Hi. My car is a 1995 with a very nice clean interior except this in video. I do no want to attempt to correct until I truly know a solution I wouldn’t want to damage it.
Hi. My car is a 1995 with a very nice clean interior except this in video. I do no want to attempt to correct until I truly know a solution I wouldn’t want to damage it.
Hi Mike
This is becoming a common problem. I have a solution but I am not 100% satisfied with the final finnish at this time. I have also tried some of the fixes that have been suggested by others but ended up with terrible outcomes. Be assured that I will do a final video in the future with perfect or near perfect results.
2 Likes
Thanks Joe very much.
I’ve got the same problem so I will look forward to your video Joe
I’ve got the same problem as well with 2 of my 8 Stealth R/T TT’s. Very anxious to see how this can be fixed!
Is the bulge soft or is it solid??
soft as if it separated and air is underneath
soft as if it separated and air is underneath
Have not dealt with the rear quarter yet. Have tried removing and gluing with multiple varieties but nothing has worked. currently my best solution at least for the doors was stapling at the crease of the arm rest and then covering with red 7/16" moulding. Have uploaded some pics. I believe with a little more practice this can be a viable option not for the doors but also the quarters… I can go in more details if anyone is interested.
I have the same problem on the drivers door. The passenger side is fine.
It is worth reading the previous posts. A professional interior fitter may also have some ideas. I have spoken to manufacturers and this is not as easy as you might think to solve. I am working on solutions but very busy at the moment. I would say that once the vinyl has been punctured, it is not likely that it will be possible to repair to original condition.
I have taken these panels to multiple auto interior shops. All give the same answer, not repairable. appears that the vinyl was vacuum pressed and glued onto the panel using industrial/manufacturing machines. I found at one time a Calif shop that look like they did this but i didn’t make note of the you tube video and can not re-locate. I would have loved to avoid the method I used, but short of a MNO (money no object) restoration, I figure it would have to do. sometimes you just can’t get back to OEM. 
I have the same problem with my passenger side interior panels. I was thinking about a solution and I am trying to fix it… now I have done a heavy inverted cement mold of the armrest part, just to place over the leather when is glued (spray contact glue) and to get a perfect and homogeneus union (in theory, over paper). I want to use the same poly leather, if doesn’t work I will try with new leather.
I took my door panels with the same issue too an auto upholstery who stitched in sobre leather. Very nice job.
saving up to do the rest of the interior, especially the driver seat.
1 Like
What causes this problem in the first place, my 93 car (been in UK since 2001) doesn’t have any sings of the problem !
This is only a guess and I could be completely wrong but I think it is to do with the type of cleaner that is used to clean the panels or lack of cleaning completely. It seems that the bonding glue goes tacky in patches and looses its bonding. I think that this is caused by a reaction with the cleaning chemical that has penetrated the vinyl. This allows a pocket of air to form and when the car is left out in the sun, the pocket of air expands and creates a bubble. Once the bubble has formed, more air is drawn in and more air means more expansion of the bubble and so the cycle continues. While the original manufacturing process was quite simple on an industrial scale, it is far more difficult to repair on a domestic level. Contact adhesives won’t give a long term fix and superglue will make the vinyl go hard.
The video for repair will be done as soon as I can find time but please be patient.
2 Likes
That makes sense. Years ago I used a product on my Rx7 dash and a short while later it cracked.
The worst part is when the car is in the sun, it off gasses and fogs up the windshield.
1 Like
I’ve imagined different solutions working them out I’m in my minds eye but will not try until I’m sure I will not ruin my panels. If I hear of any possible ways to correct it I’ll pass in on. Btw I watched your latest video on gasket replacement and now I feel I have the courage to take it on. I have no leak but wanted to paint it but hearing you mention powder coating is the way to go I’ll research any places here. Thanks
Sounds like a good idea let me know how it turns out