Starting Interior restoration

[rkellerjr]

First parts to arrive, seats are going to local upholsterer in October.  Interior is going black.

[Jack]

Looking forwards to seeing some progress.

[TATurbo]

So...Red w/Blk interior...Right?

[ryeguy2006a]

It will be the inverse of your car Tom haha

[rkellerjr]

So...Red w/Blk interior...Right?

Yep

[5th T/A]

Rich,

Red with black interior should look good, nice contrast. This should be a good off season project.

[rkellerjr]

Rich,

Red with black interior should look good, nice contrast. This should be a good off season project.

I'm looking forward to finally getting it done. The only project left is air conditioning after this is completed this winter. Seats go to the upholsterer in three weeks. I'll start posting pics of the tear down and replacement in a few weeks when things get started.

[rkellerjr]

It has begun...

1975 - 1981 Firebird or Trans Am Rear Side Plastic Panel Kit, Sail Panels and Arm Rest Side Panels, 4 Piece Set
1972 - 1977 Firebird Lower Door Panel Plastic Kit / Map Pockets, LH & RH Kit, Includes Arm Rest and Complete Hardware Set
New OE Style 1974 - 1981 Firebird and Trans Am Side Headliner Plastic Trim Molding, Pair
1975 - 1981 Firebird Seat Belts Set, Front and Rear with OE STYLE GM Push Buttons
1970 - 1981 Firebird and Trans Am Interior Kick Panel Set with Standard Speakers, Pair
1970 - 1981 Firebird Door Jamb Sill Plates Set, Body by Fisher Original Stick-On Tag, Pair
1974 - 1981 Firebird & Trans Am Sail Panel Coat Hanger Hook, Colors, Each
PANEL SET, Inside Door, Upper, Pre-Assembled, Dlx, Black, Incl Metal Garnish Rails, Windowfelts and Door Lock Ferrules Installed, Emblems Not Included
PLATE / EMBLEM, Front Door Trim Pad / Panel, *Bird*, red and black finish, correct Repro
STRAP, Door Panel Pull, Inner, Black, RH or LH, incl attaching mounts, backing plate and screws, repro
COVER, Front Door Pull Strap, Black

[5th T/A]

Rich,

It’s great you can order a complete interior for a 40 - 50 year old car. While many parts could be painted or dyed, some plastic parts become very brittle and almost disintegrate with age. Should look great and might have that new car smell when finished.

[rkellerjr]

Rich,

It’s great you can order a complete interior for a 40 - 50 year old car. While many parts could be painted or dyed, some plastic parts become very brittle and almost disintegrate with age. Should look great and might have that new car smell when finished.

Funny that you said that, I was thinking it might have that new car smell too.  Yes, we are fortunate that all the plastic pieces are available to be replaced. I am painting some parts but most all parts will be new. Few weeks I'll start posting pics of the tear down and re-installation of the new parts.

[rkellerjr]

Parts are a gathering...

[Wallington]

Don't toss your original seatbelt retainers. Some interior parts are meant to be a perfect match, others are just a replacement, which is usually more than enough for those who's original parts are worn out or damaged, but stand out if assembled with NOS parts, and have random screw or lug locations incorrectly located. There can also be a loss of molding flash and seam lines to clean up if repainting plastic pieces, easily done, but many of the online shop experts simply paint and sell as crude recoloured items.

[rkellerjr]

We'll do, thanks.

[BBATCAR]

Look forward to seeing your progress. Just changed my 1975 Trans Am to a Black interior. Most expense was my dashboard restoration and painting the metal windshield part of the dash.

I'm glad to see you are getting parts, I'm still waiting on my black door panels, ordered in December 2020 and still waiting from Year One. Drove to Classic Industries to pick up my black headliner that they just got into stock, so I'm getting close... Looks forward to your photos.

[rkellerjr]

Ordered mine from NPD, received a few days later.

[b_hill_86]

I’d be curious to see how those lower door panels fit. I need to replace mine at some point but I seem to remember reading somewhere that the repops take a bit of finesse to fit right mostly that thale holes don’t line up right. I hope that’s not the case though

[rkellerjr]

We'll see, they look good in the plastic. My old ones are so bad they have to be replaced. Won't even hold paint. I'm good even if I have to finesse them a bit but, I'll step by step my installation once I get started next week.

[BBATCAR]

Ordered mine from NPD, received a few days later.

Thanks, I'll look and see if they have stock, then cancel my other order if they do.
My lowers were just painted and fit good, my uppers are the ones I'm trying to replace...

[rkellerjr]

Here we go...

[roadking77]

Youre all in now  I agree, it looks like time for an upgrade.

[rkellerjr]

OK, got busy today. Got the new package tray in. The seat belts I bought aren't the right ones, working with Firebird Central to figure that out. The new rear panels do not come with the ashtray cut outs so I created a template, measured, then got the old dremel out and cut out new holes for the rear ashtrays. Got the center console out. Next is pulling the dash then on to painting those parts I'm not replacing. Should get the seats back in a week or so and once I figure out the seat belts it can go back together.

[roadking77]

Looking good Rich, shame the seat belts didnt work out. Seems theres always something in the way to slow things.

[wheels78ta]

That console looks like it's in very good shape.  Keep at it.  It's going to look awesome when done.

Can't wait to get to my interior.

[rkellerjr]

That console looks like it's in very good shape.  Keep at it.  It's going to look awesome when done.

Can't wait to get to my interior.

Ya, console is getting painted, not replaced

[rkellerjr]

Well, Firebird Central will refund my money for the seat belts. They were totally understandable. But, now I need to find someone who can refurbish seat belts.

[rkellerjr]

Well, things are getting close, just need to pull the dash, paint a few pieces and put it back together.

[5th T/A]

Rich,

Your moving right along. The seats look great! I don’t remember Firebird emblem on the front seats. Is that something you had custom made?

[rkellerjr]

Rich,

Your moving right along. The seats look great! I don’t remember Firebird emblem on the front seats. Is that something you had custom made?

Yes, I had them added. There is one in the middle of the back seat as well. I don't have an original car so, changing a few small things to my liking

[roadking77]

I really like those seats. Where did you get them?

[rkellerjr]

I really like those seats. Where did you get them?

Those are the seats that were in my car, just reupholstered to black

[roadking77]

Very nice.

[rkellerjr]

More work on the car today, got the dash out and repaired. Next is to paint the dash and the .... cowl? part of the dash just under the windshield which, unfortunately, doesn't come out so I'll have to mask the windshield and painted it in place.  Here are some pics of today's work.

[roadking77]

Nice progress, what did you do with the dash?

[rkellerjr]

Nice progress, what did you do with the dash?

I put a dash cap on it a couple years ago and didn't get enough glue on the edges so it warped a bit in the sun
 I just glued the edges and clamped it down so it doesn't do it again.

[ryeguy2006a]

Interior is looking great Rich! I'd recommend SEM Trim Black for the metal dash.

[Jack]

The seats came out very nice, I especially like the firebird logo.

[rkellerjr]

Well more done but more challenges arise. Finished painting dash, cowl, and started rewiring utilizing plugs for the radio and speakers

[rkellerjr]

Finally got the kick panel out behind the parking brake assembly, what a pita. Should make some really good progress next weekend.

[76455sd]

Coming along nicely.  Good work.  I like what you did with the seats.

[TATurbo]

Looking good!  I also like the logos on the seat.