We sit down with the man under the mohawk, Shane Lile. Shane has been a close personal friend and mentor of mine for several years now, He has helped me tremendously in honing my own skills as an interior builder, He is a wealth of knowledge and knows exactly what it takes to build award winning interiors year after year.
Shane Lile: I first started messing with interiors on my own cars while I was in high school. After graduation, I worked at a local upholstery repair shop where I learned many of the fundamentals of the trade.
After college, I realized the corporate world wasn’t for me, so in 2011 I decided to start my own business. I began by running ads on Craigslist and doing repair work out of my dad’s garage. About eight months later, I completed my first full street rod interior.
I quickly discovered that I enjoyed creating and building custom interiors far more than repairing worn-out seats and dodging died boogers underneath them. Since then, I’ve stayed focused on my goals: continuously improving our craftsmanship, marketing our business, and always delivering quality work on time for our customers.
What first pulled you into automotive upholstery?
I first got into upholstery while working on my own lowrider in high school. A family friend who was part of my dad’s car club helped me along the way, and before long I was spending summers helping him with upholstery work. That hands-on experience is what really got me hooked.
What’s your favorite style of interior to build?
Classy and clean. I appreciate interiors that look refined, fit the vehicle, and don’t need excessive details to stand out.
Do you prefer subtle interiors or statement interiors?
Every interior can make a statement if it’s done well and fits the style of the build. Sometimes less really is more.
What makes an interior feel timeless instead of trendy?
To me, a timeless interior is something that looked great 20 years ago and will still look great 20 years from now. Clean design and restraint tend to age much better than overdone features.
Are modern interiors becoming overdesigned?
In some ways, yes. I see a lot of things today that are made far more complicated than they need to be.
What’s a trend in the industry you think won’t age well?
Distressed vinyl.
What separates a good interior from a truly great one?
Clean lines, properly fitted panels, tight carpet binding, and correct windlace on vehicles that require it. Attention to gaps, fitment, and eliminating every wrinkle is what elevates an interior from good to great.
What separates high-end craftsmanship from average work?
A lot of it comes down to the details most people never see. The backs of panels, the underside of seats, and the hidden construction all tell you a lot about the quality of the craftsmanship.
What detail do you obsess over that most people never notice?
It’s hard to say because if I notice something, I assume everyone else will too. If I’m not satisfied with it, I fix it before the customer ever sees it.
What part of the upholstery process consumes the most time?
Design and fabrication. The planning and custom fabrication often take far longer than people realize.
Which part of a build gives you the most satisfaction when it’s finished?
Seeing the customer’s reaction when they see their completed vehicle for the first time.
What tools or equipment changed your workflow the most?
A sewing machine… just kidding. The laser has probably been the biggest game-changer. It’s been a tremendous time saver and has improved both accuracy and efficiency.
Thoughts on CAD, CNC, scanning, and 3D printing entering upholstery?
I think it’s great. We scan and create CAD drawings for almost every job we do. These technologies improve accuracy, repeatability, and open up possibilities that weren’t available years ago.
What’s one thing customers underestimate about custom interiors?
Unlike many other aspects of a build, a custom interior is almost entirely handmade for that specific vehicle. We can’t simply order parts and bolt them on. Most of what we do starts from scratch.
What part of the job do you enjoy the least?
Fixing or relocating poorly thought-out wiring is high on the list. Headrests and sun visors aren’t exactly my favorite projects either.
What’s the biggest mistake you see younger trimmers making today?
I see a lot of people expecting experienced trimmers to simply hand over years of knowledge. Instead of relying on Facebook groups or text messages, I think aspiring trimmers should spend time, preferably years, working in a shop. That’s where you learn how to tackle jobs, solve problems, understand timelines, quote work properly, manage cash flow, and handle scheduling. The business side is just as important as the craftsmanship.
What’s something you changed your mind about over the years?
I used to work with customers on vehicles that were not completely ready for an interior. Now we are pretty adamant, that cars are completed, running, driving and everything working as it should before install.
What advice would you give someone serious about mastering the craft?
Approach every job with the goal of producing the best finished product possible, not just collecting a paycheck. If customers are proud enough of your work to recommend you to others, the money will follow.
What’s your opinion on where custom upholstery is headed in the next 10 years?
I think trends will continue to evolve, customer demographics will change, and the vehicles requiring our expertise will be different than they are today. The fundamentals of quality craftsmanship, however, will always remain important.
What keeps you motivated to continue pushing the craft forward?
I have expensive hobbies. But beyond that, I’m proud of the business we’ve built. I want to continue growing it while maintaining the reputation and quality that got us here in the first place.