But I cannot get my center trim to fit in the 77. After a complete on chassis restoration my car being completed boils down to fit and finish, which given the nature of these cars, makes sense.

I cannot get the interior trim that runs down the tunnel from the center console to the end of the e-brake to fit. Bought to aftermarket sets, neither one fits. Adjusted everything I could find adjustment in the car, still doesn't fit. So what next??? I am going to build custom sized panels that fit the openings and see if I can make it look like it came from the factory this way.

So first out came the driver seat.

Then out came the inner seat belt.

Then off came the whole panel. To make new part I took one of the sets and called them a template sacrifice. I found the fitment to wrong at the intersection due to incorrect angles. So, logically I guess, I peeled back the vinyl, cut the part and tested for fitment of the front half of the part.

Bingo, perfect fit from front to back and it helps that here there are two screws holding this part in place. So we know what the front of the part will look like on the template, now to do the back portion.

This is the hole and the angles we are trying to cover.


I have the original back half of the sacrificed part and I will need to "grow" it on the front end to fit the opening. I will butt this part to the front part when it is correct and fitting nicely.


I will then use the two pieces together to make a new piece for the car. When that fits nicely I will cover it with new vinyl and install. Oh, passenger side doesn't fit either so I guess I will get a chance to do this twice. I'll use the uncovered part to fit the passenger side, and assuming it works as well, cut and cover both pieces at the same time.

Wish me luck as I continue and stay tuned, more to follow.

David

 

I'm glad to hear it was just not me on this. I had trouble trying to get that to fit that is why I left it off. I thought maybe it was the incorrect trim piece. You would think they could make it fit better than does. Any time anything new or different is introduced into these cars it seems like it does not fit and requires a custom fit.

 

I feel your pain, bought a simple shift lever boot for my wifes 79, Not even close on the size were it secures under the console plate, Cheap Foreign knockoffs.

 

Okay, I managed to get the dimensions and layout for the passenger side completed today too, then went to Home Depot to see what I could find in materials that might work.

Same sequence done on the passenger side. First I took out the passenger seat and the inside seat belt. Then I removed the non functioning console cover and got to work. After cutting the part into two parts I sized up the front and once again, perfect fit.


Then I sized the back portion and it wasn't close so I used the driver side rear section to size up the rear of the passenger side. Fit like a glove.


This left the center section overlapping and allowed me to measure for the new part design requirement.


I connected the two pieces with tape and glue to hold it firm so I could stransfer the design to a new board.


I then removed both panels carefully and transferred the images to a new board that, coincidently, is available at Home Depot in a 2' by 4' sheet and costs under $5.


And here is the sheet with the two panels laid out on it looking for a sabre or jig saw to finish the job. I don't own one but I will be asking for one for my birthday which is in two weeks, only will ask for it early.


I also located some really nice black vinyl material at our local fabric store and it was on sale. It is 55" wide so I bought a yard of it for $6.99.

I went to NAPA and bought a can of spray liner adhessive to make sure I use a good quality material for laying the vinyl down on the panels. That cost me $11.50 for a good can from 3M.

So my project cost thus far is $23.50 and I will get two panels that should fit correctly in the car when finished.

I'll hopefully be able to cut them out tomorrow and then get to the task of verifying the fit and getting them covered with the new material.

More as she happens.

David

 

Gordon, there is no way you could have gotten them to fit, they were off by about this much total and the angles were not correct.

Other than that they were perfect.
I hope to have a nice set when this is done and learn something new along the way as well.
Cheers.
David

 

But in some cases the cars seem to have enough variability in them that no two are really ever alike. That makes it harder to find replacement parts for sure. As for my 77, well, Gordon will tell you this one doesn't have much that isn't custom now even though I am trying to maintain the look of the original car. It has been an adventure for sure.

After I get the center console looking good I have a sill plate to deal with and sticky power windows and manual door locks. One at a time but I will get them all done.

Best regards,

David

 

That's one of those pain jobs.

I replaced mine with 1/16" aluminum with the vinyl glued to that.
Since it was thinner than the oem cardboard, it fit much better in the groves under the console plate and brake pad.

Bolt it up tight before you glue the vinyl on, it can change quite a bit.

 

Good luck David. Hope it all works out!

 

Hey Noonie, thanks. Did you ever do much with your door window mechanisms to have them running smooth and free? How about the door locks, ever mess with adjustments to make them actuate smoothly? Here is my check off list on the 77 project, which is amazing in it's own right because it was five pages long when I started the project.

1) Center console panel replacement.
2) Seat belts snagging adjustments.
3) Slow running windows cleaning and adjustments.
4) Door locks sticking adjustments.
5) Door weather stripping install.

And that's it. When I get the console panels done I need to install the weather stripping. To ease that install I need to take off my door panels and as long as they are off, well, it seems logical to attack the window adjustments and door lock adjustments.
I guess the list really never does go away does it?
Thanks for the idea on the aluminum, if my board doesn't work, I'll try your idea.
David

 

Well the car runs great and is completed to about 98%. These are the issues that take time to address, a pain to complete, and most of the time takes parts you may have to buy or make yourself to operate correctly. My wife came home last night, saw the seats and seat belts out, the sill plates off (another new issue there) and the console covers off and she said "Whats going on now, rattle somewhere causing you to gut the car again?" Then she laughed. She is referring to the first time she came home from work and found me at this point with the same car.
Here is what she saw on that day in August, 2008:
When she left for work that day she saw this.


When she came home from work that day she saw this.


When she came home from work the next day she saw this.


Having recovered from this major interior work she isn't worried about what I am digging into so much as she is just making sure I am not digging out of being bored like our dog used to do. Nope, no bones in here, have to dig somewhere else...

Anyway, it is all good and looking forward to working on the interior of the 71 when it comes home as well.

David

 

Your wife is a saint. She is definitly a keeper. She can laugh at that now after seeing the 77 gutted and the 71 in a million pieces.

 

Oh, you mean just because the pool table is currently a make shift shelf for sorting through my 71 trim? She doesn't even like to play pool.




I have said it before and I will say it again, I am indeed a fortunate man.

David

 

I have the dash pad by itself now with the gauges out. I know at some time you wanted to pain all the dash pieces together. Next time we are together I can bring it so you can do them all at once. I just washed the pad with soap and water and a lot of the junk cleaned off it. It looks pretty good but you will want to match it to the rest of the pieces.

 

Doing the same with the parts I have here. I will want to wash down old and new parts and plan to do that next weekend. I did get repair items for temp controller, etc, so have detail pieces apart now and can wash them up next week. I will have to blast this support part and paint it before putting it back into service.


Check out these parts Gordon. These are ready now for the 71 interior install work when that happens. These came out great if I say so myself.


Looking forward to the day I am detailing the interior of the 71. Until that day I will push forward with pre-interior work and getting this 77 where I want it.
Cheers
David

 

I managed to get to the Home Depot today and picked up an inexpensive jig saw so that I could cut out my tunnel panels and keep this project moving. I had to measure about a dozen times and cut, trim, cut, re-trim, drill, etc. but I finally managed to finish the forms themselves and get them sized and fitted into the 77. Now I will need to remove them, cover them with vinyl, and then install them as a final fit. Should be able to do that in the evenings this week. More as it happens.

Driver side completed panel.

Passenger side completed panel.


They are far from being perfect but when I get the vinyl on them that will hide the slight angle errors and it will fill the small gap on the driver's side. All in all I am happy with how they fit and will continue to move on this through completion.

Hope you all had a great weekend.

David

 

Be sure to ease the cut edges with sandpaper before you glue and stretch your vinyl. Left "as cut" the vinyl might tear as you attempt to get things pulled tight and smooth. Push pins work well to help hold folds, etc. while the glue sets. Nice looking panels you've made there!

 

Great advice, thank you. Edges have been rounded over with sand paper. They won't be as perfectly smooth as I would have liked them to be but I am a newbie at this stuff and learning all the time.

 

After attaching the glue I rolled out the vinyl until it was free from bubbles. I then put it on my smooth counter and place a large board on it from this side. I put lots of weight on the board and it was left to set up over night.


This morning I removed all the weight, removed the board and found my vinyl adhered nicely to the forms.


Today I will roll over the edges, trim it, and seal it down on the back side to the form. I am trying to be reasonably fussy on this project but knowing it is my first attempt it will not be professional, but highly functional for sure. I will get more pictures out after I get a chance to roll the edges and finish the job tonight.

David

 

What is the actual product you got at Home Depot for the panels?

 

1/8" thick press board, HD had it pre-cut to 2' X 4'. Found in the lumber area near plywood section, they have a pre-cut area with a variety of sheets cut down. I needed 44" length so this worked out well for me. Cut it out with a jig saw. Smoothed the edges. Glued it down.
Front of the panel is very smooth as seen here. If you look at the back side (pictured in previous post) you can see the back side is not as smooth.


David