[ku69rd]

Hey Karthik,
It was an absolute pleasure catching up with you on the last weekend. Man when did you get the new decals for the interiors? Were they on when I saw her? How Stupid can I get to overlook this thought :(

Anyways the car does look a lot better than in the photos. You must put her up on exhibition one of these days when you have completed the full course. Am eagerly waiting for the next Team BHP Meet so that I can be your co-Driver if you are willing.

[AbelAFC]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

One person in a Punto asked for my permission and took a photograph of the car! Maybe for his own modification plans, hehe. Rebadging to an unknown brand has its perks *winks*

You'd never know, could be a BHPian who wants to post your car on a thread

[Arch-Angel]

Karthik, i just had a glance at a fiat 500 Abarth dashboard. It was the best looking dash i have ever seen till date. I know it would be next to impossible to try and plonk that in, but i guess you could take ideas *wink*wink*.

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by ku69rd

Hey Karthik,
It was an absolute pleasure catching up with you on the last weekend. Man when did you get the new decals for the interiors? Were they on when I saw her? How Stupid can I get to overlook this thought :(

Anyways the car does look a lot better than in the photos. You must put her up on exhibition one of these days when you have completed the full course. Am eagerly waiting for the next Team BHP Meet so that I can be your co-Driver if you are willing.

Yeah, the decals were already on the car that day, hehe. Why be the co-driver when you can be the driver? I can switch to co-driver seat for a change .

Originally Posted by Arch-Angel

Karthik, i just had a glance at a fiat 500 Abarth dashboard. It was the best looking dash i have ever seen till date. I know it would be next to impossible to try and plonk that in, but i guess you could take ideas *wink*wink*.

Idea taken : Red stitching with leather wrap on instrument panel "shelter" .

The interiors I am targeting is something like this anyway. Black full leather with red stitching upholstery makeover for the seats, door pad trims and perhaps something (in black) to cover up the bathroom-grade grey plastics on the lower part of the dashboard panel. After you showed me this picture, I'll get the instrument panel curved shelter also done up with the leather + stitching. Thanks. I'm saving up for the interior makeover to full leather, so it might be still a few months away. When it happens, I'll make sure it is done up to OEM levels *winks*.

[W.A.G.7]

I was following the thread since a long time and it seems you have taken it to the heart to have an Abarth Punto! Wow! This is cosmetic modding to the next level! Wonderful looking car, you have taken quite some effort to replicate the look and, I am happy to see that you have got rid of the 'sport' sticker on the rear. Are you going to do cosmetic changes to the interiors too (Apart from the seats)? Also nice to hear that the car is doing its duty trouble free (touch wood)

Do post that outdoor photo shoot snaps asap

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Idea taken : Red stitching with leather wrap on instrument panel "shelter" .

In our car this shelter has integrated seamlessly with the rest of the dashboard. So its tough to get this leather done up only on that part.
In this 500 and the Abarth punto (not ours, the real one ), it is a separate part.

Infact I am checking with all the 4 leather interior brands if the complete dashboard can have leather cladding.
Ovion said they can't do it since there is no such provision provided for my car. Others didn't give me any definite answer

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by W.A.G.7

I was following the thread since a long time and it seems you have taken it to the heart to have an Abarth Punto! Wow! This is cosmetic modding to the next level! Wonderful looking car, you have taken quite some effort to replicate the look and, I am happy to see that you have got rid of the 'sport' sticker on the rear. Are you going to do cosmetic changes to the interiors too (Apart from the seats)? Also nice to hear that the car is doing its duty trouble free (touch wood)

Do post that outdoor photo shoot snaps asap

Thank you W.A.G.7 , glad you liked it! On the interiors, apart from the seats I have nothing much planned. Maybe yellow or red neon lighting for the front seats' footwell area sometime in future, not decided on that yet.

The car is doing great without any new niggles. It has clocked close to 10k kms, and from the last 5k kms (since the first service date), the only change is a faint ticking sound somewhere from the rear seat area which has developed recently, probably coming from one of the door plastic panels. I guess this 'rattle' is because of one stretch of bad road shortcut that I take to reach office everyday. Apart from this trivial thing, no problems at all whatsoever. Touchwood!

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

In our car this shelter has integrated seamlessly with the rest of the dashboard. So its tough to get this leather done up only on that part.
In this 500 and the Abarth punto (not ours, the real one ), it is a separate part.

Infact I am checking with all the 4 leather interior brands if the complete dashboard can have leather cladding.
Ovion said they can't do it since there is no such provision provided for my car. Others didn't give me any definite answer

True. I just checked out the pictures of our Puntos v/s Abarth Puntos, you're right. So if we get this leather thing done, we need to get it done for the entire dashboard or leave the entire thing out. I'm thinking of ways to cover that grey area (which I refer to as bathroom ambience). One way is CF vinyl, but I think 3m guys will drive me out if I go back there for more CF work *rofl*. Moreover, it may not look good. Leather is a better option.

At 3M car care some weeks back, there was one Cruze which had this leather wrap done for the dashboard. He had got the entire dash panel covered in black art leather I think in Karlsson. He was telling me he actually had a major accident and the dashboard upper part had scratches and paint chipped off due to the windshield shattering on it. To cover these marks, he got the entire dash done up. It was a pretty neat job I must say. Like him, I guess the dash can be done in art leather instead of full leather too. Food for thought .

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Why be the co-driver when you can be the driver? I can switch to co-driver seat for a change .

Would be my absolute pleasure mate to steer your whip So when are we cracking along

[Raneeth]

[quote=hemanth.anand;3131595]Even my car's cosmetic makeover project timeline is till the end of this year. After that, I'll not spend; atleast that's what I've decided for now

Hi Hemanth, i just heard that u have bought some steering wheel logos? cant PM u being a newbie on this.

Could you help with this?

Let me know how this can be done!

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

At 3M car care some weeks back, there was one Cruze which had this leather wrap done for the dashboard. He had got the entire dash panel covered in black art leather I think in Karlsson. He was telling me he actually had a major accident and the dashboard upper part had scratches and paint chipped off due to the windshield shattering on it. To cover these marks, he got the entire dash done up. It was a pretty neat job I must say. Like him, I guess the dash can be done in art leather instead of full leather too. Food for thought .

The one with red wheels?

The dashboard looks horrible IMO. Had a tough time finding out whats so wrong with the dash - and later realised the whole thing was not OE at all. But somehow it all felt wrong. Anyways - the car itself was in a sad state so!

For your car - nothing but OE finish will do! We fans demand it.

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

The one with red wheels?

The dashboard looks horrible IMO. Had a tough time finding out whats so wrong with the dash - and later realised the whole thing was not OE at all. But somehow it all felt wrong. Anyways - the car itself was in a sad state so!

For your car - nothing but OE finish will do! We fans demand it.

haha no not that KL regd clownish one with red wheels. That owner we could never meet I think, plus the job was shoddy like you said. There was another chap who also coincidentally had come in with a Cruze with an accident history on some weekday. His car was bone stock, and he actually had done up the dashboard panel with black art leather. It was a neat job on his. This guy was actually a BHPian, he'd even told me his handle and said he doesnt post frequently, not able to recollect it now.

[Arch-Angel]

Karthik, its about time you get the new headlamps+ tailights( i envy you punto users, figo has absolutely no hope of customization :( and even if i did, it'll end up on our very own W&W thread as a new entrant ). Hemanth sir's punto's rear got 2 new friends . Maybe you could do the same.

[shivasi]

Hi Karthik,
Happened to go through all the 26 page of your make-over and find the transformation amazing. Just curious to know if you kept a tab of how much you have spent so far ??

I also have a suggestion (dont know if this has been made earlier). For the black CF on the bumper (especially the rear one) I think it would look even more stunning if they slightly projected out. Have you thought of sticking a fiberglass mould around the bumper over which the CF can be stuck?? It would look just like the Abarth Punto!!

[mkpiyengar]

Hey Karthik,
Regarding your discussion of doing your complete dashboard with art leather, I can't stop wondering if the art leather would start chipping in some time due to the heat from the windshield.
Regarding real leather, it should not have much impact, though dark colour might get faded, something like black turning grey etc. But looking at your passion, it won't be far fetched to assume you would be detailing the leather with the choicest polish every alternate months

Cheers
MKP

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by shivasi

Hi Karthik,
Happened to go through all the 26 page of your make-over and find the transformation amazing. Just curious to know if you kept a tab of how much you have spent so far ??

I also have a suggestion (dont know if this has been made earlier). For the black CF on the bumper (especially the rear one) I think it would look even more stunning if they slightly projected out. Have you thought of sticking a fiberglass mould around the bumper over which the CF can be stuck?? It would look just like the Abarth Punto!!

He will get the actual bumper I suppose

This is one thing I was wanting to do from many days. I want to do such a thing for the front fog lamp shroud.
Anybody with inputs will help both of us