im about to start working on the interior of my 00 lude and im going to start on the door panels first

i want the middle section above the arm rest to be white but dont know if i should paint it or have white leather put over it

if i paint, it will be less expensive, but will it smell like paint? if so how should i get the smell out?

thanks in advance

 

u can have it professionally done with fabric to make it look clean... when u just spray it, it normally comes out like crap and looks ricey.

 

My suggestion would be not to paint anything on the inside of your car white.

 

another thing is if you paint the interior of your car sometimes if not done right it can crack later. Go with leather and it also looks clean and it won't crack

 

I painted mine metallic green
here's some pics
http://www.pbase.com/kyt/lude_parts

If the paint is dry it won't smell
I just used a rattle can, they came out just fine
Just make sure they are really clean, then sand them down real good
I used a rattle can clear primer, couple coats is fine
then about 5 coats of the metallic green, finely sanded for consistancy
make sure the paint is really dry before putting on the clear coat
I put on about 3 coats of clear, then finely sanded, and applied a couple more coats
the images I linked above is after the first coats of clear, that's why you can see some orange peel.
Used some 3M polishing compound with a cordless random orbital polisher and they come out looking really smooth.

If you paint them and don't like it, you can always strip the paint and do it differently, or just cover over the paint if you like.

I will say this, there isn't any extra room between the panels and the rest of the door molding. You'll run the risk of tearing the fabric trying to get them installed.
and you'll have an even harder time trying to apply material to the spaces where the window buttons go and stuff since it dips in.

I bought all the supplies I needed for mine at a local Meijer's
Their selection is better than wal-mart

I would seriously advise buying another set of panels from someone doing a part out, incase you really jack them up, you can always put your stocks back in.
That's what I did, I have my stocks wrapped up in a closet so I can put them back if I ever sell the car.

Good luck! Lets see some pics when you get done

 

ive been refered to an upholstry shop in the area, so im gonna go in there and talk to them about my seats and door panels, it may take some time but when done il have pics up!

thanks for the advice!