How to re-cover a center storage box

[dguy]

There appears to be a cure for vinyl shrinkage and adhesive failure with these things.   It's called do-it-yourself leather.    

First, we used the techniques listed here to clean & re-create the squishy layer between the outer cover, and the storage box's door.  The only part of the original vinyl cover which was kept, was the area directly behind the latch handle; polyurethane adhesive was used to glue the vinyl to the door.

(the silver shiney stuff is run-of-the-mill carpet undermat, about ¼" thick)

[dguy]

Next, a series of 1/16" holes were drilled through the raised lip on the back of the board, on all four sides.

[dguy]

Now start sewing, and trimming the edge of the leather to the same height as the raised edge on the back of the door as you go.

[dguy]

Two edges complete...

[dguy]

A close-up of one of the corners.

The corners are the top of the door require longer holes than the corners at the bottom, thanks to the presence of some mysterious plastic "blocks".

[dguy]

A test fit, to make sure that the corners had been smushed in enough to not bind against the rest of the console.

[dguy]

The next trick was to cut out the area around the latch.  A border of the same size & shape as the hood ornament was cut out to disguise the seam between the vinyl & the leather, and glued on with fabric cement.

[dguy]

All done!  

[2ML67]

Not trying to be a smart ass but myself I would of just gotten another from wreckers and dyed if necessary.

[Kevin]

  Coool!, Did you make the armrest cover yourself as well? One of those would cover the split I have in mine nicely.

[Kitten]

 Coool!, Did you make the armrest cover yourself as well? One of those would cover the split I have in mine nicely.

The armrest cover came from MrMikes (http://www.mrmikes.com/).  That's where we got the piece of leather to cover the storage box too

-S