the console.
Make sure there is a little bit of play within the wires. The wires should have enough slack under the dash to come over the top of the kick panels and fire wall panel at the very bottom of the dash. Running the wires overhead will allow ease of work, and make your floor a lot cleaner.
If we are building a custom console in the car, you can run your wires down the middle of the car. Make everything neat, and tie up wires with plastic ties. “It’s a good idea to have a battery cut off and a remote battery post under the car for easy charging.
Note: Some fuel injection cars can not have the battery power cut to
the computer.
If you have shaved door handles, a hidden switch or some other way to get in the car is necessary.
Heater Hoses:
Have all heater hoses installed and checked for leaks. Make sure they have a little slack in them also (just like the wiring.) On some cars, the heater hoses run parallel under the dash, run down into the kick panels and come out into the inner fender well. Then they run up the inner fender well and come out into the engine compartment where they are needed. You may have to put a spring in the hose where it makes the turn from the kick panel into the fender well. This will keep it from folding up. This makes your upholstered kick panels and fire wall panel fit up nice and clean. It also makes your exterior fire wall look better.
The main thing is to keep your interior kick panels and fire wall as flat and
clutter free as possible.
Air Conditioning:
You need to have your A/C and heating unit panel in place, wired, and working. If you plan on putting the A/C panel in the console you can set it in a small box in the floor with foam wrapped around it for the interior designer. Also, the duct work should be fastened on the unit, and pulled to where the vents or louvers will go. If the vents or
louvers are made into the dash, all should be in place.
Windows and garnish moldings:
All side and quarter windows need to be in and working. Power windows and door locks purchased, installed, wired and working. Unless you want us to professionally install these units. You could leave the front and back glasses out in some projects; we will discuss this in our initial consultation. Keep slack in the wires! For power windows (have them wired), put the power window switches where they are best for you (where they do not run into your leg on the door). The best window switch places are in the console or in a short drop board under the dash. All window felting should be in place. Have all the window garnish moldings fitting the windows and painted. If you want us to paint the moldings the same color of the leather or cloth, have them in primer.
Make sure the felting is fitted for the upholsterer to put onto garnish moldings after we have painted them, or covered them with the interior material.
Heat Shields and Sound Deadeners:
It’s always a good idea to use insulation in your car or truck. Floor and firewall should be sealed and primed. Lizard Skin is a spray in ceramic heat insulator and acoustical barrier that works great in all applications. If you are uncomfortable utilizing this spray in system, we would be happy to install it for you.
Dynamat is a very good product, but when placed in the doors, it can make them very heavy (very much so on fiberglass cars.) I've also found when placing Dynamat in the floor, it is best to tape off the seams with aluminum tape. This helps keep the black sticky stuff on the back from oozing out. It is okay if you go ahead and put the Dynamat in the floor before you take your car to the upholstery shop. Do not put Dynamat on top of the package tray, or on the door where the door panel clips onto the car. It is not advisable to put any other insulation in the floor, because it will just get messed up, as the upholsterer will get in and out of the car 100 or so times. You can just bring the roll of insulation you wish to use in the car and let the shop put it in.
Carpet:
Make sure that you have the carpet sill plates or garnishes moldings. You can buy custom or sock molding. This is where the carpet meets the door-jam. If you are planning for your master cylinder to be under the car, consider putting a remote fill on the exterior fire wall or hidden behind an interior trunk panel. This way you won’t have to cut an ugly hole in your high dollar carpet for a trap door!
Radio and Speakers:
If your radio is in your dash, have it wired and working. If you plan on having your radio mounted in the headliner or a center console, make sure when you pull the wires there is enough slack wire. we will wire or design the stereo system if you like. Make sure you have the three wires needed: red ACC, yellow HOT all the time, and Black GROUND. The speakers can just lie where you would like them to go. We will make them blend in with the upholstery as we build the custom interior (make sure there is enough speaker wire slack). If you do put the speakers in yourself, make sure that they are flush. This way the panel or package shelf will fit nicely.
Seats and Seat belts:
This is a critical area in your car where most mistakes are made. The seats must be proportionate to the area in the cab of the vehicle. We can custom build your seats or guide you to an appropriate configuration to complement the finished project.
It’s best to mount your seat(s) lower than you think they should be placed in
your car. When new foam and new upholstery are put on the seat, it will raise you up in the car (this occurs 90% of the time.) Make sure that your seats are "square" in every way, and that the seat tracks are also square to each other before installing them. (Check for: side
to side, the backs, across, stand in front of the car and look to see if they
look straight to each-other and so on … Also, make sure that they fit the car, and that they aren't too tight. If you cannot put your hand with a little play in-between the seat and the door – it’s way too tight! You can check this best when the seats are as far forward as they’ll go in the car.) If you are using the original seat, leave it in the current condition. In most cases, this is the only way we can identify the original components, i.e. horse hair padding or pressed fiber. We will paint or powder coat the frames. If you plan on using seat belts or a harness, please install them securely. Three point harness belts need to be installed when the car is being built.
Custom Dash:
If you decide to build a custom dash, Discuss clearances with the interior designer. Making your dash without proper clearances will be an additional cost for modifications.
Also keep in mind that the door panel has to go in-between the dash and
the door.
Custom Roll Bar:
If you have planned a roll bar for your project, make sure to have enough space between the bar and the top of the car for the headliner. The one piece headliners hang a little lower than the bow or stock type headliner. On a car like the ‘66 Nova, you can get within two to three inches from the roof. But, with a Willys or other curvy-type street rod, you may need four to five inches.
Be sure to talk with the our shop before starting your roll bar.
Steering Wheel:
If you have not bought a steering wheel, consider buying a half-wrap steering wheel. This way your upholstery shop can cover it with the same leather you picked out for the interior. It can also be recovered years down the road when it may show a little wear.
Door Handles and Window Cranks:
We like to choose the interior accessories because they
have a direct reflection on the completed interior.
If you must purchase these, get us involved early in the process.
It will save you money in the long run.
Running Boards:
Some older cars have running boards. It’s best if you have the running boards off your car so they will not get scratched.
We will cover and tape the boards up, but remember, “ stuff
happens. “
Trunk:
Have your trunk working. Make sure you have a way to make the trunk stay open. If your trunk uses some kind of electric opener, make sure it does not stick out past where the panel should be flush.
Make sure to have all weather stripping in place or available.
Dome and Interior Lights:
It’s a good idea to have all of the power wires run for your dome and interior
lights. You can also go ahead and buy the lights, but once again, as interior designers let us help you choose these accessories because they have a direct reflection on the completed interior. If you must
purchase these ahead of time, get us involved early in the
process. It will save you money.
Weather Striping:
Have all weather stripping in place or available for the doors and trunk. Make sure everything is correct.
Convertible Tops:
With a convertible top, make sure the tacking strips are in good shape.
If they are not – replace them. On some of the ‘30’s and ‘40′s cars, they
are attached around the lip of the body, so it’s best to replace the tacking
strips before you paint. By not doing so, you take a bigger risk of the paint
getting scratched or chipped. Also, make sure the top is adjusted to the windows and working right. Make sure to have all working parts and anything you may see painted. This area is also a specialty of ours. We can assist you in the complete frame restoration or guide you.
Chopping Your Rod:
If you cut or chop your street rod top, please do not take out the windlace
tacking strip channels that are around the doors. If you must remove these,
don’t replace with thick metal stock.
GAS, Oil, Antifreeze Leaks:
Gas tank and filler necks need to be sealed to prevent from leaking fumes in the shop. Have as little gas in your car as necessary.
Most of the time a 1/4 tank or less is fine. A full car or truck of gas can smell up a shop. Please try to have ALL oil leaks, antifreeze leaks and other fluid leaks stopped before you bring it to the interior shop. If you are unable to do so, please inform the shop about your leaks prior to the delivery of your car. Most shops have “shop dogs” to protect your investment.
Please Be Advised:
Allen Carswell's Pro Auto Interiors and Tops has Two Shop Dogs that are very well loved and cared for...
If either of them were to die
from YOUR antifreeze leak… YOUR bill would be an additional $1500.00 each.
Brakes & Wheels:
Have your brakes in good working order. A full pedal is best for moving the car around in close places. A bad set of brakes could cause a car to end up running into a wall, a table, or worse, another car in the shop. Be sure that all lug nuts are tight.
Engine & Running Gear:
It’s a very good idea to have the car running and everything checked out. Put 20 to 100 miles on the car or truck before you bring it to the interior shop. Make sure the transmission is shifting right at all speeds. Pushing a car off and on a trailer is dangerous. Most owners do not enjoy taking out their brand new interior in order to fix a wire or some kind of gauge problem.
Deadlines:
I make these next statements with only the utmost respect for my brothers in the classic restoration business.
There are paint and body shops, engine and chassis shops, and numerous trim shops around every street corner, and each one is only as good as they care to be.
On the other hand, there are only a few quality Full Service Fabricators and Designers across America.
It is in the best interest of everyone to not press the Custom Interior
Shop to make a deadline for a car show. By doing this, you force the shop
personnel to work longer continuous hours, which results in mistakes and cut corners, just to make a three day show.
True quality is deeper than the surface of your interior, and in most cases, we must create the surfaces on which to build your interior.
The outcome of the interior will always
be better when adequate time is taken within the interior design and Fabrication process.
Relax:
Allen Carswell"s Pro Auto Interiors and Tops will provide detailed Digital documentation of each process involved in the fabrication of your interior, along with notarized certification of your one of a kind creation. Just remember to contact the shop early in the interior process, to allow plenty of time to plan and prepare. Be patient! Remember we want your money as much as you want your car. But more importantly we want you to be amazed with your custom interior every time you drive or show it!
All things
worth while take time.
Allen Carswell’s Pro Auto Interiors and Tops is a Full Service Custom and Original Fabrication Trim Shop with over 30+ years experience. We can design and fabricate any automotive interior components out of 1/8th thick ABS Plastic (our material of choice), or weather board (only by request), for your car. We also specialize in convertible top frame and lift repair, along with top installation on any make and model. The list of items below is for your benefit. The more you can complete yourself, the more money you will save.
Wiring:
Your wiring should be completed when you bring your car to the upholstery shop.
Always have your fuse box mounted. Our shop will not begin work on the interior until wiring problems are fixed. It is better to address the wiring concerns yourself, as it may cost you a considerable amount, aside from the interior price. If you do need us to wire your car we will be happy to accommodate you.
Things to keep in mind are: door locks, door poppers, power locks, power windows, wipers, A/C,heater, radio, speakers, CD changer, amp, third brake light, dome light, courtesy lights and any items that will be placed in the console.
Make sure there is a little bit of play within the wires. The wires should have enough slack under the dash to come over the top of the kick panels and fire wall panel at the very bottom of the dash. Running the wires overhead will allow ease of work, and make your floor a lot cleaner.
If we are building a custom console in the car, you can run your wires down the middle of the car. Make everything neat, and tie up wires with plastic ties. “It’s a good idea to have a battery cut off and a remote battery post under the car for easy charging.
Note: Some fuel injection cars can not have the battery power cut to
the computer.
If you have shaved door handles, a hidden switch or some other way to get in the car is necessary.
Heater Hoses:
Have all heater hoses installed and checked for leaks. Make sure they have a little slack in them also (just like the wiring.) On some cars, the heater hoses run parallel under the dash, run down into the kick panels and come out into the inner fender well. Then they run up the inner fender well and come out into the engine compartment where they are needed. You may have to put a spring in the hose where it makes the turn from the kick panel into the fender well. This will keep it from folding up. This makes your upholstered kick panels and fire wall panel fit up nice and clean. It also makes your exterior fire wall look better.
The main thing is to keep your interior kick panels and fire wall as flat and
clutter free as possible.
Air Conditioning:
You need to have your A/C and heating unit panel in place, wired, and working. If you plan on putting the A/C panel in the console you can set it in a small box in the floor with foam wrapped around it for the interior designer. Also, the duct work should be fastened on the unit, and pulled to where the vents or louvers will go. If the vents or
louvers are made into the dash, all should be in place.
Windows and garnish moldings:
All side and quarter windows need to be in and working. Power windows and door locks purchased, installed, wired and working. Unless you want us to professionally install these units. You could leave the front and back glasses out in some projects; we will discuss this in our initial consultation. Keep slack in the wires! For power windows (have them wired), put the power window switches where they are best for you (where they do not run into your leg on the door). The best window switch places are in the console or in a short drop board under the dash. All window felting should be in place. Have all the window garnish moldings fitting the windows and painted. If you want us to paint the moldings the same color of the leather or cloth, have them in primer.
Make sure the felting is fitted for the upholsterer to put onto garnish moldings after we have painted them, or covered them with the interior material.
Heat Shields and Sound Deadeners:
It’s always a good idea to use insulation in your car or truck. Floor and firewall should be sealed and primed. Lizard Skin is a spray in ceramic heat insulator and acoustical barrier that works great in all applications. If you are uncomfortable utilizing this spray in system, we would be happy to install it for you.
Dynamat is a very good product, but when placed in the doors, it can make them very heavy (very much so on fiberglass cars.) I've also found when placing Dynamat in the floor, it is best to tape off the seams with aluminum tape. This helps keep the black sticky stuff on the back from oozing out. It is okay if you go ahead and put the Dynamat in the floor before you take your car to the upholstery shop. Do not put Dynamat on top of the package tray, or on the door where the door panel clips onto the car. It is not advisable to put any other insulation in the floor, because it will just get messed up, as the upholsterer will get in and out of the car 100 or so times. You can just bring the roll of insulation you wish to use in the car and let the shop put it in.
Carpet:
Make sure that you have the carpet sill plates or garnishes moldings. You can buy custom or sock molding. This is where the carpet meets the door-jam. If you are planning for your master cylinder to be under the car, consider putting a remote fill on the exterior fire wall or hidden behind an interior trunk panel. This way you won’t have to cut an ugly hole in your high dollar carpet for a trap door!
Radio and Speakers:
If your radio is in your dash, have it wired and working. If you plan on having your radio mounted in the headliner or a center console, make sure when you pull the wires there is enough slack wire. we will wire or design the stereo system if you like. Make sure you have the three wires needed: red ACC, yellow HOT all the time, and Black GROUND. The speakers can just lie where you would like them to go. We will make them blend in with the upholstery as we build the custom interior (make sure there is enough speaker wire slack). If you do put the speakers in yourself, make sure that they are flush. This way the panel or package shelf will fit nicely.
Seats and Seat belts:
This is a critical area in your car where most mistakes are made. The seats must be proportionate to the area in the cab of the vehicle. We can custom build your seats or guide you to an appropriate configuration to complement the finished project.
It’s best to mount your seat(s) lower than you think they should be placed in
your car. When new foam and new upholstery are put on the seat, it will raise you up in the car (this occurs 90% of the time.) Make sure that your seats are "square" in every way, and that the seat tracks are also square to each other before installing them. (Check for: side
to side, the backs, across, stand in front of the car and look to see if they
look straight to each-other and so on … Also, make sure that they fit the car, and that they aren't too tight. If you cannot put your hand with a little play in-between the seat and the door – it’s way too tight! You can check this best when the seats are as far forward as they’ll go in the car.) If you are using the original seat, leave it in the current condition. In most cases, this is the only way we can identify the original components, i.e. horse hair padding or pressed fiber. We will paint or powder coat the frames. If you plan on using seat belts or a harness, please install them securely. Three point harness belts need to be installed when the car is being built.
Custom Dash:
If you decide to build a custom dash, Discuss clearances with the interior designer. Making your dash without proper clearances will be an additional cost for modifications.
Also keep in mind that the door panel has to go in-between the dash and
the door.
Custom Roll Bar:
If you have planned a roll bar for your project, make sure to have enough space between the bar and the top of the car for the headliner. The one piece headliners hang a little lower than the bow or stock type headliner. On a car like the ‘66 Nova, you can get within two to three inches from the roof. But, with a Willys or other curvy-type street rod, you may need four to five inches.
Be sure to talk with the our shop before starting your roll bar.
Steering Wheel:
If you have not bought a steering wheel, consider buying a half-wrap steering wheel. This way your upholstery shop can cover it with the same leather you picked out for the interior. It can also be recovered years down the road when it may show a little wear.
Door Handles and Window Cranks:
We like to choose the interior accessories because they
have a direct reflection on the completed interior.
If you must purchase these, get us involved early in the process.
It will save you money in the long run.
Running Boards:
Some older cars have running boards. It’s best if you have the running boards off your car so they will not get scratched.
We will cover and tape the boards up, but remember, “ stuff
happens. “
Trunk:
Have your trunk working. Make sure you have a way to make the trunk stay open. If your trunk uses some kind of electric opener, make sure it does not stick out past where the panel should be flush.
Make sure to have all weather stripping in place or available.
Dome and Interior Lights:
It’s a good idea to have all of the power wires run for your dome and interior
lights. You can also go ahead and buy the lights, but once again, as interior designers let us help you choose these accessories because they have a direct reflection on the completed interior. If you must
purchase these ahead of time, get us involved early in the
process. It will save you money.
Weather Striping:
Have all weather stripping in place or available for the doors and trunk. Make sure everything is correct.
Convertible Tops:
With a convertible top, make sure the tacking strips are in good shape.
If they are not – replace them. On some of the ‘30’s and ‘40′s cars, they
are attached around the lip of the body, so it’s best to replace the tacking
strips before you paint. By not doing so, you take a bigger risk of the paint
getting scratched or chipped. Also, make sure the top is adjusted to the windows and working right. Make sure to have all working parts and anything you may see painted. This area is also a specialty of ours. We can assist you in the complete frame restoration or guide you.
Chopping Your Rod:
If you cut or chop your street rod top, please do not take out the windlace
tacking strip channels that are around the doors. If you must remove these,
don’t replace with thick metal stock.
GAS, Oil, Antifreeze Leaks:
Gas tank and filler necks need to be sealed to prevent from leaking fumes in the shop. Have as little gas in your car as necessary.
Most of the time a 1/4 tank or less is fine. A full car or truck of gas can smell up a shop. Please try to have ALL oil leaks, antifreeze leaks and other fluid leaks stopped before you bring it to the interior shop. If you are unable to do so, please inform the shop about your leaks prior to the delivery of your car. Most shops have “shop dogs” to protect your investment.
Please Be Advised:
Allen Carswell's Pro Auto Interiors and Tops has Two Shop Dogs that are very well loved and cared for...
If either of them were to die
from YOUR antifreeze leak… YOUR bill would be an additional $1500.00 each.
Brakes & Wheels:
Have your brakes in good working order. A full pedal is best for moving the car around in close places. A bad set of brakes could cause a car to end up running into a wall, a table, or worse, another car in the shop. Be sure that all lug nuts are tight.
Engine & Running Gear:
It’s a very good idea to have the car running and everything checked out. Put 20 to 100 miles on the car or truck before you bring it to the interior shop. Make sure the transmission is shifting right at all speeds. Pushing a car off and on a trailer is dangerous. Most owners do not enjoy taking out their brand new interior in order to fix a wire or some kind of gauge problem.
Deadlines:
I make these next statements with only the utmost respect for my brothers in the classic restoration business.
There are paint and body shops, engine and chassis shops, and numerous trim shops around every street corner, and each one is only as good as they care to be.
On the other hand, there are only a few quality Full Service Fabricators and Designers across America.
It is in the best interest of everyone to not press the Custom Interior
Shop to make a deadline for a car show. By doing this, you force the shop
personnel to work longer continuous hours, which results in mistakes and cut corners, just to make a three day show.
True quality is deeper than the surface of your interior, and in most cases, we must create the surfaces on which to build your interior.
The outcome of the interior will always
be better when adequate time is taken within the interior design and Fabrication process.
Relax:
Allen Carswell"s Pro Auto Interiors and Tops will provide detailed Digital documentation of each process involved in the fabrication of your interior, along with notarized certification of your one of a kind creation. Just remember to contact the shop early in the interior process, to allow plenty of time to plan and prepare. Be patient! Remember we want your money as much as you want your car. But more importantly we want you to be amazed with your custom interior every time you drive or show it!
All things
worth while take time.