93 Carriage Top Problem

[Rob Bruining #12428]

The back door interior window trim panel on our 93 DeVille with the ASC carriage top started to show middle age sag lately. I pulled the panel off the window and seperated the cloth covering from the foam and backer. The foam was really deterioated and actually gummy to the touch. My questions are:1. Should I proceed to repair it myself or go to a upholstery shop and have them do it? 2.If I do it myself what kind of foam do I use (thickness etc.)? What technique do I use with the adhesive? Any knowledgable advice would be grately appreciated!   Rob

[Bruce Reynolds # 18992]

Gday Rob,

One of the biggest problems with the manufacturers trying to short-cut things by using new-fangled methods (Read as not tested for long enough), is the deterioration of the substrate.   That is the foam padding.

I am of the opinion that the only way to fix it is to remove all the degraded foam, re-install new and then re-install the covering.

The only way to reinstall new foam is to use a spray-on contact adhesive that doesnt attack the foam, and the same goes for the cloth covering.

The other way is to take the car to an upholstery shop and let them tackle the problem.

Using the total foam covering allowed the manufacturers to cut out the need for bows which also cut costs.   Once the car was out of warranty, it wasnt a problem.   Plus, the use of foam also increased the chance of rusting from the inside as the air couldnt circulate and the condensation just went to work on the steel.   Hey, but it sells more new cars as people dont like it when the interior collapses.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV