Repair And Fix it

Lots of people redesign their cars exterior, but remodeling the interior can make a car truly distinct. If you want your car to really express your personality, consider changing up the interior. Decide on a budget first, since customizing a car can become a never-ending process that costs a lot of money unless you set boundaries. Doing it yourself can greatly reduce the cost.

Your Cars Theme

Without a theme, you could end up with a bunch of random accessories and styles instead of a stylish, consistent look. Looking at your car from the outside, ask yourself how you would describe it--bold and trendy, sporty and adventurous, or cute and playful. If youre customizing the exterior too, imagine the look you want to create and think of how youd describe it. Jot down any words that come to mind, and any colors, textures, and accessories that fit that theme.

Use Ergonomic Design

If replacing seats, choose ones that are designed to give you proper support and let you change positions as needed, as Dennis W. Parks says in his book "How to Restore and Customize Auto Upholstery and Interiors." If restoring a vintage car that wont be driven much, using the original seats that came with the vehicle is fine. However, if you expect to drive the vehicle frequently, choose a more ergonomic design, meaning a design that helps the body to stay properly aligned for maximum comfort and health. Such designs often incorporate lumbar supports and numerous other features.

Consider Reshaping Hardware

Some car designers reshape consoles, dashboards and other interior components. As Parks illustrations in his book show, some console have a trendy concave top and back, sloping elegantly to the floor. Designers often use nontraditional colors, too, or select a new material like chrome or wood. Some serious enthusiasts design new storage spaces or weld on new accessories too, but visibility and accessibility should always remain priority.

Use Patterns Sparingly

Parks suggests to stick to no more than three or four patterns and colors. For instance, you might have black vinyl seating, a geometric fabric on the walls and a dashboard that matches the exterior. Too much becomes overwhelming. If using a bold print on the walls, dont add a contrasting pattern on the floor.

Choose Complementary Textures

Similarly, stick to textures that complement rather than clash with each other, as Parks says--vinyl and crushed velour dont mix. Match natural materials or those with a more industrial feel, pairing chrome with vinyl, not wood. Taking an upholstery class can give you all the skills you need to do that part of the job yourself, says Jim Richardson in "Classic Car Restorers Handbook." Compare swatches of your fabrics at midday so the angle of sunlight wont distort your perception of the colors, he suggests.

Lighting and Sound

Some people add LED light strips or patches to their car interiors for a neon glow. Others use dome or underbody light, or lights that can change color. Always make sure these extras wont affect your driving or the safety of others on the road, and that they comply with laws. Many people add a new CD player or a more powerful stereo to make driving more enjoyable, too.

Older cars often have outdated, torn, or stained interiors. Reupholstering the automobile doors and seats will give your car a new look. The most difficult part of upholstering an automobile is the preparation. In order to reupholster the automobile seats they must be removed. Similarly, you will need to remove the door panel before you can reupholster it with new fabric. Choose an upholstery fabric that is durable and easy to work with. It is especially important to choose a fabric that will not scar if you unpick a seam and have to re-sew it.

Instructions

1

Take the automobile seats out from the car with a socket wrench. Set the seats on a flat surface that has plenty of room to work.

2

Remove the hog seams and listing wires from the seats. Lift the upholstery from the seats.

3

Cut apart the upholstery with a seam ripper. Only cut the seams between the pieces of upholstery fabric so that you can use the old pieces as templates for the new upholstery. Mark or label each piece of the fabric so you know how to piece the new upholstery together.

4

Place the old pieces of upholstery on top of a length of laid out upholstery fabric. Trace around each piece of upholstery on the new fabric with a piece of chalk or a marker.

5

Cut out the traced marks on the new upholstery fabric with scissors.

6

Piece together the pieces of the cut out upholstery fabric. Match up the appropriate edges and sew them together with a inch straight stitch seam. Sew together the entire set of cut out upholstery pieces.

7

Place the sewn together upholstery on the automobile seats. Replace the listing wires and hog rings in the automobile seats.

8

Set the car seats back into the car. Secure the seats with a socket wrench.

Jeep Wranglers are a popular vehicle for their ability to drive in different terrains and under all sorts of climates. Interior problems can occur. Repairs such as mold buildup, dashboard cracks and tears in leather seats. Sometimes a new steering wheel is required during a renovation. A repaired Jeep makes for a happy owner and many more miles of fun on the road.

Instructions

1

Scrub mold from carpeted areas with a solution of Borax laundry and warm water. When mold is gone scrub area with plain warm water. Let dry. Vacuum area to fully remove old mold spores and dried soap residue. For non-porous areas like dashboards and seats sponge on white vinegar. Let air dry.

2

Repair dashboard cracks by cutting the dashboard with a utility knife to cut the cracks open less than 1/32-inch on either side. Run a moist almost dry piece of fabric along the new cut to pick up any plastic shavings. Let dry. Run pieces of painters tape along the cuts sides. Leave a bit on each side. Place silicon caulking along the cut. When dry pull off tape and paint with car interior vinyl paint. Let dry. Use fine grit sandpaper to smooth.

3

Install a new steering wheel by disconnecting the car battery. Front tires must face forward. Remove the horn button to expose the nut attaching the wheel and shaft. Remove the nut. Mark the top of the wheel on the shaft. With the wheel puller, mark the shaft to indicate the location of the top of the wheel. Take off old wheel being careful not to pull out battery connecting wires. Reconnect the new wheel to color coded wires. Put the new wheel on the shaft and connect the nut. Replace the horn button and reconnect the car battery.

4

Repair a leather seat tear by cutting away threads and fabric remnants from the tear. Dip cloth in warm water and clean around the leather near the tear. Measure and cut a piece of replacement leather leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Apply glue on the tears edges and apply replacement leather piece atop it. Let dry. Gently sand away any remaining glue.