VXs in Auto Italia

[Phbetavx]

Thanks for the recent positive comments, they are very much appreciated! I feel so passionately that all Betas are so under rated. I had to drive the Silver one today for a few miles to get petrol in it for a collector to view. Its is such a modern feeling car and what impresses so much is the engineering detial hidden behind the the trim.

I do have some spare trim parts that I am very happy to donate to fellow enthusiasts, Rossocorsa can you let me know exactly what you need for your seat backs and I can see if I can help.

Cheers,

Patrick
 

If I ever finish mine it will be easy to pick on as I'm not doing perfect or original.

As another VX saved and on the road.......it will be perfect

It will definitely not be perfect for a start my recaros have leather backs where someone in the past nicked the fabric to repair the bolsters........

parts

[rossocorsa]

Thanks Patrick

I have actually have plenty of new original fabric that I could get the seats reupholstered with but tbh the backs have been done so well in dark blue leather that as the car isn't all that original and money isn't abundant I'm inclined to leave them as is.

[Phbetavx]

No bother, just thought I would offer and I wasn't looking any money for them.

Sounds nice with the blue leather and hope to see photos sometime.

Cheers,

Patrick

[rossocorsa]

I was just thinking about the cost to get an upholsterer to do the job, the seats are in my spare bedroom so I'll take a pic.

[megaera]

Hi Patrick

Could I ask you a question......?

Did you get your door cards re-trimmed or re-covered? I am plodding through restoring my Coupe VX and - surprise - the backing on both my door cards has warped and partially collapsed. Also, the black vinyl has damage to the lower corners......

I would be very interested to hear if you restored yours - or were they in good condition and did not require any work?

Thanks!

[rossocorsa]

The seat backs, as you can see my memory is failing I think it is actually dark grey vinyl but nicely done so I'm unsure that is worth the effort to re do them. The rest of the seats are fairly good.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/z8J0GD0rIUo9BvN13

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2QBe5rxD9LIh9w1h2

[Phbetavx]

Good evening and thanks for the messages.

Regarding the door trims they were very good on the Silver car and pretty good on the Red car. As such the Silver one didn't need much, just one corner and I got good quality black vinyl trim material cut a small piece to size and used automotive trim glue to hold it place. Then the tricky bit using a burner to heat plastic covering on electrical connections flashed the flame over the join which mouldering it together - when I say carefully I mean carefully and resisted the temptation to over do it. It's about 90% there and as it is at the bottom of the door and looking for it you won't notice it.

On the Red car I got 2 mm pvc sheeting and used it to as a backing. Again automotive glue (not the spray stuff) it's in a tin and is seriously stringy, apply both services and then set weights on it for 24 hours. In places where the card had start to crumble I cut it very carefully and dropped in a new bit. The pvc board then held it all to together. Hope that helps!

The pics of the seats look great with the alternative backing, more impressive in the bases being as new.

Cheers,

Patrick

[rossocorsa]

The bases on my seats aren't quite perfect but I did find some parts of VX seats on eBay a while back and managed to replace one bolster cover from that. They are quite easy to take apart. I do have several metres of new cloth stashed but the problem with that is that the fabric fades quite badly so the new stuff looks really grey/black whereas the old is sort of dark grey/washed out grey-blue.

[megaera]

Good evening and thanks for the messages.

Regarding the door trims they were very good on the Silver car and pretty good on the Red car. As such the Silver one didn't need much, just one corner and I got good quality black vinyl trim material cut a small piece to size and used automotive trim glue to hold it place. Then the tricky bit using a burner to heat plastic covering on electrical connections flashed the flame over the join which mouldering it together - when I say carefully I mean carefully and resisted the temptation to over do it. It's about 90% there and as it is at the bottom of the door and looking for it you won't notice it.

On the Red car I got 2 mm pvc sheeting and used it to as a backing. Again automotive glue (not the spray stuff) it's in a tin and is seriously stringy, apply both services and then set weights on it for 24 hours. In places where the card had start to crumble I cut it very carefully and dropped in a new bit. The pvc board then held it all to together. Hope that helps!

The pics of the seats look great with the alternative backing, more impressive in the bases being as new.

Cheers,

Patrick

Thanks Patrick. Excellent information. Your re-working of the red car’s door cards sounds ingenious! I am resolved now to get on and have a go, using that method.

I have been procrastinating up to now, as I couldn’t see a suitable solution. Thank you!

[peteracs]

Good evening and thanks for the messages.

Regarding the door trims they were very good on the Silver car and pretty good on the Red car. As such the Silver one didn't need much, just one corner and I got good quality black vinyl trim material cut a small piece to size and used automotive trim glue to hold it place. Then the tricky bit using a burner to heat plastic covering on electrical connections flashed the flame over the join which mouldering it together - when I say carefully I mean carefully and resisted the temptation to over do it. It's about 90% there and as it is at the bottom of the door and looking for it you won't notice it.

On the Red car I got 2 mm pvc sheeting and used it to as a backing. Again automotive glue (not the spray stuff) it's in a tin and is seriously stringy, apply both services and then set weights on it for 24 hours. In places where the card had start to crumble I cut it very carefully and dropped in a new bit. The pvc board then held it all to together. Hope that helps!

The pics of the seats look great with the alternative backing, more impressive in the bases being as new.

Cheers,

Patrick

Thanks Patrick. Excellent information. Your re-working of the red car’s door cards sounds ingenious! I am resolved now to get on and have a go, using that method.

I have been procrastinating up to now, as I couldn’t see a suitable solution. Thank you!

Hi

I had a similar issue and used a solution of PVA and water to soak the area, then used some fabric which was originally intended as frost cover for plants, i.e. Soft and allows liquid between the weave and used it as you would fibre glassing, this left a hardened area but was not overly bulky and the soft fabric allowed for fitting to the contours. I guess the PVC gives it a waterproof layer as well if put on the door side.

Peter

[Phbetavx]

Hi Peter,

That is a clever idea as well! Excellent.

Patrick

[rossocorsa]

not used it on the door panels but sugru in black is good for repairing small cracks etc in the rear spoiler and similar, I don't know how durable it is but it looks the part. It's not very cheap unless on offer as each sachet contains only a small piece. It might repair small imperfections in the interior but I'm not sure if you could get the finish shiny enough.

https://sugru.com/buy?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8Niv257Q1gIV15MbCh0EogWXEAAYAiAAEgKYZPD_BwE#all

sometimes it's on a good offer on amazon, tbh I think it's over priced normally but I don't know of an alternative.

 

[Aitch]

Hope you guys have seen the Mailbox in this month's Auto Italia. If you make it over here, Patrick, you'll have to let me know and we'll get the two Strattons together! The red and the black would look fantastic together. H

[Phbetavx]

Good evening H, thank you for making contact and I was chuffed to read your letter to Autoitalia and see the pictures of you Black Stratton Beta VX! It looks fantastic,  the providence, its history being yours from new is increditable. It would be brilliant to get a picture of both together and I do plan to get over next year. I have 5 cars for sale at the moment with the plan to sell one of the VX's. However I am anticipating the standard Silver car will go first as was less to rebuild to new. That probably sounds strange but when I stripped the Silver engine the bottom end was close to new. The Red car showed sign of wear so the bottom end and top end where rebuilt. I had a deposit on the Red car but the guy ended up messing me about. Have a couple of collectors viewing later in the week. I keep saying it but the Beta in my humble opinion is hugely underrated. How can a car built 34 years ago drive like new! Similarly the Gamma, how can these fabulous cars be so under valued! Thankfully there are a few of us who get! Best wishes, Patrick