S2 door card fabric - refit

[Dave-hp]

Hi all, first post. I've a 2006 S2 Elise 111R, that I am looking to refit the fabric on the door card. The fabric has come loose, when I take the door card off, it looks like an age thing, in which the glue and 'sponge' backing has simply perished. I dont want to purchase new cards or pay for new ones, as I am keen to keep the car OEM, retaining the original fabric. 

Has anyone found that their fabric cards have come loose with age? Have you refitted the fabric?

The inner leather section behind the window winder is set in the card by 'fir tree' fasteners, which I am worried about busting, if they cannot be replaced from the inside. If I can get the inner card off, I can re-glue the fabric easier.

Has anyone else attempted this? Images show how the fabric has come loose, its tucked behind the inner card at the moment. Id like to glue it properly.

IMG_3897.HEIC IMG_3898.HEIC

[Dave-hp]

Lots of views, no replies!

Surely I cant have the only fabric door cards that are coming loose with age? No one else with this issue?

Can anyone confirm if the fasteners in the smaller inner card can be replaced easily?

[Dave-hp]

Here are the fasteners at the rear. If they break, anyone know if they can be swapped with new ones to the inner leather section?

Anyone replaced the fabric backing before, or re-stuck it? Im thinking contact adhesive....

IMG_3912.HEIC IMG_3911.HEIC

[Dave-hp]

How do you add photos to posts without having to Upload Download?

[Random]

Hi,

Ive got a 2010 S3 so i dont have this issue, but for the sake of replying to help. THe pics downloaded fine and took 2 seconds. So the pics aint an issue i dont think. Terms of your fix, maybe a local trimmer depending on your location maybe? I have heard good things about Allon White so might be a good point to call them?

[Dave-hp]

Cheers Random. Ive bought some new clips, so will wait for them to arrive and consider popping the middle card off, and see if I can get a contact adhesive to re-stick. Ive noticed when I get out I can catch the trim with my foot unless the door is open fully. Passenger side its less of an issue. 

I see Allon White do refurbs, but they do cost a bit. So will go for a re-glue for now and see how it goes.

[hoverdonkey]

On 19/03/2024 at 21:10, Dave-hp said:

Cheers Random. Ive bought some new clips, so will wait for them to arrive and consider popping the middle card off, and see if I can get a contact adhesive to re-stick. Ive noticed when I get out I can catch the trim with my foot unless the door is open fully. Passenger side its less of an issue. 

I see Allon White do refurbs, but they do cost a bit. So will go for a re-glue for now and see how it goes.

Hi

 

Did you get around to this yet?  I need to stick down the fabric on my 2007 S.

I am hoping you might please have advice on 2 things:

1 - Will the fabric-covered panel just pull off, or is it necessary to remove whole plastic trim (and push out the fir-tree clips from that side)? [EDIT].  I just have fabric on the central padded teardrop shaped panel (not the whole door trim like yours).  Do you think the central panel will just pull off, or is it necessary to remove the whole trim like you did (i.e. to push-out the fir tree clips from that side)?

2 - Did the clips survive, or did you need to use the new ones?  If so, where did you get them from?

 

Many thanks for any help

Oli

 

Edited April 29 by hoverdonkey
I have just seen OP's photos - my car is different

[Dave-hp]

8 hours ago, hoverdonkey said:

Hi

 

Did you get around to this yet?  I need to stick down the fabric on my 2007 S.

I am hoping you might please have advice on 2 things:

1 - Will the fabric-covered panel just pull off, or is it necessary to remove whole plastic trim (and push out the fir-tree clips from that side)? [EDIT].  I just have fabric on the central padded teardrop shaped panel (not the whole door trim like yours).  Do you think the central panel will just pull off, or is it necessary to remove the whole trim like you did (i.e. to push-out the fir tree clips from that side)?

2 - Did the clips survive, or did you need to use the new ones?  If so, where did you get them from?

 

Many thanks for any help

Oli

 

IMG_3934 2.HEICIMG_3935 2.HEICIMG_3936 2.HEICIMG_3937 2.HEICIMG_3938 2.HEICIMG_3947 2.HEIC

Hey Oli,

Yes I did.

I took the door trim off, the fabric below the teardrop was really loose, and lots around the edges. Teardrop was fine. To glue the fabric properly I had to get the Teardrops off. 

The teardrop has fir tree fasteners. Using some pliers I pinched the exposed fir bits at the back of the card, twisting it round as I went, and tucked my fingers in between the teardrop and the door card to generate some pressure. Wiggling the fir trees and pulling on the teardrop, I managed to get is off without damaging the clips. (See clip of back of the teardrop.) The fasteners had a small head that fitted in a larger hole and then slid behind a smaller one. (Img 3935) But as they all stayed intact, I didn't need to replace any. (Although half of 1 of the 5 got bust, but the rest of it went back in ok) 

Once the teardrops were off, I used a contact adhesive from a tin. I was going to use spray, but they go everywhere. So used a spreader. Once dry, stuck it all down and popped the Teardrop back on. Its all tight and solid now.

It looks like behind the fabric is a thin sponge backing, that gives it a bit of cushion, that one time degraded and perished. But gluing it back on has been fine. In places its a bit firmer, but at least not more flappy loose bits. 

So in short, only cost was glue. Retained the clips and material. See if you can wiggle the clips off without busting them. 

Hope it helps. 

Dave

[hoverdonkey]

On 29/04/2024 at 20:00, Dave-hp said:

IMG_3934 2.HEIC 1.31 MB · 3 downloads IMG_3935 2.HEIC 1.25 MB · 0 downloads IMG_3936 2.HEIC 1.45 MB · 0 downloads IMG_3937 2.HEIC 1.47 MB · 0 downloads IMG_3938 2.HEIC 1.9 MB · 0 downloads IMG_3947 2.HEIC 901.88 kB · 1 download

Hey Oli,

Yes I did.

I took the door trim off, the fabric below the teardrop was really loose, and lots around the edges. Teardrop was fine. To glue the fabric properly I had to get the Teardrops off. 

The teardrop has fir tree fasteners. Using some pliers I pinched the exposed fir bits at the back of the card, twisting it round as I went, and tucked my fingers in between the teardrop and the door card to generate some pressure. Wiggling the fir trees and pulling on the teardrop, I managed to get is off without damaging the clips. (See clip of back of the teardrop.) The fasteners had a small head that fitted in a larger hole and then slid behind a smaller one. (Img 3935) But as they all stayed intact, I didn't need to replace any. (Although half of 1 of the 5 got bust, but the rest of it went back in ok) 

Once the teardrops were off, I used a contact adhesive from a tin. I was going to use spray, but they go everywhere. So used a spreader. Once dry, stuck it all down and popped the Teardrop back on. Its all tight and solid now.

It looks like behind the fabric is a thin sponge backing, that gives it a bit of cushion, that one time degraded and perished. But gluing it back on has been fine. In places its a bit firmer, but at least not more flappy loose bits. 

So in short, only cost was glue. Retained the clips and material. See if you can wiggle the clips off without busting them. 

Hope it helps. 

Dave

Hi Dave

Glad to hear it went well for you, and many thanks for the tips, they're useful to be able to plan it better, knowing the whole door trim needs to come off.  I have had it off before when the window winding went wonkey(!) so I know it's a fairly easy job.  I might use spray glue, since I'm doing the teardrop, which will be off and away from everything else.

Thanks again

Oli