Interior restoration- a couple of thoughts

[KANE]

I finally got around to taking the 82's interior apart for a thorough cleaning and restoration. This is at least the 5th car I have replaced carpet in over the last twenty years.

I left the dash, glove box, gauges, and center console alone- and basically pulled everything out from the kick panels and carpet to the rear speakers and sail fins and door weatherstripping.

It took about three weeks to go from start to finish.

But all the carpet, leather, and trim has been cleaned, redyed, or replaced.



Here's some things I did that helped make it go smoothly...

Bagging: Bag and organize all the screws! There are just too many to try an keep up with. Use Zip Lock Snack Bags. They are about half the size of a regular Zip Lock bag. Label the bags with masking tape with references as to where the screws came from - such as "cargo compartment" or "center console".

Cleaning: Dish washing detergent, a soft sponge, and a tooth brush goes a long way to getting rid of grease and funk. That will also help make vinyl dye stick better if paint is needed.

Carpet: Take the new carpet out of the bags, lay it down so the folds needed to ship it settle back to the correct shape, and if possible let it warm up in the sun for a few hours. Warming the carpet from the back side with a heat gun (on low) will also help get the carpet to lay down as well. When making holes for screw or seat bolts, use a soldering iron (pencil style) to make the holes for screws or bolts. Place the screw or bolt in the nut/provision so that the carpet lays down on it where the hole should be. The soldering iron will burn a clean hole on the top of the screw or bolt. Having the bolt or screw in the right place and sitting up just a little underneath the carpet will help locate the right place to make the hole easier.

Weatherstripping prep: Scuff the surface on the weatherstripping where the adhesive will sit with sand paper. Use a solvent to clean the doors where the adhesive will sit.


Hope that helps!


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[SVO]

I, like you, use ziplock bags to bag parts. I use a index card to jot down any notes, number of screws, diagram screw location and so foth to help me remember how to re-assemble. Card goes into the bag with the parts.

To help with re-dying/painting plastic interior parts, plastic primer is available to help with paint adhesion to the part. I have found that Dawn dishwashing soap to be best for cleaning interior parts for painting. It works well for removing any traces of Armor-All or other similar type interior dressings from the parts.

 

[Mac]

Digital cameras are inexpensive and take good quality pictures; memory is cheap. As you disassemble pieces, take a picture at each stage. I know… it sounds like overkill but when you're trying to put something back together and it doesn't want to cooperate, you will have a visual guide of how it came apart.

Mac

 

[frank_nesta]

Digital cameras are inexpensive and take good quality pictures; memory is cheap. As you disassemble pieces, take a picture at each stage. I know… it sounds like overkill but when you're trying to put something back together and it doesn't want to cooperate, you will have a visual guide of how it came apart.

Mac

I agree. Bagging and taking digital picture are so helpful.