SwampeastMike

I have a green '79 with a green cloth interior. As far as I can tell, the cloth items are irreplaceable. Fortunately the cloth is all in amazingly good shape

The carpet is another matter--it was very faded so I replaced it. A deep cleaning did wonders for the carpet on the door panels but it is still noticeably faded.

The carpet kit came with pieces that can be cut for the door panels but I haven't tried to remove the old carpeting yet as I don't want to damage the panels.

So...Who has removed the carpet from the door panels? What did you do and how did it work?

Thanks in advance.

DUB

79 door panels with map pockets. I never have messed with it.

BUT...I have purchased fabrics for Corvettes that had fabric interiors and had someone like Al Knoch use it to make what I needed. There is a possible chance that Al Knoch may have your green fabric.

I got my fabrics from this company. I get test swatches and confirm they have it...buy the yardage I need and send it off for installation.....JUST IN CASE you try something and screw up your door panels.

http://www.smsautofabrics.com/

DUB

Lakeside49

I easily found an upholsterer who disassembled the door panels and inserted the extra piece of carpet that came with the car. He rebuilt the integrated storage pockets including new Velcro using the new carpet, as well. I had him replace the inner door seals too since he had it all apart. He charged me $125 per door (plus a nice tip for excellent workmanship as the attached photo shows) which was better than new from a cost and originality standpoint. Also, silver gray is not sold by any of our C3 suppliers. Zero. They try switching you to a generic and confusing " Slate Grey" (same as the cans of dye) which is noticeably darker than the correct color. Good luck with your decision. I don't regret mine.

SwampeastMike

Thanks for the link even if I say I'm too self-reliant to send things out for simple sewing/upholstery work. It's removing the carpet from the panels that really bothers me as it seems extremely well attached.

The map pockets don't bother me as I have an old heavy-duty Singer home sewing machine that can feed amazingly thick things (think replacing all of the wire holders on my seat covers) using an appropriate thread. It couldn't handle a steady diet of such but small amounts are no big deal and it doesn't bother me if the stitch length isn't perfectly consistent.

Unless I hear from someone who has done this with reasonable success, I'll live with the three-tone carpet: new floor, original semi-faded door panels and original quite faded floor mats. On the last note--the floor mats--I simply can't bear to replace original mats when only the driver side has some wear exactly where my heel also rests.

SwampeastMike

THANK YOU! That gives me sort of go-ahead I hoped to hear. Not that I'm the world's most experienced auto upholsterer but I have skills, patience and time.

Lakeside49

Ok. But, he said the biggest struggle he had , besides gently getting things unglued, was precisely lining up the stitching along the top edge (area right above the door armrest itself). He was so apologetic that it wasn't perfect; but I wouldn't have even noticed that the exact, original thread holes were not used if he had not pointed it out to me. With minor squinting I could make out what he was talking about, but doubt anyone else ever would.

It is definitely not a job for a pure novice.

Good luck, Dave