I have been building my "DeLincWent" 1926 Dodge Brothers roadster pickup for some time now. I started by putting 5,000 miles on her in bare metal last summer to work out any bugs and kinks. Last winter it was time to take her apart and search for cracks and items that just didn't jive ... it was time to finish the old girl. A little paint and massaging and she came back together without a hitch. I can do just about everything mechanically and paint-wise, but when it comes to fabric and wood, well, I'm all thumbs.
We started with the average...
We started with the average roadster pickup body. Not much room, which is always a factor for driveability and comfort's sake.
I decided to get the trim stitched by a pro. I had my choice of a few upholsterers and even a trip south to Tijuana came into play. I had been snooping around the Lynwood area seeing some of the sweetest work coming out of a little back-alley shop. Juanito runs the place. He is the owner and operator. I first saw his work when he was stitching up Dave Chaves' '49 business coupe: full-custom upholstery mimicking the Buddha Buggy. Then a few weeks later he was getting down on a '36 Ford coupe with a '50s-styled tuck 'n' roll interior with dark chocolate brown inserts. I fell in love with the work and felt no one seems to bring back the look you see in the little pages of Rod & Custom. I knew I wanted to go '60s with the interior and had some designs kickin' around in my head. In today's hot rod world it seems that bomber seats are overdone and Mexican blankets are cliché. It needed to be a head turner to back up the bucket I had built. So Juanito was the obvious choice.
When doing customs and hot rods, Juanito likes to do everything the old way; it's more labor intensive, but it lasts the tests of time. He went through my design with me, trying to figure how he was going to do it, and at the same time went over the many ways you can "tuck" and "roll" material, showing me the pluses and minuses to all of them. He likes to see the customer get what he wants, even walking me through the whole process and taking me to all the trim stores to hand-pick the materials. This guy can do anything from a '10 Mercedes to my ol' bucket of bolts.
So the Dodge was finally on the road and I came down with my sketches and old mags to show him what I wanted. I pulled up and he started shaking his head. All I had for an interior were some rear seat bottoms out of an ol' donor '71 Camaro and just the foam to boot. I was sick of driving with them; even though they served their purpose. We sat down and went over my design, he made a few suggestions, and we tossed ideas around. Then it was time to take off to go get materials and get to work.
We began by measuring inside...
We began by measuring inside the cab and laying out the general shape of the new interior in plywood: 1/4 inch for the back and side panels and 3/4 inch for the seats. The tops of the panels were finished off with high-density board cut in the shape of the top of the body-this step is crucial! Measure twice, cut once ... actually, measure like 10 times. Juanito is test-fitting and getting final adjustment on our framework.
Here are the items we used...
Here are the items we used to get the frame together. A quick stop by your local hardware store and you are in business.
When we were finished adjusting...
When we were finished adjusting the frame and finally had a nice fit, it was time to make it all fit for real. Earlier we used simple drywall screws to zip it together; we went back and nut and bolted the framework together, because drywall screws are for drywall and have no business on a car.
The seat base was reinstalled...
The seat base was reinstalled for final adjustment to the sides and for personal fit.
Next, 3/4-inch high-density...
Next, 3/4-inch high-density foam is glued and stapled in place to make the forms for the tuck 'n' roll. The lines are transferred over to the foam for lining up the pleats. We used high-strength upholstery glue in a Binks spray gun and staples in this step. This gives you the cushy lovin' on the backrest. Choosing the right foam is everything: don't cheap out on this material or you will hate yourself later. The better quality you use, the longer you will enjoy the ride.
Now that the seat frame was...
Now that the seat frame was in place and fitting well it was time to move onto our materials.
I drew up an idea of what...
I drew up an idea of what I wanted it all to look like after consulting many little pages from the '50s and '60s. This part is crucial as well: measure and re-measure your marks. This is what your interior materials will be attached to and is the basic overall layout.
Juanito diligently lines up...
Juanito diligently lines up the tuck 'n' roll with the lines and test-fits his pattern with the newly sewn materials. It is made from three materials: the first and obvious one is the white vinyl, the next is the1/4-inch foam (a lot more spongy than its predecessor), and finally a cheaper cloth backing.
With all of the pleats laid...
With all of the pleats laid out, sewn, and test-fit it was time for installation of the white vinyl. Always start from the middle of the buck, lining up the seams one by one on the insert side.
The material is then pulled...
The material is then pulled and stretched over the back of the buck, stapling it in place.
The piping was installed before...
The piping was installed before he tackled the insert. He made it extra long so he could do it all in one strip, only having one seam.
Now it was time for the piping....
Now it was time for the piping. Juanito uses the same material from the insert to make it; he cut it in long 2-inch strips and sewed it around the 1/4-inch cloth welting.
More foam was cut for the...
More foam was cut for the insert and was trimmed to fit. This will be the base for the buttons' tucked backing.
With the foam glued in place,...
With the foam glued in place, Juanito used a hacksaw blade to cut the excess foam from the buck.
Layout and measuring is huge,...
Layout and measuring is huge, as you might already know, but here we layed out the shapes for the material, which gave us a spot to cut the foam for the buttons to pull into the materials to give it the cushy look.
Here we drill and go through...
Here we drill and go through holes in the wood for the buttons to pull through to be stapled from the backside.
Everything with this step...
Everything with this step is time consuming; even the buttons are custom-made in the green fabric-all using cord and eyelet backs for strength and durability.
With the seat back trimmed...
With the seat back trimmed and ready to be installed we went ahead and used the same techniques to finish off the seat bottoms and floorboards.
The same techniques for trimming...
The same techniques for trimming the seat back were used on the seat bottoms and in the floorboards. With everything in place it really makes the car look the part.
With the insert fabric cut...
With the insert fabric cut to length, Juanito started in the center and pulled buttons through the fabric, foam, and holes we made in the buck. He pulled it tight and stapled each button in the back.
Each one of the diamonds must...
Each one of the diamonds must be folded and stretched by hand while pulling the buttons on the outside. We see the pattern coming through ... here's where you can really make or break it. Take the time to go slow and make all the folds the same.