Interior Upholstery

[isaacpr7]

  I decided to reupholster the interior on my 68C completely as the interior paneling looks terrible. The person who sold it to me went to town with a bottle of white spray paint and there is overspray everywhere. That being said, I started by restoring the lower side panel on the pilot side. I would like to continue the project by applying faux leather (meets California fire standards) to all of the panels (to include the ceiling).

 

  The issue is that the panels are so toasty that even the slightest pressure will crack them.  I was wondering if anyone has taken on a project like this before (not have someone else do it) and is able to give me some pointers so I can complete this project without braking the bank. I was thinking about taking the panels out and applying a coat of fiberglass resin on the back side to strengthen it before applying the faux leather on the face. I don't know if applying the resin without fiber cloth will work to get the job done (trying to keep weight down).

[Bob_Belville]

I'm doubting polyester resin w/o FG will do much for you. The idea with using FG as reinforcement is to use the minimum amount required to wet out the glass. 

[AmigOne]

I agree with Bob, I have made a few repairs to the interior panels, also in my 68C, using fiberglass resin but always applied to a light to medium weight fiberglass cloth. These cracks are usually found on the edges and around the screw holes which tends to crack first. I was not too successful (from a cosmetic point of view) making repairs to the bottom piece between the front seats so I ended up making one of light aluminum which looks better than the plastic. Personally, before attempting to cover the panels with faux leather which maybe more easily said than done, I would try to fix them where needed and then paint them. If you don't like the results you can always try the faux way. I also removed the overhead plastic piece and painted it. I used Fusion (Krylon) with excellent results, everything I painted looks like new. I did removed the small armrest cushions and painted them separately.

[M20F-1968]

The panels you have are made of Royalite.  It is a petroleum product and gets very brittle with age.  The panels are also thin and the substance usually softens with many types of solvents and adhesives. 

 

Fiberglass resin alone will not help you.  You could use the original panels as a mold  and lay-up new panels by hand.  Your usable part would be the fiberglass part you have made.   This can work and I have done so with my Royalite nose wheel cover.  I first made a new part laying up over the Royalite part using just boat yard fiberglass resin.  I hand finished that part, and then one that had a nice shape and finish, used that part to make a new part using flame retardant resin and fiberglass cloth which is the new part in the airplane. 

 

I used the Ovation interior panels for the ceiling, window surround areas and the cabin panels below the windows.  This is an easier way to go as most of the panel areas are already made for you.  The factory panels can be cut and refiberglassed together in the length and shape needed for your airframe.  All you really nned is a good work space, plently of gloves, hand tools and a sander.  Once you hace a good shape, they can be covered in leather, ultra leather (immitation leather) or cloth (Eurostretch).   The panel below the windows are essentially flat, and some people have made a concave fiberglass insert to be placed in the 4 seat positions that also houses the arm rest.  This allows you to work with a flat panel (could even be aluminum) and have recessed arm rests to give additional cabin room and not end up looking like a flat part.  The top of the aluminum can be rolled to fit against the window. 

 

I have a set of left and right Ovation ceiling panels left over from my plane.  I set out to do just as I described, but later furchased the whole interior from a crashed Ovation, seats and all, so I have parts left over. 

 

You can look at my gallery shoing work in progress.  It is just about done now.  You can e-mail me at johnabreda@yahoo.com or call at

(617) 877-0025.

 

Thanks,

John Breda

[Danb]

John. 954n. Looks awesome on your gallery. Dan

[Bob_Belville]

I agree with Bob, I have made a few repairs to the interior panels, also in my 68C, using fiberglass resin but always applied to a light to medium weight fiberglass cloth. These cracks are usually found on the edges and around the screw holes which tends to crack first. I was not too successful (from a cosmetic point of view) making repairs to the bottom piece between the front seats so I ended up making one of light aluminum which looks better than the plastic. Personally, before attempting to cover the panels with faux leather which maybe more easily said than done, I would try to fix them where needed and then paint them. If you don't like the results you can always try the faux way. I also removed the overhead plastic piece and painted it. I used Fusion (Krylon) with excellent results, everything I painted looks like new. I did removed the small armrest cushions and painted them separately.

That's pretty much what I did. My '66 is 49 years old and so is the Royalite. But I removed all of them - 24 pieces! I took them to an auto body shop friend who cleaned and reinforced any cracks using fg on the back side in the worst places. He painted the panels and I re-installed. Spent $451 with the body shop including 4 spray cans of paint.  

[Dcflyn]

I'm currently refurbishing my '66 M20E. Regarding repairing the plastics, I previously re-did a set of C172N plastics by removing, cleaning with soap and water, repairing the cracks with fiberglass mesh and resin, priming with SEM Sand Free (clear coat that helps the final paint stick better), then SEM spray paint to match color. That all worked well and the parts turned out looking brand new. In my Mooney, I'm doing it all the same, EXCEPT I'm using plastic repair chips and MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) from the hardware store instead of resin. I got my chips in a simple kit from vantageplaneplastics.com, but you could also get a bag from http://www.buyplaneparts.com/abs-plastic-repair-chips-1-lb-10-02-80a/. Once the repairs are made, I can repaint or cover with the materials of my choice--vinyl and fabric.

 

I don't have before/after photos yet, but you can see some of the stuff I'm working on at my blog: http://n2690w.blogspot.com/

 

Good luck,

 

David

Austin, Tx

N2690W

[BigTex]

If the panels are are too far gone, I'd recommend purchasing new ones from Vantage Plane Plastics (www.planeplastics.com). If you only have to replace a couple panels, it will only be a few hundred dollars.

[Bob_Belville]

If the panels are are too far gone, I'd recommend purchasing new ones from Vantage Plane Plastics (www.planeplastics.com). If you only have to replace a couple panels, it will only be a few hundred dollars.

Gary, the 2 window frame panels alone cost as much as I spent for my whole job ($435 plus frt.). And they would still need to be trimmed and painted. But it is good to have Vantage if you absolutely need to replace something.

[BigTex]

Bob, completely agree... Just an option if it looks like the panel is beyond repair.

[HRM]

Bruce Yaeger has just been approved for his "Spatial Interior Panels" and is getting ready for installations. Browse here for contact info.

 

Bruce spent years completely redesigning the interior panels to make them yield more room in the cockpit, hence the name, as well as making them easy to remove; i.e., no more screws.

 

His test aircraft was an E and it is absolutely beautiful. He also has redesigned seats that give greater comfort and more room.

 

Worth checking in to before a major rework of the Royalite.

 

Here's a link (in Mooneyspace) with pictures of the installed panels.

[scottfromiowa]

I'm currently refurbishing my '66 M20E. Regarding repairing the plastics, I previously re-did a set of C172N plastics by removing, cleaning with soap and water, repairing the cracks with fiberglass mesh and resin, priming with SEM Sand Free (clear coat that helps the final paint stick better), then SEM spray paint to match color. That all worked well and the parts turned out looking brand new. In my Mooney, I'm doing it all the same, EXCEPT I'm using plastic repair chips and MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) from the hardware store instead of resin. I got my chips in a simple kit from vantageplaneplastics.com, but you could also get a bag from http://www.buyplaneparts.com/abs-plastic-repair-chips-1-lb-10-02-80a/. Once the repairs are made, I can repaint or cover with the materials of my choice--vinyl and fabric.

 

I don't have before/after photos yet, but you can see some of the stuff I'm working on at my blog: http://n2690w.blogspot.com/

 

Good luck,

 

David

Austin, Tx

N2690W

Really enjoyed your blog. Nice work so far. I redid my interior and redid side windows at same time. Man, it was a lot of work, but very satisfying to fly behind the work when completed. I used airtex fabric for door top and ceiling. Used old pieces as patterns. Also used on baggage door interior. Really reasonably priced and has a rich look. Have fun,

Scott

[Dcflyn]

Bruce has a really nice interior! I hope mine comes out that well. Thanks for sharing, HRN.

[N201MKTurbo]

I would not use polyester resin, I would use epoxy and very light weight fiberglass cloth. Like 3 oz. this cloth is only about 5 mil thick and will conform easily to all the nooks and cranes. Get some 1 in throwaway paint brushes. Mix about 1/4 cup of epoxy and lightly paint the inside of the panels. You don't have to cover very well you just need enough to hold the cloth in place. Lay the cloth in and use the brush to dab on epoxy until the entire back side is wetted. You will be able to tell looking at the cloth when it is wetted. You want as thin a coat of epoxy as you can get. You can sand any lumps off the back after it cures.

I would start with about a six inch square area at first to get a handle on how long your epoxy is workable. You can cut the cloth in four inch squares and just do them one at a time until your epoxy starts to harden. You can let the cloth extend over the edges and clean them up later with a right angle air sander with the two inch screw in pads.

When you are done the panels will not weigh much more and will be stronger then when new. They will have about the same flexibility as the original panels which make them easier to install then if they are very rigid.

[isaacpr7]

All of you guys are super awesome!!! Thank you all for all of the suggestions. This is why I love mooneyspace. It is like having a collection of encyclopedias all in one site.

 

I know it will be a lot of work but I love having projects so it all works out for me

 

I saw some pics from some of the mooniacs that contributed to this topic and they look great. Does anyone else have any other interior ideas they would be able to share?

[isaacpr7]

The panels you have are made of Royalite.  It is a petroleum product and gets very brittle with age.  The panels are also thin and the substance usually softens with many types of solvents and adhesives. 

 

Fiberglass resin alone will not help you.  You could use the original panels as a mold  and lay-up new panels by hand.  Your usable part would be the fiberglass part you have made.   This can work and I have done so with my Royalite nose wheel cover.  I first made a new part laying up over the Royalite part using just boat yard fiberglass resin.  I hand finished that part, and then one that had a nice shape and finish, used that part to make a new part using flame retardant resin and fiberglass cloth which is the new part in the airplane. 

 

I used the Ovation interior panels for the ceiling, window surround areas and the cabin panels below the windows.  This is an easier way to go as most of the panel areas are already made for you.  The factory panels can be cut and refiberglassed together in the length and shape needed for your airframe.  All you really nned is a good work space, plently of gloves, hand tools and a sander.  Once you hace a good shape, they can be covered in leather, ultra leather (immitation leather) or cloth (Eurostretch).   The panel below the windows are essentially flat, and some people have made a concave fiberglass insert to be placed in the 4 seat positions that also houses the arm rest.  This allows you to work with a flat panel (could even be aluminum) and have recessed arm rests to give additional cabin room and not end up looking like a flat part.  The top of the aluminum can be rolled to fit against the window. 

 

I have a set of left and right Ovation ceiling panels left over from my plane.  I set out to do just as I described, but later furchased the whole interior from a crashed Ovation, seats and all, so I have parts left over. 

 

You can look at my gallery shoing work in progress.  It is just about done now.  You can e-mail me at johnabreda@yahoo.com or call at

(617) 877-0025.

 

Thanks,

John Breda

John,

 

I just want to make sure I understand correctly. Can I install the Ovation panels on my 68 Ranger?

[kmyfm20s]

In the adhesive section of the hardware store they have the 2 part PVC epoxy and some fiber glass strips. Similar to N201MKTurbo I would paint the area you want to cover with a coat of epoxy on the back side of the panel. Lay down the fiber glass and then use a squeegee to press the epoxy into the fabric. This will ensure the fabric is impregnated, reduce cleanup and excess. Flip over the panel and clean any that squirt though the crack. Don't squeegee to hard or it will pull to much epoxy out of the fabric. All good suggestion above but this one has worked for me.

[kmyfm20s]

BTW, I'm sure you already know this but test any of the suggested products on a small portion of a panel to make sure it will not warp, melt and cure completely.

[n824jl]

 A great site on repair steps and materials needed is:  www.kydex.com/aviation    Go to technical data.  Tech brief 161 in post operations  will give more than enough info for  plastic repair.

SEM makes great paint which can be color matched.  After panel repair, clean with WESTLEYS BLEACH WHITE whitewall tire cleaner, scrub as necessary.  Rinse and let dry.  Spray a wet coat of laquer thinner on the panels to promote adhesion and let dry.  Spray several wet coats of SEM  or cover with ultra leather etc.  The process will take a weekend, but you can save quite a bit over new plastic.  Good luck.

[isaacpr7]

So I am starting to take on this project head on by mixing some of the recomendations from you guys.  The first thing I did today was remove the front seats. As I began to remove the back seats I got stuck and wanted to ask for some pointers before I tear anything up. The back rest on the bench was held by two bolts on each side at the upper portion. The back rest now pivots just like I car's front seat towards the front but I cannot figure out where can I detach the back rest at this point. Does anyone have an M20C that has done this before and would be kind to enlighten me as to how to remove the back rest on the bench seat?

[carusoam]

You may be able to search for this. There have been discussions on changing out the seats and hardware....

Best regards,

-a-

[nels]

I redid my panels in my E and actually tried all methods mentioned here but really didn't like any of them that much. I did body work as a kid and continued on restoring cars all my life. I thought the royalite would be a snap but nothing really adheres to it like I thought it would. The best method and the easiest I found was suggested by my cousin who used to build model airplanes. I went to a hobby shop and bought two types of super glue, one thick and one thin. I also bought a small spray pump bottle of accelerator and some fine woven fiberglass cloth. I cleaned the surface on the back side of the crack with acetone, cut a piece of cloth, put down thin super glue on the area for repair, placed the cloth in the glue then misted it with accelerator. I little smoke and the patch was cured. Added more cloth in a similar method until I thought it was strong enough. I turned the panel over and applied a bead of thick super glue in the visible crack as a filler then again misted it with accelerator.

This method worked well and went along at a nice pace. I'd try this method first as it is quick and is not messy. Just keep the glue off your hands.

[isaacpr7]

You may be able to search for this. There have been discussions on changing out the seats and hardware....

Best regards,

-a-

Thank you carusoam. I found the thread you were talking about.

[Bob_Belville]

So I am starting to take on this project head on by mixing some of the recomendations from you guys.  The first thing I did today was remove the front seats. As I began to remove the back seats I got stuck and wanted to ask for some pointers before I tear anything up. The back rest on the bench was held by two bolts on each side at the upper portion. The back rest now pivots just like I car's front seat towards the front but I cannot figure out where can I detach the back rest at this point. Does anyone have an M20C that has done this before and would be kind to enlighten me as to how to remove the back rest on the bench seat?

Assuming your C is the same as my 66E the back seat backrest is held by the two bolts you found plus 2 more at the bottom on each end. Follow the seat belt to the spacer it is snapped onto. That spacer is on the bolt that you'll need to remove. There's a bolt, a nut and washer and a spacer.  If you have not taken out the bench seat, do that first. There's a rod running through the upholstery behind a piece of carpet facing the spar. Ther are 3, maybe 4, screws holding the carpet. Once that's off you'll see how the the rod fits. You should be able to press down on the seat and get the rod off the clips. There are other clips under the seat. When the front is loose pushing it back will clear those clips.  

[Shadrach]

I have had good success with Plastifix and fine fiberglass. I also use aluminum tape on the back side of all repaired panels. It works quite well!