DIY: Interior Carbon Fibre Wrap-up incl. removal process

[ABS]

The wait is over my CG/CH/Evo 7-9 friends. This is the highly anticipated DIY that some CH owners requested on here. It has been 3-4 months in the making (partly due to laziness) but I eventually got here in the end, well for now at least.

Using the carbon fibre adhesive requires time and extreme patience to get it at least 90% perfect and make it look seemless. I worked on it on and off, wrapping single interior plastic parts at a time.

The following parts were wrapped:

• 
  * Center (LHS) dash air vent housing (MOST AESTHETICALLY REWARDING)
  * RHS dash power mirror/fog light switch housing (MOST AESTHETICALLY REWARDING)
  * All 4 power window housings (MOST TIME CONSUMING and ANNOYING)
  * Ashtray lid (MOST SIMPLISTIC)
  * Gear console surround (MOST DIFFICULT)

The following parts are pending:

• Cluster background
  Other interior plastics upon a second opinion

Materials
- 1 metre ruler
- scissors
- masking tape
- lint free cloth
- hair dryer or heat gun
- pencil
- sharp blade similar to a Stanley knife
- a trusty bank card or similar
- a flat surface
- carbon fibre wrap (3M is probably the best but I got 1.5x1m roll off eBay for $25)

To make the DIY look as clean and as easy to read, a new post will be created for each part.


For fully fitted pictures click here.

Feel free to ask questions below otherwise Good Luck and Happy DIYing. :thumbup:

 

[ABS]

Method for 'LHS Center dash piece'

There are various CH interior removal guides here on AL but I made my own.

• 
  Step 1. Using your hands, pull out the 3 knobs located on the A/C controls.
  
  
  
  
  Step 2. Remove the the two screws (see red circles below)
  
  
  
  
  Step 3. Use the interior spaces revealed from removing the knobs to slowly pull out the panel and put this aside. There are a number of clips holding this in. You may need to disconnect the headunit wiring depending on how it is setup.
  
  Step 4. Remove the two screws holding the center dash piece
  
  
  
  
  Step 5. Use a flat head (-) screwdriver to slowly lift out the clips holding the rest of the center dash piece. Eventually with a bit of force the last few should pop out.
  
  You also need to loosen the LHS of the speedo frame like so:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Step 6. The center dash piece is attached to the center air vents which can be either removed entirely from the unit which is what I did or by disconnecting the connector. I just removed the four screws found on each air vent (see below).
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  It should look this afterwards
  
  
  
  
  Step 7. Now on to the good stuff. Lay out your center dash piece on top of the carbon wrap and mark out a reasonable size, allowing extra wrap to stick out.
  
  
  
  
  Step 8. Cut this out using the scissors and lay it upside down on the peel-off side of the wrap (as if you were looking at the finished from the front). Place small pieces of masking tape around one half the piece stays in one place.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Step 9. Now peel off the wrap from the other half..
  
  
  
  
  ..cut off the excess white adhesive paper and work your work from the center towards the edges. Use the card to eliminate air bubbles and a heat source to soften and stretch the wrap..
  
  
  
  
  One half should look this
  
  
  
  
  Step 9. Do the same to the other side by working from the center and covering all areas including the space for the air vents.
  
  
  
  
  Step 10. Cut out a decent sized hole using the blades with extra wrap for a bit of nip and tuck
  
  
  
  
  Step 11. Nip and Tuck the excess by folding them back and snipping off as required.
  
  The final product
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Step 12. Follow steps 1-6 in reverse to fit the center dash piece back. The rest should just clip back in.
  
  Start with the RHS and tuck it behind the speedo frame.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

 

[ABS]

Method for 'RHS Center dash piece'

The removal steps (havent taken photos) are simple.
Step 1. Similar to before, this time remove the upper RHS screw of the speedo.
Step 2. Use a flat head screw driver to prod into the RHS power mirror/fog light switch housing and lift out slowly.

DONE!!

The wrapping steps for this are very similar to the above DIY and much easier.

To summarise:
Step 1. Cut out a reasonable size of carbon fibre wrap.
Step 2. THIS time start with the edge and work your way in as you are wrapping (ideal for small pieces)

Eventually it will look like this:

Step 3. Cut out the spaces/holes for the switches and nip/tuck the excess wrap.

The finished product...

 

[ABS]

Method for 'FRONT Power Window Housings'
The front housings are simple to remove used a screw driver whereas the rear housings require removal of the entire door trim as you will see.

Step 1. Squeeze a flat head screwdriver underneath the housing. Lift up the front half slowly and slide it forwards to lift up the entire unit.

Step 2. As the power window switch is attached to the housing, you'll need to remove the two screws / connector as highlight below.

The front drivers master power window control housing uses the SAME REMOVAL PROCESS AS ABOVE.

Now the actual carbon fibre wrapping process is not much different to wrapping the other parts above. Below are the steps for both front power window housings, joined together.

Step 3. Lay the housing on a full size wrap and cut according to size, allowing room for excess.

Step 4. Tape down the piece to the back of the wrap

Step 5. This is a small-medium sized interior part so you can either start wrapping from the middle outwards or from the edge outwards. I started from the edge and used a card to ensure smoothness.

Step 6. Nip and tuck the excess!

Step 7. Follow Steps 1 and 2 in reverse to re-install the pieces.

The finished products...

 

[ABS]

Method for 'REAR Power Window Housings'
The process of carbon fibre wrapping the rear power window housings are a pain in the ass as you need to remove the entire door trims.

DO NOT ATTEMPT WHAT IS SEEN IN THE FOLLOWING IMAGE:

Why you may ask? Well its due to the rear housings being held by a screw from inside the door trim which is only accessible once you remove it. I came out of this process $30 poorer as I snapped the plastic housing from using a screw driver and some unecessary force

So follow these steps to remove the door trim. I have only highlighted the LHS door but the process is the same for the RHS.
Step 1. First, partially pull out the plastic cover hiding the screw for the door handle housing. Remove the screw the slide out the housing away to the right.

Step 2. Also partially pull out the covers hiding the other screws around the door trim (about 2-3, the rest are clips)

Step 3. Start from the bottom of the trim where ever you can fit your fingers through and slowly pull out the trim with the attached clips.

Step 4. Once all clips are out, the only thing holding the door trim in place is the long hook-like piece sitting on top of the metal.

To remove this, put your hand inside the door handle space and simply lift it up and out.

Step 5. Now just remove the power window connector / attached screws and you can seperate the door trim.

Step 6. Now onto the wrapping...
Now that you're familar with using carbon fibre wrap, this is one of easiest parts to wrap up. So simple that I can explain with pictures from half-way .

The finished product...

Step 7. To replace the door trims, follow steps 1-5 in reverse. Some pictures are provided below:

 

[ABS]

Method for 'Gear Console surrounding and ashtray'
Whilst wrapping the ashtray might be simple, the gear console surround is the most difficult to get at least 99% perfect (I had to do it twice). The following steps are the same for both Manual and Automatic.

Step 1. Remove the ashtray (and wrap in carbon fibre wrap when ever) and cigarette lighter.

Step 2. Cleanse your mind before reading this step :why:. Using the opening of the ashtray, place fingers inside and pull out the upper half of the gear console surround (starting from the upper RHS).

Step 3. Once again, it might be best to start from the middle and work your way outwards when wrapping. However I started on either ends (on both attempts) and got there eventually. It is important to use your fingers and a heat source to smoothly shape the linings of the console surround.

Half-way point (bit of a disaster)...

Step 4. Nip and tuck all the excess from the edges as required.

Step 5. I didnt take photos but getting the CF wrap inside the cigarette lighter area is bit of a challenge and cannot be done at once. So cut through the opening by slicing in to triangles from the centre outwards and stick flappy ends down.

To fully cover that area in CF wrap, the only way is to get a small piece of wrap and stick it into the enclosure bit by bit. Then trim the excess off.

Step 6. Follow the first half of Step 5 in order to make an opening for the gear shifter and you're all good to go :thumbup:

The finished product....

...fitted.

 

[magnats]

nice work. even like the pic about the rear switch as they are easy to break.

 

[ABS]

nice work. even like the pic about the rear switch as they are easy to break.

haha thanks man. Someone had to do it. I learnt from my mistakes. :lol:

 

[magnats]

I have done the same thing so your not alone. I have a new switch to put in but yet to do it.

 

[cesario]

mate, this is an epic DIY
and the finished product came up mint!
great work!

 

[Res]

good diy is good, hopefully it inspires others

 

[ABS]

Thanks guys. As they say, good things take time

 

[stillstanding45]

Great DIY here, will come in very handy

 

[jvisaac]

can we get a full pic of your interior? looks great! and are you happy with the quality or CF wrap? Could you post the ebay link of the one you used? thanks

 

[miss_hendo]

Awesome DIY
I have a spare set of CH Lancer electric window switches in case anyone accidently brakes them

 

[ABS]

can we get a full pic of your interior? looks great! and are you happy with the quality or CF wrap? Could you post the ebay link of the one you used? thanks

Yeah sure; I posted some on my Ride Thread this morning. I can take more photos if you like?

The CF wrap itself is a 3D type and not glossy so you can actually feel the threads woven together. Overall, though I would've preferred the glossy type, this does the job right as it looks more realistic plus the sun gives it a glossy shine as you can see in some pics.

The link is: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... TQ:AU:1123

 

[ABS]

Great DIY here, will come in very handy

Thank you. Glad to hear it's inspiring others.

 

[ABS]

Awesome DIY
I have a spare set of CH Lancer electric window switches in case anyone accidently brakes them

Thanks. Wish I had known you were wrecking CH's earlier. This would've saved me the 50km trip to Ingleburn to get my replacement switch. haha anyway its cool. Everything is working now and I am happy with how the CF wrapping process turned out. :thumbup:

 

[jvisaac]

can we get a full pic of your interior? looks great! and are you happy with the quality or CF wrap? Could you post the ebay link of the one you used? thanks

Yeah sure; I posted some on my Ride Thread this morning. I can take more photos if you like?

The CF wrap itself is a 3D type and not glossy so you can actually feel the threads woven together. Overall, though I would've preferred the glossy type, this does the job right as it looks more realistic plus the sun gives it a glossy shine as you can see in some pics.

The link is: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... TQ:AU:1123

cool and thanks!

 

[ABS]

I think this deserves its own post.....
Just wanted to thank Christine for the 'RHS dash power mirror/fog light switch housing'. It was mint looking in fresh black paint until I covered it it CF wrap.