ARM RESTING

For some while I have been cutting lengths of 22mm pipe insulation to make arm rests for Marjorie. Good thing that they are only 92p for a metre length as it has taken four goes to get the right fit, that is, tucking in neatly at the front end and slipping in at the side of the back rest.

Having got them carved correctly, it was time to cover them and a metre of black leatherette fabric was ordered from an EBay supplier.

I covered the drivers side first, I used spray on impact adhesive to wrap the fabric around the foam, having first checked on an off-cut that the glue didn't melt the foam, I then trimmed and stuck down the ends by brushing on the adhesive and the finished item looked good, that was until I fitted it on the car. As I spread the foam roll to go over the side rail a large, irregular ridge of loose leatherette appeared along the top, disappointing!

OK, so it would probably be best to glue the fabric onto the foam with it in place on the car. With the fabric cut for the passenger side and lots of masking off, the glue was sprayed  and the fabric applied and smoothed down. I waited fifteen minutes or so before I removed the foam from the side of the car and then I sprayed the remainder of foam and fabric and tucked the fabric around all of the edges.

When I fitted the finished passenger side arm rest it looked just perfect, no wrinkles and neatly filled the gaps fore and aft. I am going to have to lash out another 92p for one more length of foam pipe insulation, at least I have got plenty of black leatherette fabric left over, but I am going to have to redo the drivers side.

There is a small quadrant of exposed fiber glass at each end of the dash board, above the new armrest, that still needs to be filled and I will cut a thin piece of board to fit this area and wrap it in the leather cloth to neatly trim this area.

Other jobs to be done, is to start preparing Marjorie for the MSVA test by removing all the bits and bobs, such as, spot light, honky horn and eagle mascot and fit the bull bars to the front.