Fred Hardy's New Interior

Before

After

In August, gangster Bob Nuss detailed the removal and installation of a new leather interior in his Tiger. Since I was contemplating the same upgrade, I read his notes with extreme interest. I had requested and received quotes from aircraft reupholstery firms in the Seattle area and the quotes were very high ($4-5K), even if I removed and re-installed the new interior. The pictures Bob provided reflected the quality of the workmanship he received and the price he paid seemed very reasonable. I could only imagine what an leather interior upgrade could do for my '78 Tiger that still had the original sun-bleached and stained interior.

So I contacted Robert Wiles in Biloxi, MS. and spoke to him regarding my re-upholstery job. His address is 14497 Jim Byrd Rd., Biloxi, MS. 39532; Phone (228) 392- 8409. Robert was very receptive to my call and explained what he could do. He sent me photographs and material samples, followed by electronic pictures of work that was currently in his shop. Robert owns a Traveler and was very familiar with Grumman aircraft. I was impressed by his openness, willingness to respond to all of my questions, and the approximate turn-around time for the work. He said to plan on about 4 weeks (1 week shipping to Biloxi, 2 weeks for the work, and 1 week return shipping). Since the plane was in the shop to have the LASAR Ignition system replaced (under warranty thankfully; more about this later), we planned the work around this schedule. The costs he gave were approximate until he could see what he was working with, but we agreed on leather and a "not to exceed" price. After he recei ved the interior (3 boxes & $120 shipping UPS ground), he called me with his ideas and the estimated price. Every interior will be unique in design, materials, and labor, so his price will vary from job to job. Everyone must work out their own details. But Robert guarantees that every customer will be a happy customer. He normally requests 50% payment with shipment and payment in full upon completion. With the new interior, you'll get all of the FAA required paperwork to complete the required logbook entry.

During the time the interior was at the shop, Robert called several times with questions and status of the project. This is what I call "customer service". These communications put me at ease. When the interior was completed and shipped, Robert provided me with the UPS shipping numbers so I could track it back to Seattle. The interior was completely bubble wrapped to protect it from shipping damage. It was an exciting moment to open the boxes and see the results. The pictures attached only show the beauty and quality of workmanship, it's also very comfortable and I sit about 1" higher due to the new foam padding.

Although removal takes on about 2 hours, the installation took all afternoon, about 5 hours. Extreme care was taken not to mess up the leather. All pieces fit without any modifications and the end result is incredible. Other notes: 1) I replaced the carpet with an Airtex kit before the interior arrived. This really adds to the new look. 2) I had replaced the front armrests with aluminum and needed longer screws due to the additional padding added to the side panels. Care must be taken not to screw them through the outer skin. 3) If you want additional work performed to the interior (i.e.: painting the seat frames), be sure to let Robert know so he can write it on the work order. I'll have to do this at the next annual. 4) I had to drill some new holes for the side panels, and taking my time really paid off. 5) My Airworthiness Certificate/Registration plastic holder was cracked and torn, Robert is sending me a new one to install. If you want one, ask, it's a $2 part. 6) If your plastic needs repair and painting, do it while the interior is out. It would be a shame to install a new interior and use old, cracked and broken plastic moldings. Overall opinion: Great job, great price, great service, and a very happy customer. I will recommend Robert to any gangster who is planning this type of upgrade. I've included an old picture of the gold interior to showcase the enormous change the new interior has made. The side panel picture was taken before I installed the arm rest. When I stop for fuel now and other pilots check out the plane, the immediate comments are always regarding the beautiful interior. My thanks the gangster Bob Nuss for finding Robert Wiles and sharing him with the "Gang". Call me or Email me if you have any questions. Fred Hardy Project Manager, SSG CNO Phone: (425) 234-6357 Mailstop 70-06 Pgr: 1-800-946-4646 / PIN 1494463 Frederick.A.Hardy@boeing.com