camaronewbie

I have the armrest pictured below - with the groove. I'd like to glue something in the groove to match the car color (teal in my case). My thought was a shoestring colored with dye to match, and hot glued into the groove. This wouldn't be totally permanent, as I imagine sooner or later the hot glue would peel, but that's kinda the point, at least for now - in case it looks like crap the armrest isn't destroyed.

Another thought was fabric paints - they have metallic colors, it's 3 dimensional and so would fill the groove, and would look nice I think, but I don't know if it would stick to the pleather armrest.

Anyone have any other thoughts for doing this, whether permanent or not?

j3rry92

you could tape it off, leaving the grove exposed..and could paint it with a paint that will stick to the armrest.. i think it would give it a good look. and really make it stand out! keep us posted with whatever you do

micktroup2

If- and I mean IF- you could get an accurate CAD drawing of that groove, you could send it to www.dragonplate.com and they MAY be able to cut you out a carbon fiber inlay for it. It would be difficult, because that is an awfully narrow groove...

An alternative might be to cut out an inlay from aluminum plate and either anodize it to match your interior or wray it in ultrasuede or ultraleather...or if the grove is TOO narrow for that, just use some aluminum rod or better yet halfround if you can find it.

Then a thin strip of the tape used to attach the bump strip to the exterior of the door and you should be good to go.

Just some ideas...

camaronewbie

Well, I tried the shoestring idea - it is a no go so far. I got Ritz dye that said "teal" - but it turned out to be blue, so the white string I got turned blue in the dye. I also had a green string, but bright green, not really flourescent, but bright, and not teal - so I tried it in the blue (aka teal) dye I had, but it wouldn't accept any coloring - I'm guessing it's made form polyester, and hence dyes will not change the color.

So, next thought - vinyl that they use at upholstery shops. Cut a thing strip twice the width of the groove, fold it over on both edges and superglue, then use the nice side out, and glue it into the groove. I'm going to check a few local shops to see if they have any colors appropriate, and if not maybe I'll order a yard online for $25 (assuming I can get some samples first to get the right color).

I'll keep updated with my progress (if any)

Harwood

I like the idea, keep us posted with whatever you choose to do.

The shoe string dyed seems to be a low cost way to test without permanent damage.

Is there much more of the exterior color of your car on the interior? I guess it would be a personal choice as to whats too much or too little to really be noticed.

camaronewbie

At the moment, there's really nothing on the inside that matches the color on the outside, until night. I have:

1) green LED strips under the dash on each front side, that present a green glow in the floorboards.

2) a pair of those windshield washer sprayers with little green LED's on them mounted to each side of the rear of the center console, shining down to present the same green glow in the rear floorboards.

3) 1 green LED license plate bolt in the center console, that lights up the iside of the center console at night. This license plate bolt fits exactly in the hole in the front of the console - this hole is a remaining cast hole in the plastic from the 1983/1984 cars that had the clock in the center console - the hole was for the clock adjustment **** to stick into the cnter console to adjust the time on the console clock.

4) I also bought a chunk of the very small EL wire, and wrapped it around and around the face of my clock to light the face of it at night- I got a Camaro center console clock off eBay, and mounted it inside a small project box from Radio Shack that I painted with the black crinkle paint to match the interior plastic, and I mounted this clock under the upper center vents of the dash.

I have the floorboard lights rigged with relays to come on either when the doors are opened, or when the lights are on (that was a trick - it took two different relays and several hours of test wiring until I figured it all out). I have the center console light and the clock face light to come on with the light switch.

So, I do have some green, but only at night

Now that I have a fresh paint job (House of Kolors Teal Candy over silver flake), I'd like ti tie some of the interior with exterior. I'm hoping to find some other little accents as well, maybe some grill covers for some subs wit teal, etc. I also plan on having custom seat covers made with the 25th anniversary logo embroidered in teal, as well as some custom floor mats and maybe a nice trunk mat - but that will all have to wait for the cash to miraculously appear - I still owe my painter too much money at the moment!

Thirdgen Ranch

iTrader: (5)

I think the best way to go about it would be to tape it off and paint it with interior paint.

JeremyNYR

iTrader: (2)

I didn't understand this part at all. Why wouldn't you have it cut to size and adhere the vinyl directly to the door handle with it's included adhesive backing? It sounds like you just got your car nicely repainted. Don't bring it down with a dyed shoelace in the door handle! That sounds like it belongs in the "ghetto" thread going on currently. I like the idea of a painted aluminum inlay best. That way it can match the color and finish of the exterior.

I H8 WWD

iTrader: (5)

Painted aluminum inlay sounds great. I have these too and thanks for the idea. Might get a nice piece of aluminum, brushed, and install it in there.

camaronewbie

Well, so far I've come up with nothing that's teal in color - I'm sure there's got to be a local upholstery shop with access to a teal colored vinyl - but til I find it, I guess I'm on hold. Still searching, we'll see.

billybob6110

i just taped mine off and painted the groove silver to match the car ground effects. turned out great

Irocw89

iTrader: (1)

camaronewbie If you don't want to paint, you could probably find some pinstripes that are the color you want, and size that will fit probably 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch.

l_dis_travlr

What about a metallic insert, that you can paint any color,
and then glue in? (Other threads have indicated Gorilla Glue
works well on upholstery applications.)
H-Depot/Lowe's have some thin metal rods that might work.
Independent ACE Hardware stores or hobby shops usually
have a selection of brass pieces, that might work.

Good luck, I think that will be a sharp looking accent.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Lay a "neon" rope light in the groove, to match your gauge lights?

hedberg667

I think painting is the best idea. If anyone else has done this and taken pics of this post them up so we can see how it turned out.

I H8 WWD

iTrader: (5)

Anybody have pictures of what they did to theirs? Might help decide.

slow305rs

iTrader: (1)

Got a pic?

55ChevyMan

how do you remove the back seats ? are they bolted?

too-fast-85

iTrader: (3)

Yes, the lower seats are held in place with a bolt located just below the seat in front where the floorboard comes up. Maybe hidden by the carpet. The seat backs have bolts in the bottom corners where the hinges are. Hope this helps.

55ChevyMan

I am just trying to find the fuel pump wiring thanks

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

What does fuel pump wiring have to do with arm rests?

55ChevyMan

I had asked a question about how to remove the back seat I had been told that the wires for Fuel pump were under the back seat I am working on a Lt1 swapp and try to connect the fuelpump relay thanks again for your help

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

Oh.....
Your trying to get a wiring answer, in the Interior section, in a thread about arm rests. Makes even less sense now.

Tilt the rear seat forward, lift up the rear carpet & you'll find the fuel pump wires going through the floor. Follow them forward, to find the routing inside, under the carpet.

WSX123

iTrader: (1)

Maybe try to get some fabric the same color as your car, and use some epoxy glue to hold it.

55ChevyMan

what your problem I it was for you D A

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

If I could understand even a fraction of what you just TRIED to type, I could respond to it.....

Harwood

Ever wonder why we have such a bad rap and seen as peeps with the "Camaro crash helmet"? Yeah, me neither.

Once I get back to doing my interior, there's definetely gonna be an idea spun from this thread placed in my car. Many thanks.

rutters27

try using some teal electrical wire if you can find it it should fit right into the grove and you can use clear epoxy to hold it if you cut the ends really nice it will butt right together and look like one piece

87 formy

Here's mine, the blue and white are Sherwin Williams interior paints.

l_dis_travlr

formy: That is really sweet, inspiring me to a similar stripe on mine.
(Probably red into the gray armrest.)


Did I miss another Urinating Olympiad?

Stephen: When next I'm in da-captl, I need to buy you a beer...

camaronewbie

OK - so after weeks of searching the globe (via Internet), I've found a fabric ribbon that will match the exterior teal color and look good. BUT - the hot glue idea didn't hold. I saw someone mention Gorilla Glue. I need a glue that will not soak into the ribbon fibers and discolor it (like Superglue would), yet hold to the pleather armrest. I'll test the Gorilla Glue - in the mean time any other thoughts?

55ChevyMan

have you tryed talkin with an upholstery shop some are nice and helpful as to what kind of glues they use, in there shop and good work its looking good

92RS_Ttop

iTrader: (3)

Try some fabric glue. You can find it at any craft or fabric store, or the craft section of walmart. Another idea would be 3M's spray adhesive for headliners/door panels. I dont think any of those will soak into the material you have, but as always, test it first in a spot you won't be able to see.

I had planned on doing something similar with my armrests when I get to the interior phase of my mods to my Camaro. I was just gonna tape and paint, but I'm liking the aluminum inlay idea. I'll have to look into that some more.

camaronewbie

OK - project finished I hope. Went to hardware store and bought 3-4 different glues, first one I tried seemed to be the ticket. It's Amazing Goop - it's thick nasty stuff to work with - I ended up brushing it in the groove with a child's toothbrush, and laying my ribbon down slowly and pressing it in the thick glue with a popsicle stick. This glue and my method leaves extra glue that squeezes out around the edges, but after it dries a standard gum eraser works the excess off in little ***** that can be brushed away. Been in place 3 days with changing temps and dry as well as humid conditions, and so far it's stayed (the hot glue fell out in less than a day) - Here's pics:

The Project

iTrader: (6)

VERY nice results..good job

1Aauto

Those came out pretty cool.

Scorpner

iTrader: (4)

Looks good.