View Full Version : Covering transmission tunnel cover with vinyl any tips?
tbl100
11-13-2020, 12:12 AM
Hi, I looking to cover my transmission tunnel cover with vinyl and some closed cell 1/8" high density auto upholstery Volara foam. I've riveted the shiftier cover plate on and when i place the foam and vinyl over it i still feel the rivets and the indent where the cover plate is. Are there any tips and tricks any of you have done to keep the rivets and recess from printing through? It would be nice not to feel these things. Photo attached of what I'm working with. Thank you, Tim
137528
D Stand
11-13-2020, 01:04 AM
FFMetal sells a solid replacement top with no holes. It is made out of thicker materials for $84.00. This should solve your problem. I have also heard guys changing to counter sunk rivets, add a filler panel, and a light coat of bondo before covering works too.
tbl100
11-13-2020, 01:16 AM
FFMetal sells a solid replacement top with no holes. It is made out of thicker materials for $84.00. This should solve your problem. I have also heard guys changing to counter sunk rivets, add a filler panel, and a light coat of bondo before covering works too.
Thanks. I'll check out FFMetal. Not sure about bondo and the special rivets. Thanks again.
i.e.427
11-13-2020, 02:20 AM
When we do a vinyl covered panel on the top of the trans tunnel it gets the F5R supplied top. The carpet gets lapped over the top of the tunnel an inch or so on each side and then a piece of hardboard (masonite) is cut to the same shape as the tunnel top. We attach automotive push fasteners that insert through drilled hole in the aluminum tunnel top to hold the cover to the aluminum. The hardboard cover get padding and vinyl. The automotive push fasteners allow the hardbord panel to be removable with no visible fasteners and make recovering the top a breeze when the vinyl wears out of becomes faded.
AC Bill
11-13-2020, 04:47 AM
I initially did my cover in vinyl, but had some issues with the adhesive I used, gassing up, and causing air pockets. I had to tear all off, and just used carpet.
Glad I did now, as I rest my right arm on the tunnel top sometimes, and in the heat of the summer sun, I think the vinyl would be to darn hot.
steno
11-13-2020, 10:07 AM
Keep your arm off of it if it’s sunny out!
CFranks
11-13-2020, 10:53 AM
Take a look at edwardb's 20th anniversary thread. He did something slick as usual that resolved this using the FFR supplied tunnel.
When I drilled my cover for the seat heater switches, I realized they were in the wrong location. I used a piece of aluminum on the back side and some flush-head rivets and a bit of body filler to repair the holes and retain a completely smooth top surface.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=84701&d=1524444230
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=84702&d=1524444238
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=84703&d=1524444246
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=84714&d=1524445005
tbl100
11-13-2020, 01:49 PM
When I drilled my cover for the seat heater switches, I realized they were in the wrong location. I used a piece of aluminum on the back side and some flush-head rivets and a bit of body filler to repair the holes and retain a completely smooth top surface.
I didn't know about flush blind rivets. The body filler looks like it worked well. Thank you.
Search for counter sink rivets. I think I got them on McMaster-Carr.
https://www.mcmaster.com/countersunk-head-rivets/aluminum-flush-mount-blind-rivets/
BEAR-AvHistory
11-13-2020, 02:53 PM
Haven't cut the vinyl for the stick yet. Its a little changed from the original. Did away with the blast gates on the footwell vents. Removed their pulls from the upper section & recovered it. Added two twin dual range outlet USB ports to the trans cover, Removed the small extinguisher bottle from the trans cover & mounted it on the rear bulkhead between the seats.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=137578&d=1605296381
Original top now covered with thin foam padding in a fabric store vinyl that matches the new dash which has donated FFR material on it.
JohnK
11-13-2020, 06:39 PM
Search for counter sink rivets. I think I got them on McMaster-Carr.
https://www.mcmaster.com/countersunk-head-rivets/aluminum-flush-mount-blind-rivets/
I have some of those rivets. They're a good solution to this problem but I found them to be very finicky to install. The head is tiny so they're super-sensitive to both the hole and the countersink being exactly the right size. Even a little too big and the rivet pulls right through.
tbl100
11-14-2020, 01:31 PM
Thanks for all the replies. I guess my solution was a combination of some. I decided to make a filler piece to fill the void and glued it to the cover piece that was riveted from the back side. Then i removed the rivets and glued the patch to the tunnel cover from the back side. Hope it stays put. Seems very strong. Thank you again for all the replies.
137691