Interior Restoration
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Interior restoration was the FIRST thing I tackled.
In hindsight, it should have been the last. But this was all I
planned to do after purchasing the car.
I tried to keep the interior as stock looking as
possible. No carbon fiber. No woodgrain. Stock
AM/FM/8-Track radio.
I like the clean look of the original interior.
The original interior was worn, scratched, and cracked.
Sometime in the past the seat covers and carpet had been replaced but that
was all. The stock radio had been replaced with a funky CD player
that looked like it belonged in a 70's disco.
The majority of the interior parts where manufactured by
Corvette America.
- Left Dash Pad
- Right Dash Pad
- Top Dash Pad
- Right Door Panel
- Left Door Panel
- Left Halo Panel
- Right Halo Panel
I also bought a few pieces on eBay from unknown
manufacturers. I don't remember where it came from but I picked up a
new center cluster bezel. It never fit properly. There was a
huge gap at the top and the radio didn't mount correctly. I ended up
replacing it again after the car came back from paint because of some
minor overspray. The new part came from a reputable supplier, had
different markings, and fit almost perfectly.
One option missing when I bought it was the tilt and
telescoping steering column and leather wrapped steering wheel. It
came with the fixed column and "Vega" 4 spoke plastic wheel. This
was replaced.
Steering Column
I located a used but complete column. It was in
rough condition and the wrong color so I disassembled, cleaned, painted,
and replaced worn parts.
- New remanufactured steering wheel
- New Bearings
- New turn signal switch
- New wiper switch
- Replaced various internal plastic parts
AM/FM/8-Track
Just another one of those projects that seemed simple at
first but turned into a time and money pit. I would NOT do this
again. I would locate a nice AM/FM radio only. This was a $600
expense wasted.
You'd think it would be easy to locate a stock
AM/FM/8-Track and install it. Well, these units are over 25 years
old. They don't work any better now. It's been a long time.
Many have been though accidents, sat on the shelf or in the attic unused
for years, dropped, left in junk yards exposed to the element, etc.
Belts are unusable. Track solenoids are sticky. Electronics,
especially capacitors, deteriorate. You have no idea what you are
getting. You have no idea why it was originally removed. I
bought 3! None worked perfectly. One gave me a lot of trouble
mounting it. It was warped, probably from an accident. They
didn't work very well when they were new.
In the end, I picked the best and sent it to a shop to
be rebuilt. It came back working perfectly.
Locating functioning 8-Track tapes is another story.
They are all over eBay but the overwhelming majority are bad, even if they
are in a sealed box. Do not plug one into
your deck without close inspection! The pads on these
have deteriorated over time and must be replaced. Press on the tape.
If the pad doesn't return to it's original shape, don't use it. It
will fall apart and you run the risk of the residue making a mess of your
rebuilt deck. Splices also break. There's an entire support
structure for the old 8-Tracks on the internet. You can locate parts
to repair the cartridges.
Console Gauges
This was a nightmare project. I must have had this
out 4 or 5 times.
- New lens
- New console (2 times)
- New AC Vents
- New fuel gauge
- New volt gauge
- New flex circuit
- New temperature gauge
- Rebuilt clock - New digital works into original case.
- Rebuilt AM/FM/8-track. It works perfectly.
I should say after a $400 overhaul!
Shifter Console
The plastic was old and scratched. Several items
were also replaced with this part out:
- New ashtray
- New cigarette lighter
- New ash tray door
- New console side panels
- New shifter plate - 4 speed but later replaced again
with the 5 speed plate provided by Keisler with their kit.
- New heater control
Emergency Brake
While on a buying binge, I replaced the handle and
cover.
Door Panels
Original door panels had cracks in the typicial locations.
Dash Top
Rear Compartment
- Completely replaced the frame, doors, storage
compartments, and pulls.
Carpet
Seats
They required a complete rebuild. The frames were
solid. Everything was disassembled, cleaned, and worn parts
replaced.
- New seatback release button
- New hinge hardware
- New seat bumpers
- New foam
- New leather covers manufactured by Corvette America.
Insulation
I decided to add some super sound deadener to the
interior. I seriously regret it!
The material from B-Quiet is interesting stuff. It
might have had some impact on noise but the car is too noisy to tell and I
drive with the top open anyway. The problem I have with their material it
is the mess it has become in the heat! It becomes very soft.
It's like tar. Anything that comes in contact with it sticks to it
and becomes stained. It's ruined my seatbelts. It's destroyed
clothing. It's stuck to the garage floor. It gets tracked into
the house. Its the material from hell that won't go away!
If you apply it, keep it WAY back from any exposed
surface or item you don't want ruined. Keep it away from bolts and
screws. If you have to remove them, they will be covered with the
stuff once it gets hot.
It's almost impossible to remove once installed and
warms up. I applied some to the drivers door. The minor added
thickness kept the door panel from installing. Getting it off took
hours of scraping and the use of various chemicals.
Rear Window Tray
This is one of those things that I should have not done.
It's a lot of effort and, at this point, is only 50% completed.
Removable Rear Window
Easy project once you get the correct, usable parts.
I highly recommend it. The instructions are fully documented in the
"How To" section. Buying used parts on eBay was not a good idea.
Everything received was not very good. In the end, I bought all new
parts.
