[ToYoungToCare]

Heyllo to all. I was wondering if anybody could give me some good sites to visit for info on interior restoration or customizing. And is there anybody out there who does it for a living? If so, would you recommend it for others to try? Thanxs for all the info. if i get any that is

[kristkustoms]

It can provide you with a good living, but be prepared to constantly deal with people who dont want to listen, or maybe just only hear what they want to hear.

[ToYoungToCare]

Yes I understand about those people. I lay carpet with my father and we get those sort of people all the time. If I wanted to pursue a career in interior customizing is there any classes you would recommend me taking or books i should read. Anything at all that would greatly help me, or is just experience the greatest thing that i can get right now?

[horvath]

Here are two books I got that are REALLY cool!

Custom Auto Interiors
If you want to know the procedure for making your own door panels or specialty interior panels, this book will rock your socks off with all the how-to stuff! _ From planning your interior, to making patterns, armrests, headliners, carpets, building your own seats and more! _ This is one book you'll keep reading!


Automotive Upholstery Handbook
This one covers all the basics involved ... from tools of the trade, to learning to sew ... and shows how to make and install bench seat covers, bucket seats, vinyl tops, Sim-con tops, Landau tops, Convertible tops, headliners, door panels and carpets, and a whole lot more. _ I like the book above most, but this one is worth having for the explanation of tools and basic sewing skills.

And check out
KristKustoms web site - he does great work and is a BIG help around here!!

Alan
54 Chevy Pickup

[kristkustoms]

Those are both great books, I suggest reading them both. About schooling, I heard some of the hot rod-type trade schools offer some classes on upholstery, dont know if its true or where these schools are....

There are infinate ways to do an interior, each upholsterer may have his own way of building a console or a custom door panel, and there is not a wrong or a right way (unless it falls apart). Unless you look at an interior and are totally clueless as to how it was built, I wouldnt recommend going to school. I think upholstery is a trade that is best self taught.

[Dutchman]

Check around your area for a custom interior shop and see if you could do an apprenticeship with them, simular to your dad teaching you the trade of carpet laying

[ToYoungToCare]

Alright guys thanks for all the useful information. I'm sure it'll come in handy as i slowly start doing this. I'll make sure to read the books and to try to find someone who can give me a few pointers here in there that lives around me. Again, thanks for all the info!

[horvath]

I'm getting ready to do the interior on my truck ... I'm going to give it my best shot and when it's finished I plan on taking it around to shows and meets in the hopes that maybe I can get some people interested in having me do theirs ... and maybe that will lead into me starting my own business doing interiors.

I know I love designing and sewing and cabinet making, and it's always been my way to turn what I love doing most into what I do to make money, so why not?

I think it would be a real blast to turn peoples dreams into reality ... to see them get excited over how well you got what they wanted! I love my truck, man! So I know how meaningful other peoples rides are to them.

All that remains is to see if I can turn heads with my first interior.

I built speaker cabinets today out of 3/8" plywood ... the cabinets are 8 1/2" square and will be mounted on the kick panels, just under the dash. I angled the speaker on the driver side to point at the passenger's head, and the speaker on the passenger side to point at the driver's head -- talk about compound angles!!! The top-left corner of the box is 3" deep ... the bottom-left corner is 5" deep ... the bottom-right corner is 2" deep ... and the top-right corner is 1" deep. Can you dig it?


This was no easy task! For now, I'm just gonna mount the plywood boxes and when I finally decide on the carpeting I'll cover the boxes with that. Pics will be posted at my site of each step involved, too.

Alan
54 Chevy Pickup