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Watch Clark’s Corvair Parts Emboss Panels

September 19, 2016 By Tech Help

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Clark's Corvair Parts

You’ve seen door panels for classic cars with extravagant patterns that are embossed rather than stitched, but have you ever wondered how they’re made? Take a behind-the-scenes look at the process known as dielectric embossing.

In an episode of Velocity’s hit TV show “Wheeler Dealers,” host Mike Brewer visits Clark’s Corvair Parts in Shellburne Falls, Massachusetts, to pick some much needed interior components for a 1963 Corvair he and his partner Edd China are restoring. While there, Cal Clark, co-owner and operator of the company, creates the door panels for Mike’s project car while showing him step-by-step how it’s done.

The process is really interesting. First, a special cardboard with a vinyl coating is compressed over top a steel-ruled die pattern, cutting the board to the exact dimensions needed. Second, the freshly cut board is covered in vinyl and foam. Third, the covered board is placed in a giant machine called a dielectric embosser, which, through microwaves, melts the foam to bond the vinyl to the board and embosses the desired pattern. Moments later, the finished door panel is removed from the machine looking good as new.

The process is quite impressive and surprisingly fast. It just goes to show what can be done with the appropriate equipment and tools.

To see the finished product and watch the rest of “Wheeler Dealers” series 13, episode 6, click here. The interior portion runs from 18:06 – 21:55.

To learn more about Clark’s Corvair Parts, visit Corvair.com or take this video tour of their upholstery shop.

Filed Under: Archive, Interesting Read Tagged With: 1963 Chevrolet Corvair, Auto Trim, Auto Upholstery, Car Interior, Chevrolet Corvair, Door Panels

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marcello S says

    April 30, 2018 at 3:12 pm

    Hello Clark
    Where can I find this special foam??

  2. rita rita says

    July 24, 2019 at 6:50 am

    Dear Sir /Madam,

    This is Rita from SIKOPOLYMERS, we learned that your company from website, so glad to contact with you.

    We are one of the leading manufacturers of engineering plastics and high special plastics in China, such as PA6/PA66 /PPO/PPS/PPA /PBT/PC/PP/ABS/PA46/PA612 and so on. Based on 12 years experience in R&D+manufacture, we’ll try our best to meet your needs.

    We learn that your company in plastic material, we can recommend you our plastic products. We can also customize according to your needs. To check the best price for you, it will be highly appreciated if you could inform us some more information like color, quantity and datasheet. Thanks advanced!
    Base on your feedback, we will check and support you in the first time.
    So looking forward to your kindly reply!
    Best regards,
    Rita

    • John Salmon says

      August 12, 2021 at 8:35 am

      Rita — What is your Email address – I would like to get in contact with you about this special foam

  3. David says

    April 20, 2022 at 12:13 pm

    I would advise you to improve your car only with highly qualified specialists. Buy muffler from trusted places and if possible from manufacturer’s official resellers, I found muffler manufacturers here. Only here you can be sure that you will not be sold a fake.

  4. Polly says

    December 17, 2022 at 6:07 am

    I think everyone knows that CNC machines in this case are the best solution both for the manufacture of piece parts and for mass production. Here https://machiningtoday.com/ you can learn more about similar services from the best manufacturer

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