The vinyl center console material, what the hell is it?
06-12-2012, 04:13 PM
#1
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
The vinyl center console material, what the hell is it?
I'm getting my center console stripped down and wrapped back up with vinyl and i can get it done much cheaper if i find the material myself. So, i know the material is vinyl, but there also seems to be about a 1/4" of foam backing. Is the 1/4" foam backing the same thickness all around the console?
Is it possible to get this from a place like Fabricland?
Is it possible to get this from a place like Fabricland?
06-12-2012, 04:52 PM
#2
Archive Gatekeeper
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
What year is your car?
The vinyl pattern in later cars is nicely matched by GAAH 1010 black vinyl.
http://gahh.com/SampleColors/1010.htm
Thing is, it's a little thick and might be tough to wrap a console piece and still get it to fit, though I'd guess the upholstery gurus can do this. The factory pieces seem to have a much thinner layer overlaying the foam backing, but perhaps these were made in some mold where the vinyl is laid in first, or ????
The vinyl pattern in later cars is nicely matched by GAAH 1010 black vinyl.
http://gahh.com/SampleColors/1010.htm
Thing is, it's a little thick and might be tough to wrap a console piece and still get it to fit, though I'd guess the upholstery gurus can do this. The factory pieces seem to have a much thinner layer overlaying the foam backing, but perhaps these were made in some mold where the vinyl is laid in first, or ????
06-12-2012, 05:34 PM
#3
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
87 S4. I want to make sure the guy doesn't just strip the thing and realize that what i got won't work.
Have you used the material from GAHH before? You say it's a little thick so i assume you have, how much thicker was it?
Heat should encourage it to conform to the center console with those tricky bends.
Have you used the material from GAHH before? You say it's a little thick so i assume you have, how much thicker was it?
Heat should encourage it to conform to the center console with those tricky bends.
06-13-2012, 01:37 AM
#4
Rennlist Member
I think you have a complete misunderstanding about how your center console was made in the first place. I haven't seen the actual process, but I am pretty sure that it involves a negative mold made with the finish leather-like texture imprinted or embossed in/on its inner surface. That surface is first covered with a mold release and then likely sprayed with a heavy coat of vinyl in the finish color desired, mostly black. Then I think the metal framework is placed in the mold with likely an inner mold also held in place and the the whole thing is injected with the foam that you are finding on the inside of the vinyl.
So, the console is not "wraped" with anything. If your guy strips the console of the vinyl and foam you will end up with a metal framework that doesn't look very much like the original console and there will be almost nothing there to recover with whatever you hope to come up with.
What you need to do is cover the console with whatever you want it to be finish with and do that over the original cast vinyl that it is made out of. You can find some vinyl that will stretch both ways, or you can get it covered in leather. Even vinyl that stretches only one way, like most of it, will work but you will find yourself piecing it together in order to get it to fit. My trim guy, Coug Corson, and I covered a center console for Jimmy in FL for his flush console conversion and we did it with one piece of leather and with no seams. That was probably possible only because of the flush conversion which made the inner areas less complicated to cover since they didn't have to be covered all the way to the bottom.
Hope this helps.
Jerry Feather
So, the console is not "wraped" with anything. If your guy strips the console of the vinyl and foam you will end up with a metal framework that doesn't look very much like the original console and there will be almost nothing there to recover with whatever you hope to come up with.
What you need to do is cover the console with whatever you want it to be finish with and do that over the original cast vinyl that it is made out of. You can find some vinyl that will stretch both ways, or you can get it covered in leather. Even vinyl that stretches only one way, like most of it, will work but you will find yourself piecing it together in order to get it to fit. My trim guy, Coug Corson, and I covered a center console for Jimmy in FL for his flush console conversion and we did it with one piece of leather and with no seams. That was probably possible only because of the flush conversion which made the inner areas less complicated to cover since they didn't have to be covered all the way to the bottom.
Hope this helps.
Jerry Feather
06-13-2012, 01:48 AM
#5
Rennlist Member
In fact, the center consoles that were covered with leather by the factory were made by covering an original molded vinyl console; and I have found, and heard verified by others here, that the consoles that got the leather covering were those that had failed in one or more respects in the original molding process. They simply took the failed molded consoles and filled in or otherwise repaired the defects and then covered them with leather. It was probably the same with the dashes which I think are made the same way.
I think it is going to be interesting to see the look on your trim guy's face when he has your console "stripped.
Jerry Feather
I think it is going to be interesting to see the look on your trim guy's face when he has your console "stripped.
Jerry Feather
06-13-2012, 03:59 PM
#7
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
I see, well, i had a clue about the metal framework and moulding technique they used when i fixed up my shifter surround piece. I stripped a bit of vinyl off and noticed that it was pretty well bonded to the whole foam moulding, and there was metal tubing used as a frame.
I haven't bought any material or took it to the guy yet, which is a good thing. Because if i have to overlap over the existing material to "re-wrap" it, i'll have to do everything else around it if i still want it to be flush with the other pieces.
The reasons i wanted it rewrapped are simply because it had a car phone previously attached, which created some nasty holes in the right side. I was thinking of covering that up by making a bracket and something that would hold my iPod or a phone or whatever. Maybe even a cup holder? That would cover it all up nice and good.
Thanks Jerry for the heads up, i would have been f*cked otherwise.
I haven't bought any material or took it to the guy yet, which is a good thing. Because if i have to overlap over the existing material to "re-wrap" it, i'll have to do everything else around it if i still want it to be flush with the other pieces.
The reasons i wanted it rewrapped are simply because it had a car phone previously attached, which created some nasty holes in the right side. I was thinking of covering that up by making a bracket and something that would hold my iPod or a phone or whatever. Maybe even a cup holder? That would cover it all up nice and good.
Thanks Jerry for the heads up, i would have been f*cked otherwise.
