Priya

Related discussion in this thread:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...a-68-69-a.html

So, I was discussing with my husband my idea of buying a 69 and putting a 79 interior in it. I got my wires crossed with him and thought he told me it was trivial to get a complete 79 interior (gauges wiper, heater, blower, power windows, locks, a/c. etc.) working in a 69. Tonight he tells me getting the wiring sorted out and functioning is trivial but physically mounting the dash and gauges and so on is a nightmare and for that reason. I'm not allowed to buy a 69 project and try to put a 79 interior into it.

He says there will be some bracket missing here and a change in the firewall there and the heator core won't be in the same place, and some hanger you need isn't there and on and on and it'll be a gigantic job to swap the interiors. I know people have put 78-82 interiors in 68-76 cars and 68-76 interiors into 78-82 cars so I don't think physically mounting the dash, gauges, console and so on will be a big deal. Do any of you have an idea how hard that part of the job is? Is major surgery required to make the 79 bits fit in the 69, or is the interior firewall, dash, and console mounts the same between 69 and 79?

DUB

If you had a donor car...with all the stuff you need it would not be that bad of a job. BUT ...I am really good at this stuff and doing wiring and modifications. Wiring, ducting and all the 'bells and whistles'.

It is all depending on what you want. Some areas such as door panel fit may not be exactly as the 79. Because putting 1979 door panels on a 1969 door...is a feat....and it would be better to get other doors...which in turn can effect how they fit at the rear quarter. Cutting otu the center areas of the door and welding in the one out of the 79 is 'do-able' but once again.....it all depends.

AS for the heater core ...it is depending on if your 69 is a factory AC car or not. If not...then the firewall HAS TO be modified to hold the AC box out of the 79.

This will be NO PICNIC...by any stretch of the imagination....but it can be done.

DUB

Priya

Thanks for weighing in, Dub. If I do this I'm going to part out my 79 which has an interior in almost new condition. So, the doors would come off my 79 and be swapped onto the 69 along with the 79 interior wiring harness. My husband has been a mechanic in independent shops for over 20 years so he's not concerned in the slightest about doing the electrical work. Its the physical mounting of the dash, A/C box, etc. that he's afraid will be a nightmare. Thanks for the crucial tip on the 69 needing to be a factory A/C car. If this swap necessitates swapping/modifying the 69 firewall I don't think I want to do it either.

CWerner

get a VA AC unit and then no worries

Priya

I looked at the Vintage Air unit and my concern there is it relies on the factory 68-76 style a/c controls to operate it so I'm not sure how I'd get it to work with the 79 controls which are sliders instead of rotary dials. The other thing is that my 79 is a really nice car so in order to justify parting it out I want to maximize what I use off of it and using its factory A/C would save the $1300 cost of the Vintage Air unit.

DUB

You more than likely may have an issue with the doors...due to the doors did change...and thus the shape of the door at the top may be a little different and NOT fit perfectly the same. They would have to be test fitted and see.

With your husband being 'in the business' for so long. I am confident that he can do it all. If he has the electrical covered...then getting parts to fit is not that big of a deal.

I would take all the parts out of both and look at that what the differences are....such as how the 79 dash clips to the bottom of the windshield area

As for the heater box....if the 69 is NOT an AC car...that is not that big of a deal also. I have installed factory AC systems in Corvettes that were not AC equipped. I bit of bonding and you are good to go.

NOT TRYING to get you to do this....but as I always tell my customers...."Get it the way YOU want it". SO...you do not have regrets and wished you had done what you originally wanted. Nothing is worse than "WOULDA-COULDA-SHOULDA".

DUB

Priya

Thanks Dub.

I don't believe I'll have an issue with the doors because the Corvette parts vendors list the same doorskin for 69-82. Ecklers says their's is a GM licensed part that uses the original GM tooling and it is also the same part # for 69-82.

If I could have had my choice back when I was looking for my first Corvette back in 2009 I'd have gotten a 69 with 79-82 interior. I don't know why I didn't think at the time that I could buy a 69 and put a 79 interior in it, I don't remember now but maybe I was thinking like my husband that there would be big differences in the way the dash, gauges, heater/ac assembly, etc. mounted and so on.

Manuel Azevedo

Seems to me that you maybe better to modify the 79 body to look like a 68/69 style. Most every thing is available to do such a thing especially sense you say your 79 is a really good car.

Priya

I did some estimates in the thread I linked to in my first post and it would be quite a bit cheaper to put chrome bumpers on my 79. The only thing that makes it tough for me to decide is that I'm not sure if I wouldn't prefer a chrome bumper car with the "sugar scoop" style rear window/deck of the 69 over the "bubble back" style rear window/deck of the 79.

I thought about replacing the entire rear fiberglass clip on the 79 but I'm not sure if there would be a major problem in that the upper rear deck on the 69 and the 79 are at different heights due to the bubble back rear window (note the purple line in the lower right picture of the attachment). As you can see in the upper left and upper right pictures of a 69 rear deck, the rear deck bonds to the birdcage just ahead of the gas tank opening and I'm wondering if there's any chance the 69 rear birdcage panel shown in the upper left picture with the yellow line on it is the same height as that panel in the 79 such that the 69 rear deck would bond onto the 79 rear birdcage without any metal work/surgery on that rear panel of the passenger compartment. The picture in the lower left corner is of an 82 and I wonder if the panel shown by the yellow line (just under the handle for the sliding luggage cover) is the same one shown on the 69 in the upper left corner.

68/70Vette

Will the 68-76 center console work in your 77+? I have the Vintage Air in my 70. I think Vintage Air is much more efficient than the stock because the evaporator chamber is not located next to the exhaust manifold..!!!!!With a 68-76 center console you're surely good to go.

I got rid of the factory AC because I want to install headers on my 70 BB and the factory AC shrouds get in the way. And as I posted above, the factory evaporator cold air box is located about an inch away from the exhaust manifolds...a very awkward design.

About interchanging interior parts......I'm changing my very worn out black 70 interior with new repro red parts. Be aware, that beautiful quality looking repro parts may not fit that well. They just will not fall into place. Pushing, shoving, trimming, shimming, heat gun blasting, modifying, cursing is required. The only reason I do this is because it's so much fun and challenging.

76CSRvette

have your checked out turbostitch's restomod on his thread he went into some good detail of late dash in early model he had lotsa pics. I haven't seen his thread updated in a while but I believe his was a 77 but it looked nice when everything was in place with the flat back and newer interior.

Priya

The thing is I don't like the looks of the 68-76 centre console so the 78-82 console is a must have for me.

I've already experienced the "joy" of aftermarket interior parts with the trim strip that goes along the top of the windshield. Mine was broken so I bought a reproduction and found it was rather crudely formed and flimsy compared to the original and when I went to put it in I had to put the screws in at 45 degree angles to get them in the holes.

Priya

No, I haven't seen turbostitch's restomod, I'll check it out -thanks.

chevygod

Hi Priya

Welding in bracketry and installing harnesses and updating interior trim is doable, and for some, I would say easy. Take time, have patience, check fit 3 times and once again before you cut or reattach, and it <should> go smoothly. I did something similar to a 79 GMC van when converting it to later (late 80's) specs, required welding in new firewall, core support, front frame rails, and then updating the steering column and box/linkages, suspension, entire engine management system, EFI motor and 700R4 trans, and the complete electrical harness. It would have made more sense to start with an 87-90 van and not have to change anything, but I had what I had. It all works and cannot be differentiated from a later van. Your project can be done.

However, I agree with the comments of modify the body of your car to be a chrome-bumper look. Your car is a running driving vehicle, you know that and some of it's history, and all of the parts/systems that are working now in your car may have problems working together again when pulled and reinstalled in the other car.

With regards to the differences in the rear window, you could do the front mods to your car first and then make a decision on bubble or flat back glass when all else is done.

Finally, don't know about the Corvette parts, but I have seen parts for other cars (and machinery) listed as for multiple years, but when ordering, they want the exact year of your car for picking the correct fitting part off of the shelf. Or the parts are a best-fit for all years, but arrive at that point by taking liberties and don't really fit any one year well. Again, not saying this is the case with these parts, just something I have encountered more times than I would have liked.

Good luck on this, from reading the other thread I know this project means much to you, and I hope you can realize your goals.
Tom

Priya

Thanks chevygod. If the entire rear clip (fiberglass only, including halo and rear window) from a 70-73 can't be bonded to my 79 birdcage without surgery to the birdcage then I won't be considering doing that. So, for that reason I don't want to start a chome bumper conversion on my 79 until I know whether or not I can install the "sugar scoop" rear window just by bonding on 70-73 fiberglass.

DUB

My .02 cents worth.

I would do the interior. WHY??? Because I do body work and there is a major differences in trying to modify you 79 and make it LOOK GOOD with chrome bumpers and be RIGHT. MANY differences...and YES...it is do-able. AND If I were doing the interior conversion....and someone else were doing there body mods for chrome bumpers. I would be done before them and it would look factory.

The reason I mentioned the doors is if it is a convertible...the doors are specific to a convertible due to the guides at the 'B' pillar...depending on the year model.

And as for A/C....the factory system will work PERFECTLY FINE.....and how do I know this...is because I have a customers whose Corvette will darn near freeze you out....and that was also due to using the Dynamat materials to stop noise and heat. NO LIE...if in doubt.... PM me and I can get you to him here on the forum and he can tell you first hand. And even though I know of many of my customers who have an aftermarket A/C system in their Corvette. ***MY OPINION*** I just do not like them. Mainly due to trying to route the accordion tubes for air ducts without them getting in the way of other parts and or getting collapsed....and just fighting with them. More of a pain than they are worth. The switches that have to get attached to the roller wheel control head...also something that I just do not like. Do they work...YES...are they a pain to make sure they they do not break or bind...YES. Once again...more of a pain than they are worth.

DUB

Priya

I'm not sure I'm following you here. To me modifying my 79 to make it LOOK GOOD with chrome bumpers is the same thing as being RIGHT. If I get you correctly you don't agree. Could you elaborate on those many differences?

Your point is well taken about making the body work look good. The front clip I'm not concerned about as I'd be getting an aftermarket front clip which presumably is straight and true as is and only needs fine sanding to allow the paint to adhere. Grafting on a 70-73 partial rear clip to my '79 and making it look good is going to be a challenge. Looking at Josh Powers conversion thread I'm concerned that in the upper left picture it looks like the mid-quarter panel horizontal character line on his 82 appears to be higher than it is on the 69 partial rear clip. However in the other three pictures it looks lined up properly. If that is not an optical illusion and the horizontal character lines don't line up that would be quite a task to make that graft look good.

DUB

I thought you were thinking of getting a 69 and wanted a 79 interior put in it. SO that is what I was commenting on. Taking the time to convert your 69 to a 79 interior is faster than taking a 79 and converting it to look like a 69.

NOW...NOT having a 69 and converting your 79 to look like the 69...depending on actually how far you take it to LOOK LIKE a real 69...is quite a bit of work.....which is why the interior swap is faster.

Fuel tank mounting and fuel tank is different....along with fuel one routing.

Rear 'tub' or interior is different so it would have to be cut and the donor body interior laminated in place...which is NO FUN...and making it look GOOD is something else entirely.

Rear frame crossmember issues due to impact bar mounting....and that is if you actually plan on making sure the bumpers are mounted correctly.

It all depends on how far you want to take it.

I know that in the photo's you posted that they are sectioning in the quarters. And YES...it was done as you can see.....and I won't make any comments (good or otherwise) on how they did it. Please try to keep in mind that I do this for a living and I HAVE TO warranty my work...so my views are different than those of people who do this on their own Corvettes. So...'LOOK GOOD'...meaning all fine details are accounted for in regards to shape, finish, etc.... and 'RIGHT' is in regards to making sure that all work is structurally CORRECT and nothing is overlooked that can effect the modification. So these two comments in my past post is coming from my perspective of a shop owner...who has to think like that.

DUB

Priya

Great insight Dub. I'm entertaining the two possibilities, buying a 69 project and putting a 79 interior in it and converting my 79 to chrome bumpers. In discussing with my husband he says buying the 69 and putting the 79 interior in it is out and that's why I made this thread to see if I could address his concerns with going that route as I don't want to give up on that option yet. Based on your last comment the possibility of total transfer of a 70-73 rear clip (fiberglass including halo and sugar scoop rear window) to my 79 is out of the question, there's just too much work involved. So I will now only consider the possibility of a partial 70-73 rear clip graft onto my 79 as Josh Powers did or a 69 project with a 79 interior.

I know the rear part of the frame is different between a 79 and a chrome bumper car. I'm aware that the crash bar on my 79 won't fit with chrome bumpers and that the chrome bumper rear brackets won't work with my 79 frame but figure it won't be any worse than a factory 69 in terms of chrash protection. I've been factoring in fabricating/modifying rear chrome bumper brackets in considering putting chrome bumpers on my 79. The thread I linked to in my first post on this thread contains my cost estimates for going both ways. Converting my 79 to chrome bumpers I estimate will be $6500 cheaper than buying a 69 project and there is more uncerntainty associate with the cost estimates for buying a 69 project and putting the 79 interior into it and that's why I'm still undecided as to which way to go.

If I decide I want to go the 69 project route and can convince my husband to let me do it I'd be buying a 69 coupe, hence no concern about putting the 79 doors on it.

7t9l82

re forming that character line wouldn't be impossible . if you really study it in some places it appears to line up better than one would think.
back in about 82 my pace car was hit by a 14" limb off an oak tree right ahead of the rear glass. the insurance company totaled it. a buddy of mine and I turned it into a convertible, wasn't a bad job. you can do darn near anything with these cars with some planning.