Hello all,
Been a little quiet on these pages recently whilst concentrating my time with family and friends but can promise you that the work involving getting this beautiful A2 ready for commuting have since started. You'll notice form the pictures within Post #13 & 14 that the interior was a 2-tone Swing and Soul scheme. This has been adjusted over the last few days.
The works completed so far is to completely remove the Swing element to replace it with Soul. Some pictures below with more to follow but the task included swapping the following items (in no particular order):
1. Glovebox
2. Lower drivers side dashboard trim panel (which houses the fuse box cover)
3. Centre console to a Double DIN variant for a handbrake tray
4. Footrest along with both front carpets
4. All 4 door seals
5. Both front door interior sill trim panels
5. Both upper and lower B Pillar trim panels
6. Both rear door interior sill trim panels
7. Rear carpet
8. Both C Pillar trim panels
9. Luggage space carpet and associated trim items
10. False Floor (whilst there I added twin luggage space illumination and 12v socket
11. Luggage space rear trim panel (added the rubber stowage strap)
12. Luggage space load cover
13. Rear screen fabric trim panels
Basically every Swing item has been replaced for a Soul variant. A darker interior within this stunningly coloured exterior works quite well to my eyes. Very happy with the outcome so far, its taken a few hours (probably around 6 hours and plenty of knuckle rash).
Whilst the centre console was off I drilled 2x 4.5mm holes (tapped out to 6mm) just above the VIN plate below the handbrake adjustment nut. This was to add a Soul A6 C5 Armrest which is topped with a Black Leather lid. Additionally whilst the rear carpet was removed I also removed 2 of the rear seat centre pivot point bolts...... Yes for a Rear Cup Holder Rear Bracket, which were refitted along with the rear bracket after the carpet was put back in place. The addition of the Handbrake Tray (with QI wireless charger), Armrest and Rear Cup Holder make such an improvement to a poverty spec Centre Console.
The front Black Leather SE Seats were also swapped for my rare Black Leather Heated SE Seats that sport Electric Lumbar Support. These enhanced features are yet to incorporated into the vehicles harness but that'll happen when I have time. The necessary information to complete these retrofits has been located and saved for reference for when I have time. The looms are slowly being made up in the garage but will probably wait until the warmer weather arrives. The main reason is that the carpets, whist removed, weren't fully cleaned due to not wanting to risk damp within the cabin, warmer weather will ensure a quicker complete drying process before they're refitted when next removed for a series of retrofits I have up my sleeve.
The colour swap isn't 100% just yet as the door cards remain to be swapped, they're in the garage waiting for some leatherette armrest door cards which I can recolour to Black with some furniture Clinic product. I know the purists out there will of course know that the leatherette armrests only come in limited colours, with Black not being one of them. I feel a recolour is a necessary thing to do which will ensure the completely black interior has as much luxury (Leather) as possible.
I hope you'll like the way it now looks as I personally think its amazing. After spending soo much time in Project OEM with its Twist/Soul interior colour scheme I though a full Black interior might be a little boring, It actually looks pretty awesome to be honest and it just works with the Jaipur Red exterior colouring.
First commute in the refreshed cabin tomorrow morning. More thoughts and ideas to follow in the coming days.
Kind regards,
Tom
