installing skins vs shop
 

Ok guys need an opinion. Running through some options on interior and this is a wee bit beyond me. Right now have a good price for skins. Which btw I can not say enough good about Jim at Viper. He has been fantastic to work with so far with options, getting me tedious quotes, and answering my assault of rediculous questions.

So how difficult is the installation of the skins and has anyone opted to have a local shop install someone elses skins in their boat. My problem is the logistics of getting a boat 8 hours down the road and then returning the next week to pick it up. Lots of gas burned on top of having it done.

Any local upholsterer can do the install job. Personally, I'd rather have a pro do it, because I know if I did it that I would notice every wrinkle or loose spot and it would drive me crazy. That said, the job is not tough and can be made easier by letting the vinyl warm up out in the sun and using a steamer to make it nice and supple and to get any wrinkles out.

^^+1 - installing upholstery is a somewhere between a skill and art. The guys like at Viper have true feel for what the skin is doing and can see in their minds eye ... like guys who install vehicle wraps...they only like one type of vinyl and laminate...cuz they know how it will behave. Also it depends where you are on the MCOCD scale...

^yea I'm in the same boat but right now I'm looking at a G spot (gas etc) and 32 hours of road time to get the skins installed at Viper. I feel the price he's offered is fair for install (not a grand) but after thinking about it 800 miles of trailering the boat and 1600 total miles at 3.30 a gallon would be brutal to swallow (13.5 avg mpg and 8 with the boat). Would equal 490+bucks in gas and the 32 hours of lost time

what about drop shipping it all?

If you were doing an 85 MC I would say knock your socks off. Easy,breezy,japanesey. Just a bunch of square shapes. Newer boats have alot of wrap around bolsters,pleats and curves. Lots of streching,pulling,steaming, etc. I restored an 04' LXi and farmed out all the tough pieces and glad I did. Unfortunately I did go thru one upholsterer before I found a good one. First guy did the wrap around back seat, came back with some wrinkles he refused to fix, the next guy was a local latino, didn't speak a lick of english. Fixed the back seat and did all the other complicated stuff. I did all the straight up square stuff; rear trunk, motor box and all seating cushions. Do you have any local guys you can feel out?

What he said; why couldn't you remove the cushions and build a crate for them? Ship them to Viper and let him ship them back.

I'm thinking that someone on here did just that.

Someone did. Can't find the thread.

Crate it up and uship it!

I can't imagine the shipping on sending the entire interior. WIll look into it though lol

Now who wants to help me with the interior colors/design? haha

Me/girly are on polar opposite ends of the earth on ideas.