1970 DORMOBILE - COMPLETE RESTO - IT PASSED :)

[pinheaduk]

did not manage to get much done tonight as my mate popped round with his audi 80 and i ended up rewiring most of the dodgy electrics, but i did get some primer and tweaked the rear panels so they are now done and looking lovely, one of the pics shows a bit of filler in the bottom not worked but its all done just got the rest of the van to sort now hehe

 

[pinheaduk]

ok as im not feeling to well, i have decided to have a go at some interior work, mainly the dormobile buddy seats and the bed/rear seat.

this is what the buddy seats look like now, which to me is a bit dull and boring. but due to the interior budget being a tight budget i thought id dig out my sewing machine and see what i could come up with.

i bought myself a few meters of cream vinyl and decided to pick away at the stiches and add something to the seats

i came up with this, a nice cream line off center

but i thought it was missing something --- PIPING --- now having never done this before i have no idea what ppl use for piping, i have been told string is common but i wanted something stronger so i bought a load of that white wire covered stuff that my mum used to hang her net curtains with years ago, tough as hell and a superb size.

i then cut a strip of cream vinyl and stiched it round the wire, added it to the seat cover i have made and this is the result

then i restitched the sides of the base and wallah

i think it looks a hundred times better, a few niggly bits i have to sort out but not bad at all for my first attempt

the other buddy seat will have the cream line on the other side like a mirror image and the rear seat/bed will have 2 strips one either side

if all goes well with the buddy seats and bed base i think ill have a crack at the front seats and add some pleats in the cream with foam backing so they stand out

what do you think?? never done this before so comments would be cool

 

[gninnam]

Very impressive 8)

Can you do mine too :wink:

 

[pinheaduk]

i would but im having trouble ending the piping, at the moment it just stops, not sure how to run it to a finish, but these are only the buddy seats not to bothered with these as they will be under the bed most of the time, but the front seats etc will have to work on it

 

[pinheaduk]

ok this morning i decided to have a crack at the seat base and i have to say im happy with the result

i marked a few lines on the seat so i knew where to cut, even though i changed my mind before i cut hehe

as you can see the lines have changed slightly

but i think the end result inc piping have turned out nicely

 

[easy]

Looking good dood 8)

A quick question tho, wont the wire bend out of shape when you sit down? and cause the vinyl to sit funny? :wink:

 

[pinheaduk]

i thought that but no, its coiled wire as it normally takes screws at the end and incredibly flexible, i ran out and tried normal piping which i had a bit left but wasnt keem at all, was to stiff, which considering i used net curtain wire sounds daft

 

[easy]

sweet 8)

 

[pinheaduk]

ok after a few broken needles and getting stabbed numerous times by pins the rear seat is done

the bed base will have the cream piping but i am thinking of something different in the material, if it works i think it will look awesome if not, bugger

 

[T2-Nate]

So you're a bodywork expert AND and an upholsterer :roll:
Damn I feel retarded right now :lol:

 

[pinheaduk]

So you're a bodywork expert AND and an upholsterer :roll:
Damn I feel retarded right now :lol:

hehe i wish i was id be loaded

but here is my best bit, took ages and ages to get it 95% decent due to my awkward sewing machine but im well pleased, just adding the piping let alone the vw symbol made it look totally different.

This is what you will see when you open the rear hatch, if you aint got stuff piled on top of it

 

[71Dormobile]

Liking the seats they look the biz, did you have to use a heavy gauge machine to stitch that stuff or a conventional effort?

 

[Haveacamper]

i think putting logos like that on the upholstery can be so hit or miss, IMHO. Having said that i really think that its a hit in this case its really cool. it will look good as it will be seen through the rear window too (if you keep it clean )

 

[pinheaduk]

no i used a conventional sewing machine ut used the leather gauge needles, and to be honest i was umming and aaring about the logo in the upholstery, so i did it in the easiest one to change if it doesnt look right when put in the bus, but so far so good

but only time will tell as keeping it clean will be the hard bit

 

[pinheaduk]

well what a NIGHTMARE!!!!! the front seats are turning out to be, now i know why it costs a lot of money for a good upholsterer hehe the amount of work that is needed

well bit of dilema ive done the bottom of the seat as such

which im happy with but the top im not to sure about

with or with out the badge?

 

[Haveacamper]

personally i think with the badge makes it look really nice. its difficult to say whether it will still have the same effect when in situ and with the other seat and interior - but as it is, i think it looks sweet

NaFe

 

[gninnam]

I'm not over keen with the badge - better nude in my humble opinion :wink:

 

[pinheaduk]

well after deciding which one to do i have finished the passenger seat which took for ever and there aer a few niggly on the upper rear due to the dormobile cooker hole but for a first attempt im not going to complain

i the horse hair pads were im suprisingly good condition but i added 12mm of foam on top to make it a bit more comfy on both the bottom and the back

and this is the finished seat

now the drivers side, hopefully should be a little bit easier

 

[easy]

Looks better without the badge :wink:

 

[gninnam]

Nice 8)