Restomod interior
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,171
Likes: 342
From: boulder,colorado
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,934
Likes: 657
From: Norwalk ohio
2019 Corvette of the Year Winner
St. Jude Donor '15
I had Al Knoch do my entire interior including leather dash pad for my ‘60. My conclusion afterwards was that I could have gotten a much nicer interior from the interior guy I am using now. He did my entire interior including headliner and rumble seat in my ‘30 Model A with Mercedes carpeting for the same monies I paid to AK 7 years prior.
I would have been happier and had a much nicer interior. I suggest that you contact a few shops, go see their work as well as who would do the work. You need to be comfortable with their work and the person. Get an idea up front what it will cost and how long to do the job as well as how long before they can start.
To get into the shop I use now, it’s a 2 year wait. If you can get in right away, I would be worried that the shop was too new or no good. So when I think I am two years out, remembering that the interior is the last activity of a build, I will start to bug him about getting me a slot in his shop and do so about every 3 months for the first year, every two months for the next 8 months and then every month until I tell him I am bringing it on a specific day.....
I would have been happier and had a much nicer interior. I suggest that you contact a few shops, go see their work as well as who would do the work. You need to be comfortable with their work and the person. Get an idea up front what it will cost and how long to do the job as well as how long before they can start.
To get into the shop I use now, it’s a 2 year wait. If you can get in right away, I would be worried that the shop was too new or no good. So when I think I am two years out, remembering that the interior is the last activity of a build, I will start to bug him about getting me a slot in his shop and do so about every 3 months for the first year, every two months for the next 8 months and then every month until I tell him I am bringing it on a specific day.....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,934
Likes: 657
From: Norwalk ohio
2019 Corvette of the Year Winner
St. Jude Donor '15
Mine wasn’t difficult to install and it was the first dash pad I ever did, but realize AK doesn’t use quality leather on his builds. My wife put herself through college making leather goods and she thought the leather AK used on mine was cheap. FYI.....I don’t think he buys hides unlike the shop I go to, they do.
Last edited by firstgear; May 29, 2018 at 06:34 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,171
Likes: 342
From: boulder,colorado
Mine wasn’t difficult to install and it was the first dash pad I ever did, but realize AK doesn’t use quality leather on his builds. My wife put herself through college making leather goods and she thought the leather AK used on mine was cheap. FYI.....I don’t think he buys hides unlike the shop I go to, they do.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,934
Likes: 657
From: Norwalk ohio
2019 Corvette of the Year Winner
St. Jude Donor '15
If you go to some car shows and see some interiors you like, ask who did it as well if the owner will share his cost....that will give you an idea.
I would imagine that in this time frame by the time you get the entire interior including the headliner and trunk done that you are looking at $7500 or so.
You can purchase just the headliner shell which is what I did and took to the interior guy....easy for him and lowest cost for you. I did my own hardtop so it was easy for me to bake in the headliner I wanted to match up with the interior design.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,934
Likes: 657
From: Norwalk ohio
2019 Corvette of the Year Winner
St. Jude Donor '15
You should be able to pick your color as well as the leather finish and grade. The interior shop should have samples to share with you so you can decide. If they don’t, it’s another indication that is the wrong shop for you.