Most folks doing period hot rods use "RS" door panels with loop door pulls. Very period, and cheap to do in any material you choose.

Also, an RS carpet set replaces the rear seats. Good look, and economical.

Most competent car upholstery shops can do this work... these interiors are pretty simple, but if you strike out on a good local guy, a lot of us in the States use Auto International in Cal. They know older Porsches and do good work.

 

This is what I did with RSR cards from Bob at AppBiz. He made me a custom Perlon felt carpet set for my cab. The RSR style straps really made the transformation though. I purchased an entire cow hide of course split leather from Tandy Leather. LOVE THEM!!!

(This is not RSA style)

http://appbiz.com/rsamericadoorpanel...nyl-1-2-2.aspx

 

Thanks, Yes, I will be doing something fairly simple for the doors. I will probably make the panels and door furniture and try to keep them in period and simple. For the carpets, not sure what I'll do there, especially at the back. I like the idea of a fully carpeted area but a bit worried about the large area not being broken up with a bit of detail - like seat bases and backs. Particularly with a lighter carpet it could be just a sea of blah? I don't need rear seats but would only fit them to give a bit of texture there.

 

They look really good, I've got a bit of work to do to estimate how many hides I'll need for the retrim of the seats as well as side panels. Is there any issue with thickness of leather to make the side panels work, in terms of folding the leather over at the edges?

 

Starting to pull it to pieces a bit more. The original Signal orange on show. Lovely

 

Dropping out the running gear and more disassembly

 

Door panels:
My opinion is that the 964 RS type door cards and furniture with plastic bezels around the pulls and handle are not in period for a '70. I'd probably have them if I was going for a more modest fit out and in black. This will be a hotrod, but with a few more interior appointments than would be usual so some nice fittings are in order.
The original door panels and pockets look very nice if they are all there and straight. Unfortunately my car came with none so the concept I want to follow is not original, but a nod to original.
I've been thinking about this for a while and I have worked up a few solidworks assemblies to start evolving them. Something angular but not sharp, modest looking and some rawness. A nice soft armrest will deliver the comfort but the hard lower part will be the fabricated structure look I am wanting. The armrest / door pull structure is aluminium sheet, laser cut, folded in places and with some welded seams. The welds will be on show but knocked back a bit while still maintaining the weld bead look, not a fully smoothed radius. The aluminium (Aluminum!) will remain mill finished with a kerosene and scotchbrite finish. If not that, a natural anodize or maybe a shade of bronze to fit the brown theme.
The soft top pad will be stitched leather as will the door panel covering. Excuse the attempt to make the surfaces look like leather - bit of a fail there! Looks like carpet.
The tubes shown in the side face are just a bit of decoration but also access to the armrest fixings on the inner wall. I'll rivnut into the door structure. The tubes will have a nice weld bead around them on show.
The door release straps will emerge at the correct location just under the forward end of the armrest. I got a bit carried away and designed an aluminium flap type release integrated into the structure but that got a bit out of hand and I'd probably regret starting that project.
Anyway, a place to start evolving it prior to making.

 

Another view

 

And maybe, some aluminum door pockets.
Not convinced yet, could be too much detail on the door.

 

And something that if you half close your eyes could look at least a little like the originals - was worth a shot but I don't think I'll follow that one.

 

Steering wheel.
Looks like this one has been double wrapped. I like these, especially with the hockey puck horn push. I just came across the Nardi / Momo thread, great read. I had a prototipo in my 964 which I think looked superb. The PS equipped 964 may have masked the smaller size but it felt good. A rennlister up the road from me has a Mod 7 on a 964 which is even better. Downside of a Mod 7 is the coloured band and text against an orange car but I like the way the wheel comes to you more.
I think a bigger size wheel could be the choice and will do a couple of things: make the car feel lighter, and together with the "row your boat" shift action of the 915 it will be quite authentic. I'll probably start out with the original and work from there.

 

The dash s pretty ropey. Needs work. The plan is to take off the aluminium strips that hold the basketweave in there, lose the glove compartment lid, have no radio and simplify the whole thing.
I have in mind to make an entire new dash plate that looks original but is continuous covering over all the holes and slots. Laser cut aluminium sheet with thousands of 2 or 3mm holes in a pattern. Anodise it black or maybe dark bronze. I will also replicate the silver trim top and bottom of the main strip to keep it looking similar. Above the main strip on the part that angles out will be another profiled continuous plate that covers over the hole left by the glove compartment lid over on the passengers side and generally to tidy it all up.

 

Picked up a set of these on my last trip to Germany. Will mount these to the new CNC'd dash strip around about where the radio was.

 

Seats.
So, I've been having a good think about what I want to do with seats. The car came with no seats so I have to sort something out. I took a drive in a T a while ago which had the factory seats and I was quite underwhelmed. They reminded me of an old mercedes where you bounce up and down while making good way. I'm sure a rebuilt set would be better but to fit in with how the car will end up, I need something a bit more sporty. I like to sit low in a car and be held tight for when the Orange T will see a bit of track work. Race buckets are out on the grounds that they don't suit an early car (my opinion). RS or ST type seats have my vote. I want full leather, preferably with embossed or perforated base and back rest. Separate head restraints are a must to keep it looking in period. In and out needs to be a little easy so nothing too aggressive on the side bolsters.
The downside of being on the underneath of the globe is that you can't try things out before you buy if ordering from the USA or UK. Another limitation is the specific leather that I want would have to be shipped off to meet the seats. Makes it difficult. There is only one solution; make my own.
Nuts? Maybe so but i have a plan.
If you look at a modern fibreglass race bucket, half close your eyes, block out the top half, they look very much the same as hard shell ST type seats. The plan is to get a set of modern FG race buckets and set to them to alter the top half. The shoulder wings and head rest area have to go and in their place I will graft into the reconstructed seat back an independent adjustable head restraint and posts. Not too difficult.
First up, find a set of buckets that fit me and also fit down low between the sill and centre tunnel of the Orange T. I found these locally, new, complete with side brackets and adjuster rails. It's going to be a shame to start chopping into them. The quality is quite good. They are quite heavy (comparatively) as the shell seems quite thick but that works for me.

 

I've settled on a 60cm back height. Not sure what the exact dimension is but this feels right. I would have preferred seat shells without the contours on the back but none of those I tried worked out for comfort and base width fitting well down in a 911 chassis. Bit of a tight squeeze there. I will run with the side brackets the seats came with and adjuster slides underneath. Also have to fit the drop down seat subframe in the area so there is a bit of stacked height. It is all millimetre perfect widthwise so no plan B if it is too tight. Want to start very low to get maximum head room and with the side rails it will be easy to go higher.