Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Riley Blue]

At least I think that's what it's called, the way vinyl door covering is stuck and patterned.

I'm having to replace the door cards in my Riley 1.5 as they've got damp and rotted - no problem, have cut them from 3mm hardboard but.... the vinyl covering is backed with a thin foam sheet which has also disintergrated. The foam backing is stuck to the vinyl and the vinyl to the door card by 'heat seaming' and I wondered if there is anyone who still does this and can make me four door coverings to replace the original vinyl which has ripples in it that I can't smooth out.

Any ideas?

[JC T ONE]

I have seen the guys on the Mini forums do this, using glue.

It came out perfect
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[Riley Blue]

Do you have a link to the relevant Mini forum please?

[JC T ONE]

Here it is http://forum.minicooper.org/showthread.php?t=10758

hope this helps.
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[bob2]

thats very interesting Jens!!
and much more affordable then a retrim by newton

[Riley Blue]

Thanks for the link. Unfortunately I also have to replace the vinyl (the 'brocade' in the link) as it has ripples in it which can't be removed. Also, the pattern of the seams or pleats is more complicated.

So far I've cut four new door cards from hardboard and have the vinyl ready to stick back on using new foam backing but - and this is the problem - those ripples you see in the photo below are impossible to remove and they're worse on the other two doors.

I've a sample of vinyl on its way so I can match the colour but how can I get that pattern of pleats in it? It looks like it was orignally done by placing a sheet of vinyl in press and 'branding' it with a heated iron, a technique that seems to have vanished today.

[Uncle Alec]

You sprouted OCD David? They look like pretty good door cards to me.
As Cat Stevens wrote: "the patches make the goodbyes harder still".

[Riley Blue]

Appearances can be deceptive Alec...



This is the reverse of the covering with the foam backing removed, those ripples in the vinyl look worse from the front and no matter how I stretch it, I can't get rid of them!



OCD - yes, probably.

'Oh Very Young' - wish I was....!

[JC T ONE]

Have you tried to use a warm air gun carefully ?

thats how you remove wrinkles & creases in vinyl headlinings .
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[Bitumen Boy]

[ajlelectronics]

The best way to re-create the look is to glue 1/4" foam to the vinyl, mark out the pattern in chalk lines and then sew along the pattern. It will look great if you are accurate with the sewing. Then you can fit the whole lot to the door cards.