Cobra kit car interior retrim using Haynes manual on "How to trim".

[Dixie]

 Well today I went for it.  Ripped out the interior, alot work involved now going to do it all myself.  Brought a Haynes manual on "How to trim".

Wish me luck.

Also attached is some photos of the new radiator hose I fitted, along with a new temp sender adapter, and air bleed hoses attached to header tank.

[Hairy Santa]

You have been busy, just hope you know where it all goes when you put it back together

Blew my bottom hose off today -- copying you  he he

[Dixie]

You have been busy, just hope you know where it all goes when you put it back together

Blew my bottom hose off today -- copying you  he he

Did you have spare water??  How did you get home?

['The Gaffer']

Certainly no going back now. Nice work

[Hairy Santa]

You have been busy, just hope you know where it all goes when you put it back together

Blew my bottom hose off today -- copying you  he he

Did you have spare water??  How did you get home?

yes had water with me, but as you cant see anything I put this in before realising it was going straight through, so June decided to walk back to mcdonalds for some -- still wasn't  up to the top though -- so drove car to their carpark for some more -- and as we were there, well had to have a couple of burgers didn't we -- well only to be expected  -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

[Bulldog Bri]

Good luck with it. I start the same on the bulldog next week 

[Dixie]

Good luck with it. I start the same on the bulldog next week 


Found some Ali sheet from an old heater at work, trouble is it has lots of glue on it where it had insulation in place.  But un-detered I have managed to form a tunnel over the gear box and started to polish it up.  This will be the final look, a completely stripped out look.  Just have to spray some protective sealer on it to stop it oxidizing.  What do you think??

['The Gaffer']

I like it very much, but couldn't give you a definitive answer until everything else was back in place.

[Richard]

Having done an interior of an MG before it is one fiddly thing to do, so lots of admiration for what you are doing.

Not sure about the ali in the rest of the interior but with that handbrake you have it will definately blend in and it picks up on the theme in centre dash so it may work very well.

You are really getting on with your jobs at the moment !

[Dixie]

Having done an interior of an MG before it is one fiddly thing to do, so lots of admiration for what you are doing.

Not sure about the ali in the rest of the interior but with that handbrake you have it will definately blend in and it picks up on the theme in centre dash so it may work very well.

You are really getting on with your jobs at the moment !


Only the top of the tunnel will be Ali.  The sides and footwells are black carpet.  Too much Ali would not look good, much classier to keep a small bit of carpet, plus make it easier on my knees while driving. 

Attached is some photo's of the wooden panels I have put in to make it easier to carpet.  Behind this is 1" thick silver foil covered foam to act as noise supressant and some heat barrier (Exhaust just behind this).  I have use Marine ply, with some varnish and then covered in fibreglass resin.  Should make a good base for the carpet, Looking forward to choosing the carpet at Exeter kit car show. .  Nearly done this side, O/S next. Mark

Plus a photo of me as Uncle Fester at a local pub fancy dress.

['The Gaffer']

Great work on the car Mark.

Just hope your make-up washes off before Exeter You scared the living s**t out of me!!

[Dixie]

Just finished the N/S gearbox panel cards.  The holes are there to allow the heater to work.  Also I have covered the tunnel in carpet, I think it looks great.

Mark

['The Gaffer']

Your car looked smart enough before you started Mark, will look even better when you've finished, nice job

[Dixie]

Brought a nice new shiney gear stick knob and gator at the Bath&West restoration show on Saturday.  Also put some 4mm PVC wing piping under the chrome surround, just finishes it off.  Got to do the handbrake now, not 100% sure if the shiney new "Trigger" handbrake is the way to go, may be too much bling.

Also ripped out the N/S trim cards around the door apatures.  Got to do some careful thinking here, I have got to make some new, more simple hinges, so can't do too much until these are in place.

[Bulldog Bri]

Love the piping idea. Think I might use that later in my car.

[Dixie]

Just started making the trim panel for the door surrounds.  Going to be done in 3 pieces and glassed into place.

['The Gaffer']

Keep the updates coming Mark, I'm enjoying them, shame others arn't quite so forthcoming

It is a quiet winter time on the forum though.

[Dixie]

Just started making the trim panel for the door surrounds.  Going to be done in 3 pieces and glassed into place.





Small wooden piece glued in to square 1/4 panel ready for carpet.

Glassing a small area to strengthen it before door catch post on.  Looks a bit rough at the moment, but will be ok when finished.

[Dixie]

Just finished glassing the panels in place.  Will spray black, should look ok.

[Hairy Santa]

that looks like a real tidy job, and should stiffen everthing up nicely

you never mentioned you were a carpenter as well - !!!!!!!!!!!!!   

[Dixie]

that looks like a real tidy job, and should stiffen everthing up nicely

you never mentioned you were a carpenter as well - !!!!!!!!!!!!!   

Not a saw in sight mate.  All done with a 4inch hand grinder and a sanding block.  All covered in yacht varnish, bonded with RTV silicone and then covered in glass fibre.  Should be vibration proof and give a good base to glu the carpet on.  My wife has started edging the carpet with black vinyl.

[Dixie]

Finally got to put my set of Smiths guages in, all origional 1960's the dual Water temp/oil pressure guage has just been serviced thats why it looks so clean. Fuel guage showing some condensation thats why I have put a couple of tube heaters under the dash to keep the damp out.  Trouble with a un heated garage.

[Dixie]

The Ali needs a good clean, thats the next job.

[Bulldog Bri]

Looks a really neat job. is there much more to do?

['The Gaffer']

One tip i did hear to stop condensation in gauges is to put a tiny bag of silica gel, the sort of white little beads in packets you get with electrical goods inside the gauge.

[Dixie]

Looks a really neat job. is there much more to do?


Yea lots to do.  Have not even looked at the drivers side.  Taken me 3 week to get this far.  My wife has just found out her sewing  machine will edge my carpet with black PVC, so should look really good.

Then got to re-do the door cards, but before that I need to make a complete set of door hinges from scratch.  I have not got a clue how to do it yet, but I am sure I will have a ureka moment while sat on the loo reading my collection of kit car mags.

[Dixie]

If anyone is getting bored with this, let me know.

Been fibre glassing tonight.  Had to extend the tongue on which the door rubber sits and seals against the door.  Might stop one of the annoying rattles I have in this car.  I used a piece of mesh brought from Halfords, cut it into a strip, folded it over put a layer of fibreglass in between and then bent to shape before glueing into place.  When dry I will cover in fibreglass matting and rub down  then cover in body filler and rub down before spraying red.

Beginning to wonder why on earth I started this??

Also filled in the area of the old hinges, this is a simple repair and will hide some ugly holes where the old hinges were.

['The Gaffer']

I like the updates Mark, keep it up

[Bulldog Bri]

Ditto

[Dixie]

I have finally started filling and sanding.  Looking quite good I think.

[Hairy Santa]

Looking Good, very pro job, gonna be worth doing when finished

['The Gaffer']

Looking Good, very pro job, gonna be worth doing when finished

Agreed. What Pete said

[Dixie]

While some of you have been getting wet at Exeter I have spray primered the door seals on the Cob.  Also put my new reg number on.

[gingerpaul]

Do you have a link to the Haynes manual you are using? I am considering redesigning my Rush dash and thought there might be some inspriation in there. 

[Dixie]

Do you have a link to the Haynes manual you are using? I am considering redesigning my Rush dash and thought there might be some inspriation in there. 

Sorry dont have a link, I brought it off Amazon.  Not sure if it will be good for a DAX, its more guided towards classic cars and restoration. 

Mark

[Bulldog Bri]

Is this the book your using Mark?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Restore-Interior-Trim-Carpet-Seats-New-Haynes-Manual_W0QQitemZ250528001654QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Books_NonFictionBooks_NonFictionBooks_SM?hash=item3a54a1ee76

[Dixie]

Is this the book your using Mark?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Restore-Interior-Trim-Carpet-Seats-New-Haynes-Manual_W0QQitemZ250528001654QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Books_NonFictionBooks_NonFictionBooks_SM?hash=item3a54a1ee76

yep, thats the one.

[gingerpaul]

Aha, ok. Does it give much information on designing things in there? I'm looking to have the two sides bolted down and having a hinging section in the middle so I can get access behind the dash without taking the whole thing out. If it's got anything in there that would help working out the best way to do that then I'll get myself a copy. 

[Dixie]

Aha, ok. Does it give much information on designing things in there? I'm looking to have the two sides bolted down and having a hinging section in the middle so I can get access behind the dash without taking the whole thing out. If it's got anything in there that would help working out the best way to do that then I'll get myself a copy. 

No nothing like that.  It assumes you have already done that bit and then shows you how to trim it.  You are more than welcome to borrow the book, I have nearly finished with it.

Mark

[gingerpaul]

That's a generous offer but unfortunately I'm a bit far away to be able to take you up on it. I'm all the way over in Bracknell. I only found out about this club when Phil stopped to say hello when I was broken down on the M4.