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Interior Refreshening Project

Working on the parcel shelf speaker install and I noticed an issue with the leather that I covered it with. It has shrunk and is pulling away from the edges and has even separated from the shelf at the "up turn" presumably from being too tight? The leather was cut flush with the edges and has now pulled back a good 1/4". Is it normal for leather to shrink like this? What do I do other than cover it in some other material that won't shrink?

Advice???
 

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This is only a guess but I think the bonding agent is what caused the leather to constrict. As the leather absorbed the glue and the glue dried they both constricted. I just noticed on my 79 Bertone interior that I was working on today the overlap on the leather trim pieces is almost 3/4 of an inch. now you know for next time.
The holes will get covered by the plugs, for the edge use the same stuff as the sides. Bummer.
 
I was thinking if staples would help as well as rolling the leather over the edge to further help in securing it. I did use Dap brush on contact cement and maybe I would have better off using the high heat 3M spray on stuff???
 

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Overlap by at least a 1/4 in if not more. For the holes make an X incision and fold the excess under, don't cut the hole out. Good luck. Still it looks good, why not just add the trim to the edge?
 
I would add the trim around the edge, but the leather has separated from the shelf itself. You can see this in the area circled. I think I would rather buy more leather and recover the shelf the "correct" way and this time use the 3M spray. I have used 3M in the past and I like that it states it's for high heat applications and is high strength. I can live with it in the short term, but this would bug me not being right long term.
 
Rear shelf installed with headrest to see how the speakers fit. I like the fit of the 4" much better than the 6".
 

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And the rear seats are all covered and installed. I am very happy with how they turned out. I'm sure they will stretch and the wrinkles will smooth out as the leather heats up in the sun. If not, I am not unhappy at all with how they look. The added benefit it the smell of new leather when I get in the car.
 

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That looks really good. I'm sure the leather will relax after awhile. The black interior I saw didn't have any wrinkles ebut his has been on the car for a few months now.
 
The remaining small projects before the interior is completed are:

- Recover the rear shelf.
- Wire in the rear deck speakers.
- Have a new armrest cover made.
- Replace the front door speakers.
- Replace the cracked third brake light surround.
- Give the headliner a good cleaning.
- Either replace the dash completely or take off the molded cap, put a new cap on and then put a tan dash mat on top of that.
- Install the wood trim once it arrives.

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Being picky. The male end of your rear right belt needs to rotated around so the "tab" is up. The rear left fabric is also twisted.
 
I too noticed this. The seats were installed in the early evening and the mosquitos were eating me alive, so I called it quits. The seatbelts have since been fixed. Thanks for the keen eye.
 
What do you think? This was a set that was sold back in the day for 240 Volvos. Real rosewood but with stick on.

 
^ That particular Volvo was an 84 240. It was a dark gray color, original Volvo color. The guy paid almost $10k to have the body stripped to bare metal and repainted. The belt line trim and skinny bumpers were also body color. All NOS e-codes, rear decor, taillights, accessory side pockets, OE Volvo sheepskin covers, front and back, refinished Virgos, all chrome engine compartment, etc., etc. Flawless and spotless. Never seen rain or snow. The guy he sold it to daily drives it and now looks like sh*t. :-( :grrr:
 
nel621 said:
^ That particular Volvo was an 84 240. It was a dark gray color, original Volvo color. The guy paid almost $10k to have the body stripped to bare metal and repainted. The belt line trim and skinny bumpers were also body color. All NOS e-codes, rear decor, taillights, accessory side pockets, OE Volvo sheepskin covers, front and back, refinished Virgos, all chrome engine compartment, etc., etc. Flawless and spotless. Never seen rain or snow. The guy he sold it to daily drives it and now looks like sh*t. :-( :grrr:
Click to expand...

All that work and then he added that cheesy stick on wood crap?
 
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