Preparing for Upholstery

1.Appointments : Call or get in touch with the upholstery shop well ahead of time to " get on the list". Most of the shops (
     Street Rod Upholstery Shops ) will have a back log 6 - 9 months or more. " I do "! ( Also keep in mind this is when
     your Street Rod will be ready for the upholstery shop, plan well ahead. ) " The best thing to do is when you think you'll
     be ready add about 3 months to it ". Be sure to make an appointment It's better to cancel than to not have an
     appointment at all. If you do cancel, the shop will keep you in mind and work you in much quicker when you are ready. 

   2.Wiring :  Make sure there is a little bit of play within the wires, that the wires will have enough slack under the dash to
     come over the top of the kick panels and fire wall panel at the very bottom of the dash. ( You can use a ruler to check
     this).  If you can run the wires overhead it will make its floor alot cleaner and better to work with. Make everything neat
     and tie up with plastic ties. "Keep Slack & Make Net"..

   3.Heater Hoses : Also make sure that they have a little slack in them too ( Just like the wiring ). On my car the heater
     hoses run parallel under the dash and then run down into the kick panels and come out into the inner fender well. Then
     they run up the inner fender well and come out into the engine compartment where they are needed. You may have to
     put a spring in the hose where it makes the turn from the kick panel into to the fender well. This will keep it from folding
     up. This makes your upholstered kick panels and fire wall panel fit up nice and clean. It also makes your exterior fire wall
     look better. " The main thing is to keep your interior kick panels and fire wall as flat and clutter free as possible. "

   4.Windows and garnish moldings : All windows need to be in and working. Keep Slack in the wires! If power
     windows, ( have them wired ) put the power window switches where they are best for you ( where they do not run into
     your leg ) or make sure that you discuss this with the upholster. All window felting should be in place. Have all the
     window garnish  moldings fitting the windows right and painted. ( If you plan to paint the moldings the same color of
     the  leather or cloth, have them in primer and make sure that you have the felting for the upholster to put onto them 
     after he or she has painted them, this will up the cost of the job ). 

   5.Dash and garnish painting, (  leather look ) : You can  go to your local auto paint or upholstery supply store and get
     the cans of SEM vinyl and plastic spray paint ( The color you want to do the interior with ) and paint the dash and
     garnish moldings with this ( you can also have it mixed ). " It works great."  Then the upholster can match the leather to
     the dash and garnish moldings. This way  the dash and moldings look just like the leather, clean and neat!

   6.Carpet : Make sure that you have the carpet sill plate garnishes ( Where the carpet meets the door-jam ). If you are
     planning for your master cylinder to be under the car, please spend a little more money and put a remote fill on the
     exterior fire wall. This way you won't have to have a hole cut in your high dollar carpet! 

   7.Radio and Speakers : Radio : If your radio is in our dash have it wired and working. If you plan to put your radio in
     the headliner or a center console, make sure if you wire it that there is enough wire ( Slack ).  " I will wire the radio if you
     want me to."  Make sure you have the three wires needed red, yellow and Black. Speakers :, You can just lay your
     speakers wired where you would like them to go ( make sure there is enough speaker wire slack ). If you do put the
     speakers in, make sure that they are flush for the panel to go over them. 

   8.Seats : Make sure that your seats are square in every way and that the seat tracks are also square to each other before 
     install them. (  Check for: side to side, the backs, across, and....   ) Also make sure that they fit the car and that they
     aren't too tight. ( You can check this the best way when the seats are as far up as they'll go in the car ). If you are using
     the original seat and its in bad, bad shape and will need to be refoamed, go ahead and take all of the old stuff off ( old
     nails ). You may want to pant the frames. If so stack them on top of one another this will save paint.

   9.Trunk : Have your trunk working. Make sure you have a way to make the truck stay open. If your trunk uses some
     kind of electric opener make sure it does not stick out past where the panel should be flush.

  10.Coping This Page: You are welcome to copy or print this page. All I ask is for you to e-mail or sign my
     Guestbook with some-kind of thank you!  I Love to Hear from ya!!

Many thanks to Interiors by Shannon for the tips.

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