[This message has been edited by Sourmug (edited 03-29-2007).]

OK! I hope no one reading this suffers a hear attack but... I actually managed to get some work done attaching the HVAC controls to the center console!

I know, I know, the world must be ending or something.

So, here is the measuring:

And the hole cut. It's slightly larger than the controls and they pop though the hole. This is to allow for the vinyl etc. that is going to be added.

I then cut out a backing plate from the left over original deck lid material from when I cut out my deck lid vent:

And attached it with the SMC adhesive:

And once set I cut a few small notches for the mounting screws:

[This message has been edited by Sourmug (edited 05-29-2007).]

The brackets were then attached to the back:

And Voila!


Now I just need Andrew to make up the custom Fiero badge and MR Mike to send my my samples so I can pick the leather. Once I have these I can recover the console and something will actually be finished on the car! I can hardly wait.

Nolan

[This message has been edited by Sourmug (edited 05-29-2007).]

Just to show that this was not some freak one time occurrence I also recovered my head liner today! By the way I have decided to not use the Stealth dome light as the modifications to the headliner would be fairly extensive and the resulting bulge would present fair amount of difficulty to have the vinyl smoothly adhere to it.

I'm using contact cement that is heat resistant as I know that warm interiors tend to make most adhesives let go and you end up with a droopy head liner. Here's the product:



Here are the head liner and the vinyl ready for preparation. The vinyl comes on rolls that are 55" wide. I cut a piece that is 36" long for the full width of the vinyl. Most instructions for doing this indicate that you are to use the old head liner fabric as a template but I decided to do the trimming with the vinyl attached to the fiberglass.

I quickly traced out the rough outline of the fiberglass piece onto the back of the vinyl so that I would know where to apply the contact cement.

I then applied the cement to the back of the vinyl and the face of the fiberglass and waited about 20 minutes for the cement to dry.

Once ready I laid the fiberglass onto the table with the cement up. I then covered the liner with tow sheets of large format paper that entirely covered one half of the liner each with the seam down the narrow width of the liner. the vinyl was then placed cermet side down on top of the paper. The reason for doing this is so that the two pieces do not come in contact with each other, as the name implies contact cermet joins the two pieces together upon contact. Once I made sure all the glued bit lined up I began to slowly spread the two pieces of paper apart a couple of inches at a time making sure that the vinyl was bonding to the fiberglass at the correct location and without wrinkles. Some minor adjustment can be made but nothing major.

I then flipped the assembled liner over and began trimming as required and bonding the front and back edges similar to the original.

And , now it's ready for installation:


But first, I have to add in the performance sound wiring and install this:


Nolan

[This message has been edited by Sourmug (edited 05-29-2007).]

Yay, I made a bit more progress! First off I have covered the dash corner infill pieces with vinyl. Here are some step by step shots of the procedure, which is essentially as I described previously for the head liner:







Basically it's pretty easy to do, it just takes a bit of patience.

[This message has been edited by Sourmug (edited 05-29-2007).]

I have also started to color some of the different dash trim bits and pieces using Chrome paint:




And the trim behind the inside door handle. First filling in the Grand Am logo and then painting them:



It sure feels good to be working on the car again!

Nolan

[This message has been edited by Sourmug (edited 05-29-2007).]