Thread: Nylon "christmas Tree" Type Upholstery Panel Fasteners

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Today I finally found a local source for the fasteners which I will use to attach the door panels and kick panels in the roadster pickup. In the picture, they are setting with a Canadian penny (same size as American penny, worth half as much) to give some idea of their size. The top is 5/8" diameter x about 1/32" thick, and the shank is 0.300 diameter x 7/8" total length with the circular "gripping barbs" extending 9/16" below the head. I purchased them at "Carquest Auto Parts" and they are listed as part "#8101359 small head nylon plug Chrysler Ford G.M."
It appears that they require either a 7/32" or 1/4" hole to be drilled thru the 1/8" upholstery panel and the steel door. They are inserted thru the door panel before it has the foam or vinyl glued to it, and I have been told that a peice of aluminum tape over the head helps blend them with the surface of the panel to avoid any bumps showing in the upholstery. I intend to put them approximately 6" apart all around the perimeter of the panels. I don't think you would want to remove the upholstery panel more than once or twice without screwing these things up, but if its done correctly, you shouldn't have to. There is a special upholstery tool to remove them if you really need to, shaped like a wide, flat, very thin pry bar with a slot in it. I have decided to go with these rather than the metal clips, because the metal clips require that the hole in the metal door be offset from the hole in the panel, which would be a major pain to do.

Wrong as in "Denny only likes wire fasteners" or wrong as in "wrong nylon fasteners"?

Denny---Please don't be offended---that was a serious question. I'm flying blind here to a large extent. I sincerely value your opinions, and believe me, that last post was not a show of attitude. If you believe that I have the wrong type of nylon fastener, please tell me what you think is the correct kind. I have had a very difficult time trying to get good sense out of local upholsterers, and I hoped that by posting what I purchased today, if I had purchased the wrong thing someone would come foreward and inform me. I am truly sorry if I have given offence---it was not intended. Brian

If anyone reading this post has experience with this type of fastener, and knows of a better kind of nylon material or shape, please let me know. On all the hotrods that I have built over the years, I have used the fasteners which consisted of a screw that went thru both the panel and the inner door skin, and had a fabric covered button that snapped over the head of the screw. This time around, I want to use the totally concealed type of fasteners that I show at the top of this post. I have talked to many local upholsterers, and get conflicting information from them. I am sure that I don't want to use the metal clips because of the offset hole issue, but I really do need some insight into which is the correct nylon "christmas tree" type to use.

Hey Brian, I think I know where hhe was going with the nylon fastener thing. The button heads come apart very easily when you try to remove them. My father is an upholsterer, so I have used both these and the wire ones. As far as fab goes, I prefer the wire ones too. They tend to last better, but are a booger once they get worn out or mis-shapen. If you get one in after it's been bent too much they are hell on door panels. The nylon ones are not as bad on door panels, but the head break off if you're not REAL careful, and about half the time when you are.

Carquest should be a good source for both, you just gotta get the parts guy to find them for you. In my experience, NAPA has a much better selection of door fasteners and interior trim stuff like that. If you have a hard time finding them there, they are in the Balkamp line and they remake darn near everyone ever made.

i agree the plastic/nylon type break off or wont come out of the door and damage your panel the wire/hairpin type are much better ...my only experience with this comes mainly from mid to late 80's car s that the panels are always coming loose on or rattling;;;;;not an upholsterer but OK JOE