ALCANTARA dash trim for R34 GTR or 32/33.
Hi guys,
Had been in to this matter for some time now. I have a customer who is looking forward to purchase an R34 GTR and get done such a retrim. Unfortunately, he wants a very special tuned car and the right one hasn't poped up on the market here in japan, so couldn't start the retrim project.
Neverelss have spend 100s of houres thinking and planing a full cabin retrim for an R34 GTR and here are the notes I have gethered to this matter:
1) Research:
Before you run to the first retrim shop , just seat back and check out all the cars that have interior as yours, analyse pictures ! (similar in terms of dash/cabin composition, body, materials , size of panels )
I came to the conclusion that a F430 Sc. alcantara retrim would look the best on an R34 GTR, but you need to cover all grey plastic panels and bodies in the cabin , to make it look really top, I guess.
2) Cost:
Floking versus alcantara:
Floking is expensive if propery done and be aware that cheap materials will burn very quick when a cigarette or ashes get in contact. Also does cheap material floking smell very much like plastic.
Alcantara is the best way to go, as you can chose between fake and real Alcantara for cost matters. The GTRs (except the R33GTR) have not that many big curvy surfaces in the dash design, wich means that fake alcantara can be used (as it stretches not so well as real Alcantara, which I would recomand for an R33 GTR dash).
Anyway around, go to a shop that has experience with new age car dash retrims! Most of these companies do buisness with oldtimer cars, and that is a complete different matter and style of retrim! The cost for the workhoures to get a proper job done, is in most cases 40% of the complete price...so be aware of companies who offer you a full retrim for just 10% more over the material prices.
3) Exemples:
There have been very tasty retrims for Supras, Rx7s and NSXs. Thoses retrims are all , except for the NSX an overlayed alcantara leather, clued on the original OEM sky trim . The NSX uses real leather in some models and that leather can be removed and replaced by Alcantara and other Leathers as Nappa for exemple. . . all GTRs have fake leather sky.
The F430 and 599 use Alcantara in some models and obviously the shapes of these Ferrari dashes, combined with carbon fiber panels for the A/C, middle console ex . . . . are the cars to take as reference.
Here are some exemples :
here are custome RX7 and NSX interiors :
Also a good reference are the TAS 09 Mugen NSX Type-RR and Civic RR concept cars:
regards
Chris