Interior trim

[Aircooled]

Hi all, just wondered if anybody has any tips for fitting interior trim cards? Trying to put a new set in the back mine, have so far snapped dozens of new clips, either with or without the little boots. Thinking of drilling & screwing....

[Mordred]

The new clips are at best barely acceptable. Brittle and difficult to reposition with out damaging them or the door card. The door cards are usually pretty good in terms of were the holes are but to be honest screws with large heads or big countersunk type stainless washers are the easiest, although you will see the heads. easier to remove and refit if required.
The best are the "xmas tree" type plastic fixings but they also will be seen. Biggest issue with using these is the holes in the cards need to line up with the holes in the body panel which because of them being drilled offset for the cheap door clips they wont.

It basically comes down to if you want a show car or something tidy and practical.  I tend to lean towards the practical. If you want to use the clips you will, with a lot of patience get there but there are other options.

Adrian

[Barry]

Scrivets are great. 
They are the plastic screw that goes into an expandable plug. 

If you want to use them you can’t on stock door cards. 
You must use clips as the holes in the door cars are offset from the ones in the doors as the clip sits to the side. 

At the moment I have ABS cards from www.australiandoorcards.com.au
They have the holes in line with the door ones and they supply the scrivets. 

I also have some TMI cards but I am waiting until I am 100% certain everything is done. 

Make sure you have proper film behind for waterproofing otherwise you will be doing it again. 
This is why I like the ABS ones. 

FYI Aust Door Cards sell a brilliant film

[Wayne Murray]

Have you got the right size clips and rubber grommets there is two sizes and some Vw places don’t list both sizes. One size will give you grief and the other makes the job a lot easier. Not 100% sure on sizes  , whether it’s 6,7or 8mm.It’s one of the two smaller sizes you need I just can’t remember which one, until I get home and have a look.

[Wayne Murray]

The rubber door Bung that I used was 6mm.

[KIWI]

As Barry said, make sure that you seal with new film.
Car Builders do a Door restore kit with OE plastic and adhesive sealant tape.
Some of their stuff is now sold at Autobarn.
PR

[Melissa]

Continuing on with door cards -

Spotty's door cards were pretty sad - they were warped and damaged and came out of the yellow and white 75 I sold a while back. Even though I have the plastic film behind them they still looked pretty bad - so I lashed out and bought the closest colour I could to the original cards from Just Kampers.

To hopefully get them to last, I thought I would paint the bare fibreboard with some varnish - it soaked straight in. Should I do another coat after this dries or am I wasting my time?

[Oldman]

Give ‘em another coat Mel.
You’ve sealed all the fibres now, so the next coat won’t be absorbed as quickly.
MDF is really like a fine weetbix….there is no lay to the grain, just short fibres in every direction…..and why the first coat is absorbed so quickly….

[Melissa]

Thanks Mark - I will give them another coat.

[Melissa]

Not rushing this. 

I have decided not to put the ducts back on - they are not in the best condition and Spotty doesn't need them. Just the armrests will do. Those vent covers are in place and I even added a dot of superglue here and there to make sure they will not pop out again in a hurry.

I should get them back in tomorrow - I have new plastic to put in before the cards so hopefully tomorrow I will have completed photos!