Date:         Wed, 6 Mar 2002 11:41:53 -0800
Reply-To:     Bess's Buddies <bess@EARTHNOW.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bess's Buddies <bess@EARTHNOW.ORG>
Subject:      Re: Interior door/side/headliner  panels redux
Comments: cc: David Higginbotham <dahigginbotham@NCDRAGONFLY.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <000001c1c541$4b5b5f30$1c081eac@0430M21B110007B>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

We used  fabric that we purchased from PerfectFit.
http://www.perfectfit.com/main.html They also sell the mouldings, and cool
upholstery things needed.

We went there personally to select it though... but were able to closely
match the blue cloth insert upholstery on our 87 Westy on the sliding door
panel, the rear seat and the headliner of the rear shelf cabinet.

We removed all the plastic plywood cover stuff that was peeling, on the top
bunk and replaced it with this material as well. We used contact adhesive
(Yuck! Be sure to wear a good respirator!) and it worked well.

We did the door panels in oak "door skin" available from lumber yards. It's
really thin, like 1/8" so it works well for door panels. Stained it to
match the cabinet colors, polyeurothaned it and upholstered a portion of
the sliding door panel, and put carpet on the bottom portion (for kicks
when opening it.)  Be sure to do the backs too!

The hardest part was finding the plastic snap plugs that would fit the
metric holes but were big buttons to hold the panels. Never did find the
right ones (except at an unamed vendor! For too much $$) So we used
standard ones from a chrysler, and drilled the holes out a 1/16" so they
would fit. = )

We plan on taking pictures of this project and posting a site as soon as it
quits raining enough to open the top up! (Yes, we're in Oregon)

Our westy friends like our interior alot!

Good Luck

Glen & Ri
87 Westfauxlia
67 SingleCab



At 02:01 PM 3/6/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>I have read several posts in the past about redoing the interior panels in a
>vanagon and as I recall most speak to attempts at matching the original
>panels. Has anyone done anything odd or different with these panels? I have
>thought about such things as tye-dye cloth applied with some kind of
>adhesive, using some type of wood paneling, or even painting a mural of some
>kind. I would love to hear others ideas and perhaps see any pictures if
>there are any available.
>Thanks!
>David Higginbotham
>82 Westfalia
>Silk Hope, NC