A DETAIL ENTHUSIAST
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

Categories

All
1953 Healey BN1 Restoration
1964 MGB Mk1 Restoration
Austin Healey Upholstery
Classic Auto Upholstery
Model Aircraft
Model Cars
Model Railway

Trimming an Amphicar,

4/16/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Is it a car or a boat? It's an Amphicar!  A concept car built in West Germany throughout the early-mid 60's. It could do 70mph on the highway and 70 knots in the water.
It was by no means a high performance vehicle, but fun non the less.

The car I'm working on was involved in a fire caused by leaky fuel lines that filled the cockpit with fumes. When the driver turned the key after weeks spent with the top and windows up - ka-boom! Luckily no one was hurt, but the interior was toast!

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
After a bit of online research, I found that just about everything is still available for these rare ducks ;) However the only interior kits available are only offered in standard/original colour options. Apparently blue trim was never actually available on these. Originally a Blue car would have come with a yellow/white  interior!
So to restore this to what it was, I would have to make all the blue/white components myself.

I started by stripping all the panels, covers, seat covers and making new patterns. Unfortunately All of the panels for the car had to be completely replaced - not just re-covered. The panels were all made from ABS/plastic so they could presumably handle getting wet. But the ABS had gone super brittle and was cracked & broken around every clip hole.
I cut new panels from some 1/8" ABS sheet I sourced locally.
Cutting the ABS to shape the panels took some patients, it's a very dense/hard material to cut - I even broke a bandsaw blade in the process!
I sourced some vinyl locally and got to work sewing and trimming the new trim panels,..
Picture
Picture
Picture
The rear seat components were all made new with covers I made and trimmed to the original wood bases
Picture
Picture
Here are my new front bench seat covers, I repainted the metal frames and renewed the foam surface before installing the new covers,..
Picture
With all the components made, I got to work installing all the new panels and seats. The rubber floor mats were luckily still intact and just needed a good cleaning.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Luckily I was able to source a new top and boot cover in white canvass from an aftermarket supplier,
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
And there you have it! Another one done for the road - or perhaps lake - I wouldn't recommend the sea. Apparently they're supposed to have all the suspension totally re-greased after every water outing!

Until next time -
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Need Upholstery? Click Here!

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    October 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact