evest Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Well this all started off with a new HU, which led to a spruce-up of the centre console which led to.... a full interior re-trim... Sort of Aston Martin DBS inspired but clearly I'm not really going to achieve the same quality, but I'm pleased with how it turned out for a DIY job. Lot of work, mistakes, learning and there are still a few little finishing touched and neatening up needed. If you spot any issues - don't worry I already know, believe me! Haven't photographed every single stage as too many, but it's a quick canter though the project. I purchased and learnt to use a sewing machine! Then I gathered materials and glue and vinyl wrap, etc... Didn't keep track of the total spend so far, but not more than a couple of hundred quid (including the sewing machine). I've used viynl instead of leather because it's cheap as chips and still looks great. Leather would be too difficult to work with as an amateur - besides, I'm a vegan so kind of against the rules! I fully stripped out the dash (removing steering wheel not essential but easy to do and makes things massively easier, in my case I wanted to re-do the switch panels anyway - you need security torx bits to remove the steering wheel - must be the security ones with the little holes in the end), centre console, HU, dash right back to the windscreen. Believe me this is not as daunting as it looks and everything somes out fairly easily. There are other guides out there on the internet, but all I would say is - if you attempt this, just go in a logical order and don't force anything - if something isn't coming out easily there will be a bolt of screw still attached somewhere. Try to remember where all the bolts and screws go or bag them and label them. I purchased used door cards to work on. I did some designs on my computer and eventually settled on one. The idea was for things to flow nicely and fit in with the Zed's general shape. I started with the two top and two bottom dash panels. Took a few attempt actually as didn't get the stiching lined up and due to the thickness of the material being added, I had to trim down the dash panels themselves so that everything would fit back together. The passenger side was relatively straighforward but the driver side was a bastard due to the dish that the steering column sits in and all the buttons. Haven't got a photo but I couldn't do it in one piece of material - however, the join lines are blended quite well and almost entirely hidden by the steering wheel and control stalks, etc... I then tackled the front grille panel. This was a bastard - especially the vented section - wasted a lot of vinyl wrap trying to solve this. In the end I chopped out the little crossmembers of the grille, wrapped it and then plastic welded some aluminium mesh that a mate had spare to replace the grille. Worked out really well and looks much better. Sanded under supervision! Plastic welding - very handy tool to have for other repairs too. Basically a sodlering iron with a big pate tip and rods of flexible plastic to use. The centre console was sanded, painted black and then lacquered. Could do with a bit more fine snading and polishing to get the shine perfect. The pods were painted matt black (simply due to them previously being silver) with red rings to fit the theme. (See finished pics below) Steering wheel pieces wrapped. Haven't bothered to replace lettering - I know what everything does! Then... the door cards.... days of my life......... these took an age to get right but hopefully worth it. The idea is that they flow into the dash coners whilst adding a more interesting shape and detail to the interior. The diamond pattern most prominent on these and it is also repeated in the lower side panels of the foot wells. And the finished effect with everything back together....! Looks better in the flesh - honest! Next steps are the centre armrest console (probably carbon vinyl wrap), A-pillars and headliner - black alcantara with maybe a centre section/strip of the diamond pattern repeated on the headliner. I will also make new gearstick and handbrake gaiters with the same red stich accents. And some new floor mats! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bounty Bar Kid Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Top marks for trying it yourself. not entirely my taste but some bits are 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veeg33 Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsexr Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Top marks for DIY liking the diamond finish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evest Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 (edited) Oh forgot to mention - if you put your doors back together and the passenger window has stopped working, then BEFORE you strip the entire door, take the window out, remove the mechanism; remove, dismantle and clean the motor, to then put it all back together again only to find that the problem persists..... ... just spend literally 1 second checking that your big fat clumsy hands haven't pressed the passenger window lock button on the driver side switch panel... Edited March 30, 2016 by evest 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Bradders- Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 If you ever want more practice you can always do mine too! Looks great!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HEADPHONES Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Wow.......you got some skills 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martybhoy Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Fair play to you for having a go. Glad you like it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davectr Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Wow! That's amazing considering you've never done anything like that before, well done you! As said above it may not be to everyone's taste but that doesn't matter, it's what you like that counts. There's not many people who would have the balls to take on something like this with no experience 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evest Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 Cheers mate - it helps that the car is a keeper so any mess I make is only mine to live with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricey Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Genuinely I'm giving 10/10 for effort and execution. As said I'm not sure it's my cup of tea but you should be seriously proud of that. Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Awesome effort for a first time trimmer Looks ace! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnymonno Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Excellent job well done 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modo Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Looks good well done 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun350z Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 10/10 for effort! Door cards arn't to my taste... but looks like a quality job! Really like the diamond mesh vents though! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davey_83 Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Great work with tones of prep work. Must feel all cozy inside now 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ybbew Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 I wish i had the time and the patience to give this a try... Great effort mate! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evest Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 To be honest patience was on its way out towards the end mate, plus the missus was getting a bit stroppy about the time it was taking up! Will leave it a while before I tackle the rest... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irn Bru Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 impressive 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veilside z Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Well done there, looks nice and very different. Dare to be different B) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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