i was thinking of how a sheet metal headliner and door panels would loook in an 86 firebird s/e? and im wondering if anyone has done it before or can photoshop some pics? also i was wondering if a 1995 z28 center console will fit in my bird

Unless you're going to attempt to use stainless or aluminum it's not going to look much different than any other interior.

You can't leave mild steel in its bare form or you're gonna have rust coming down on your head. It's gonna have to be covered, or painted. In either case you can get the same results using other materials. You can fiberglass over an existing headliner and paint it. You can recover an existing headliner.

If you're just gonna do a big stainless or aluminum panel it's gonna look pretty lame unless you do something interesting with it like stamp a design into it or something.

Mathius

ok thanks alot i never thught about the rust factor and i was going to stamp something into it but i just dont know what yet so it would be rigid and not flimsy. and i was also thinking copper to give it a unique color

Copper won't technically "rust", but it oxidizes just the same, which will form a green film, usually known as patina.

In other words, your interior will eventually look like the statue of liberty.

It just so happens that coincidently I was perusing an airbrush forum today and happened upon a post where they were talking about coatings over bare metal. One guy posted this link, but he was just researching and didn't actually know anything about the company.

Use this at your own risk: http://www.finish1.com/page_products_primers.htm

Here's the airbrushing discussion if you want to stay posted to the whole conversation: http://airbrush.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=386927

I would either wait, and see what that guy gets for results, or contact the company yourself and find out more about it. Or both.

Mathius

Nobody ever thinks they are going to get into an accident. But I know if it was me I'd rather have cardboard, foam, and fabric pushed into my legs or head, then sheet metal. Just something to think about.

Dude, I got news for you... you get into an accident that's harsh enough to crush the roof down on you? That headliner isn't going to protect much.

Mathius

If given the choice between of cutting cut, between bare metal & ANYTHING covering it...I'll take the covering.

It's cool. Your neck will be broken, but at least you won't bleed from it.

Mathius

What about the door panels? Hows that piece of metal cutting thru your leg going to feel.

Not every accident means you die. The interior gets pushed around quite a bit when you get t-boned.

Go nuts, just trying to give you something to think about. People just assume they will never get into an accident.

But below the level of broken body parts injuries, I'll take friction burns from fabric, over sheet metal slices & blood loss.

I'm still trying to figure out how I get into an accident bad enough to crumple a door or a roof to bring those things close enough to my skin where I'm not already seriously f*cked.

Unless you guys just have something against seat belts.

If there were some sharp contours in his design I could see the concern, but you guys are talking about a case where the metal would have to be literally torn open to cut you, and he'd have to use something like 18gauge or thicker to give you a bruise, which would be overkill for at trim panel.

Mathius

ok well beside the accident factors, im wondering if it would actually be possible for the average person to do in his driveway. and also if it would warp under the heat and sunshine of summer

The sun isn't hot enough to warp sheet metal. You will however have a burn risk when the metal heats up. (burning your skin). Yes, the fabrication could be done in your driveway. I don't know about the "average" person. Most people I know don't work with metal anymore. It's becoming a lost art. Most people I know pay someone else to do it, or just buy a new panel.

Mathius

ok cool and im thinking its shouldnt be that difficult, but i could be mistaking. And the whole burn thing is a negitive. i might just cover from the armrest up in vinal and how would the top piece of the door panel work (the black trim piece at the top of the door) with sheet metal, would i need it