Interior Almost Done

What sets your Spider apart from the rest?
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joelittel
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Your car is a: 1980 Spider 2000 FI
Location: Evanston, IL

Interior Almost Done

Post by joelittel »

Leather covered dash and center console done by Brother's Auto Upholstery in Evanston, IL. Leather seats from AutoBerry. I put about an inch of memory foam over all the seat cushions before covering them, not sure that was worth the effort because I seem to be the only one who notices the added comfort. Custom leather shifter boot made by me. Door covers have new leather uppers and the rest I was able to refurbish. Still working on covering the door handles/arm rests, if I can't figure out a pattern that matches the stock look soon they'll go to Blake at Brother's Upholstery for finishing. Also not sure my cheap little sewing machine can handle any more leather work... the shifter boot just about ruined it.

Still working on the steering wheel and the burl wood vaneer. Shown in this picture is a vinyl wrapped prototype, the actual burl wood vaneer is proving to take longer than I had thought it would and since the prototype looks decent I keep putting off working on the real one until the city salts the roads and the car goes into hibernation for winter (which may be today).

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focodave
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Your car is a: 1980 Spider 2000 F.I.
Location: Fort Collins, CO

Re: Interior Almost Done

Post by focodave »

That's impressive.
Very tastefully done.
Do you mind me asking what it cost to have the dash covered?
1980 Spider 2000 F.I. (my hobby)
1970 MGB GT (my other hobby)
2008 Ford Expedition (daily driver)
2019 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard
2019 Harley-Davidson Iron 883 Sportster
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joelittel
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Your car is a: 1980 Spider 2000 FI
Location: Evanston, IL

Re: Interior Almost Done

Post by joelittel »

Thank you. As a funny side note, my wife HATES the chrome shifter knob. She says that "it's trying to be racy, and something it's not..." but I love the chrome knob and think it fits with the bezels. I've always thought that the last thing I will do to this car, before starting a new project, will be to put in a chrome Nardi steering wheel. I can only imagine what she'll say about that one!

The dash was about $300, which included repairs needed to the original structure (sun cracks and chips) and Blake matching the color of my new seats. It was expensive but worth the money to me. I spent about two months trying to make a prototype out of vinyl and never came close to creating something I'd consider putting in the car. The skill involved was simply something I could't wrap my head around. The seams are near perfect French stitches along the joined edges. I can't tell you enough how much I love the way it came out.
SoFlaFiat

Re: Interior Almost Done

Post by SoFlaFiat »

Looks fantastic!! Nicely done!! Sometimes ours wives (or, husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends) have to put up with our idiosyncrasies...
She'll learn to love a bit of chrome!
:mrgreen:
Holshot
Posts: 268
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:53 pm
Your car is a: 1982 TURBO Spider 1979 Spider
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: Interior Almost Done

Post by Holshot »

Great job! Looks fantastic and I'm jealous... Just one question, what are your thoughts on the Autoberry seat covers? I'm in the market for a new interior and I'm just wondering who out there has the best fitting and quality leather out there. Also, any chance getting some close ups of the seems and both ends? After seeing what you posted here already I'm ready to ship my dash to Brother's considering I've received quotes of twice of what you paid...

Thanks,
Giuseppe
Giuseppe

1979 Fiat Spider
1982 Fiat Spider TURBO
1984 Pinninfarina Spider (gone but not forgotten)
So Cal Mark

Re: Interior Almost Done

Post by So Cal Mark »

you might reconsider that chrome knob after you wrap your hand around it on a sunny day
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joelittel
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Re: Interior Almost Done

Post by joelittel »

Hope this doesnt happen but I'll report back if that knob ends up burning my hand.
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joelittel
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Re: Interior Almost Done

Post by joelittel »

The autoberry seat covers were of a very high quality. But do your research on the instalation process. There are tricks to it and tools to get before yoy start.

Ill take some close up shots for you as soon as I can.
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joelittel
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Re: Interior Almost Done

Post by joelittel »

Let me know if there is a particular area you'd like detailed photos of. I was in a bit of a rush so these are not as great as they could have been, but you can still see the seams and contours of the dash.

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Holshot
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Your car is a: 1982 TURBO Spider 1979 Spider
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: Interior Almost Done

Post by Holshot »

WOW! Looks great Joe... The dash came out incredible. Just curious on the large gap at the back of the heater control? What are your thoughts on the Autoberry seat covers? Did you go leather or vinyl? If you have the time can you post good shots of the seats as well and a review on the seat covers?
Thanks so much!
Giuseppe

1979 Fiat Spider
1982 Fiat Spider TURBO
1984 Pinninfarina Spider (gone but not forgotten)
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spidernut
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Your car is a: 1979 Fiat Spider Automatic
Location: Lincoln, CA

Re: Interior Almost Done

Post by spidernut »

Looks fantastic! It appears the seats are leather and the dash and console vinyl. Is it all leather?
John G.
1979 Spider (Owned since 2000)
1971 124 Sport Spider (Owned since 2017)
1977 Spider (Sold 2017)
1979 Spider (Disposed of in 2017)
1979 Spider (Sold 2015)
1980 Spider (Sold in 2013)
1981 Spider (Sold in 1985)
2017 Spider (Owned since 2019)
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joelittel
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Your car is a: 1980 Spider 2000 FI
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Re: Interior Almost Done

Post by joelittel »

Good eye Spidernut, I'm in the habit of saying that it's all leather but in reality it is not. The dash and console are vinyl the seats are leather. I was hoping that I could get away with saying the whole thing was leather but obviously there is a noticeable difference so I'll stop passing it off as better than it is.

Here are some photos of the Auto Berry leather seats. Overall I was very happy with the quality and fit of the seat covers. The only thing that I did not like, or expect to deal with, was that I had to cut holes in the backseat cover to install the seatbelt clips/molding and put holes in the backrest of the front seats to accommodate the headrests. At the time these photos were taken the seats have been in the car for a year and could use a refitting, my foam has shifted a bit and the leather has probably stretched a little too. I did not know what I was doing when I started the install and as a result learned as I went, resulting in a less than perfect fit.

If someone were to have an Auto Berry seat kit professionally installed I'm sure it would look factory perfect. They are a high quality product, mine had no obvious flaws to them and seem to be built to last.

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Auto Berry can match the boot cover in leather as well for an additional $500, which I think would be very sharp.

The large gap at the back of the heater control is an unknown feature to me. I had always assumed it was a vent of sorts and that I was missing the screen that keeps dirt from going into the heater vent. But if Holshot doesn't recognize them as such I'm not really sure what they are. When my heater fan is on air does come out of either side of the console through these holes.
brackie1
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Your car is a: 1978 124 spider
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Re: Interior Almost Done

Post by brackie1 »

To Guespe, Ijust finished my new uupholstery and looks great. It is a butter soft vinyl. Got it from world upholstery. Was around $450 which included the jump seat area. They also sent me some yardage from me to re-do my door panels.
Gene
North Carolina
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