side glass and rear deck fabric replacement project

I've decided to just dive in and go for it on this rear deck fabric replacement project on my 308 QV. I will post pictures along the way of this project for future reference since to date I've not found any on line. To start with, these are the things I believe will need to be done to finish this project:

Find/purchase replacement fabric
Remove the side rear glass and rubber seals
Drill out the rivets holding the fabric covered panels
Re-cover the panels and reinstall
Re-install the glass windows

Everything on the list looks like it will be pretty easy. I've already started the process as follows:
Yesterday I found some fabric that is really close to the original color and pattern for $35/yd (as opposed to $190 for the "real" stuff on line). Since my car is a daily driver and not a primo garage queen, I'm happy with the match. One yard looks like it will be enough for everything except the targe headliner, which on mine is still in decent shape. I'll get more fabric (again one yard should do it) and do the targa panels next year............ maybe.
Last night I got the side glass out and cleaned up the rubber seal and glass for re-use. The glass came out easier than I expected, beginning by folding back the interior side of the rubber at the front bottom corner and pressing (first with my thumb then with my palm) against the glass and working the seal outward around the glass very slowly but with force. No glass breakage either!! It took about 30 seconds for each side.
Next I drilled out the 4 rivets holding the right deck and small rear panels and stripped off the old fabric. The two aluminum panels I've removed look great. The body flange that holds the rubber seal has some minimal rust which I will treat and repaint before re-insallation.

Tonight I will begin the recovering of the two panels and establish a technique for doing so. Though I've never done this, I'm having a blast!!

More to come soon.
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Hmmmm.... Paul, I may have a problem here. I see no shield there in my engine bay. I don't recall seeing anything in other car pictures but I've never looked closely either. This is my first Ferrari and I've only had it since April. Do you have pictures what it's suppose to look like? How does it mount?
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I just checked my profile and it does indicate my car as a Euro. Where did you look and not see this?

Thanks for the insight on US vs. Euros Verell. Yet another piece of data to add to what I have been enjoying finding out about these cars.

thank you,


bob r.

 

This post was meant to report my interior fabric recovering project but most of the pictures and talk has been diverted to my other post in this section about "how to remove the side glass".

I'll try to post new info here but check both if interested in this subject - or PM me. Attached are some new progress shots from this past weekend.


Bob R.
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Yes Tommy, it is very close. From 5-10 feet away I doubt anyone would notice the difference if I did not say anything. I got it at a local fabric store here in West Los Angeles. The material is actually made by "Sunbrella". It's $35/sqyd here. 1 yard is plenty for my six rear deck area pieces. I'll need 2/3 more yard to do my targa headliner, which I plan to do later.

It's tough stuff as it feels a bit "tempered" (like fiberglass resin cloth) when using scissors on it. It was the closest thing I could find to my old original fabric. On line I think I could have found the exact pattern/color at one of the F parts sites but I could never see a picture to confirm a match and the costs quotes per yard were more like $180/sqyd. My car is a weekly driver and I'm not entering it in any concours shows. So 90% authentic will be just fine for me on some items such as this fabric. Besides, it's actually quite easy to recover down the road for anyone who will really care in the future.

I'll post finish pictures soon. I should be done with this project by Thanksgiving weekend.

 

The fabric recovering was done last weekend and this weekend I finished the re-installation. The part I really was initially worried about turned out to be the easiest - re-installing the side glass windows. The string method worked perfectly. What also helped was that I applied a rubber cleaner/dressing to the original seals while they were out which made them look as new. Since my car had been repainted sometime back in its early life, I took the opportunity to clean off all the red and black overspray because of the painter who was too lazy to remove the glass. Additionally, the aluminum headliner panel was not a great fit before this project so I was able to hammer it into better form to allow for a better fit and smoother reinstallation. All-in all, this whole project turned out easier that I first expected. In hindsight, I believe someone could do the whole thing in about two to three days. But the learning curve for this first time took me about double that -about three weekends. The only glass I did not have to deal with was the rear window.

Before and after pictures are attached.
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The finished interior looked so good next to my "old" targa top I purchased more sunbrella material this past week. I'll attack the top next summer when I don't need to keep the top on while driving!

 

Yes, it's great! My next project will be the door window motors, pullys, new felt channel and clean off the glass of more red overspray from an old repaint. Both are almost 99% "dead". I also purchased some new glass guide runners from a local wholesale glass supplier which is not exact but very close and looks like it will work perfectly in the channels - two 8' pieces for less than $35 including shipping. On line prices for "Ferrari" channel were over $120 for the four pieces. My old channel is hard as a rock and brittle. I suspect they are applying lots of resistance to the up and down glass motion.

I'm also putting a new plastic lense on my clock.

Fun, fun, fun!
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What you have to do is carefully pry away the chrome flange that wraps around the back edge of the body's rim. I used a small flat blade jeweler's screw driver and just took my time. The chrome trim is actually aluminum, so it is soft enough to do this. Just be careful not to kink or deform the (chrome) trim - especially viewed from the front. A little of the trim edge does get rough but it will be hidden by the leather panel upon installation in the console.

Good luck!
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Hi Charles,

I'm a contractor so I always seem to find tools in my "stash" that work for this hobby of ours. I cut the plastic using my drill press on slow speed and my 2" hole saw - with the pilot bit removed. Slow speed so you don't heat up and melt the plastic.
Turns out the inside diameter of a 2" hole saw (1 7/8") is just about perfect. The smaller 1/8" hole was tricker in that you have feed the bit slowly to be careful not to (again) melt or crack the plastic so close to the edge. I got the plastic from a photo shop which had a clear acrylic picture frame of perfect thickness for $2.95. I made a spare lense just in case it gets scratched in the future.

Regards,


Bob R.
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Charles,

Your speaker panel looks slick. What size speakers will it allow? Do you have any pictures with speakers in it?

Where would someone put a sub-woofer in a 308?