So with most of the little things fixed on my 79, I stepped back and looked at it. Sparkly new paint, mean motor, sweet exhaust and wheels, and a stock interior....

What is worse, it's a stock interior that is starting to show its age. Small crack in the dash, small crack in the drivers seat leather, backing on the drivers seat is starting to come off on one corner, arm rests are coming loose, and I am still rocking to the stock speakers...

I think I figured out my next undertaking. Interior overhaul and modernization. Since the rest of the car is resto-modded, why not do the same for the interior? The car is C6 (2004) LeMans Blue. Interior is Oyster. I would like to integrate the blue to the interior, maybe a painted dash, some interior trim pieces, make it flow. What do you guys think? And how could I make the parts paintable?

I also plan to upgrade the stock speakers with modern replacements, but change the fronts to 6.5" in the kick panels. Not looking for a comp sound system, just something better than stock.

On top of all that, I am looking for some suggestions on how to ramp up the interior, giving me that custom car look, without braking the E-4 piggy bank. So, share some thoughts and ideas.

And here are some pics of the car, and if the weather ever clears, I will shoot some interior pics too.

 

What I would do:

Used C5 sport seats or C6 sport seats, get new foam and have them custom covered in oyster to match the old color. New foam and new leather would give a nice ride feel.

New stock dash if yours is cracked. Replace the speakers when the dash is out with high end speakers there.

Custom high end sound bar for the back with a decent sub and two speakers.

Upgraded head unit that looks nice in that interior for tunes.

New carpet if needed, new same color cardboard replacement panels for the trans tunnel if needed.

While car is apart do "Dynamat" (Rattletrap on ebay is better and cheaper than that) for soundproofing. And over that do Frost King from Lowes for heat proofing. Be sure to do doors as well. Much much quieter and stereo will be loads better. The car won't sound as so much like a bucket of bolts rattling like stock does.

If you have A/C be sure it is top notch functioning.

There's not much to the interior but these changes tastefully done will make it so much nicer to drive.


Replace those outside black painted rocker panels with stock silver, will make the car look sleeker, thinner in the middle.

 

I have thought about doing something with the rocker panels. And good call on the sound proofing. I didn't think about that. I don't know if I wanna go with a sub, but as far a "sound bar", do you mean up and around the b pillars or in the back of the cargo area?

I want a "custom" look without breaking the bank.

The part of the dash that is cracked is not the part where the speakers are, but the whole face, where the glove box and everything goes in.

 

They make a sub/speaker unit that goes in the back of a C3. I'd check out the price of those first since it is simple to just run speaker wires back to that. On mine I just have two separate 6X9 speaker boxes back there and it sounds good. I replaced my dash and did higher end speakers in the stock places.

Sounds like you need a new dash. Look around for a good salvage one maybe, new is around $350 from what I recall a few years back.

Do it in stages due to cost. Seats will be costly but done right one of the best things you could do.

 

For the rocker panels there was a recent thread here about sanding them down to metal again and getting a brushed aluminum look. I'd call salvage places first and see what used ones go for before putting in cost of materials and the time to refurb yours.

 

On the rockers, what do you guys think of sand or media blasting them then polishing them? Think that would give me the desired look?

 

There are no improvements to be made on the stock 79 interior, just replace worn pieces with new ones. The 79 seats are one of the best looking car seats ever made, c5 and c6 seats and interiors are absolutely hideous. Don't ruin one of the best looking car interiors ever made by making it "flow".

 

Recovered Fiero seats work also and may not be as costly.

 

I honestly don't agree with you on hideous, although I would be more inclined to leave the stock seats in as well. I think they flow perfectly fine, and with a nice set of foam and covers, look great!

And these are also some good looking seats, but I have to mention that these, along with the seats mentioned above, suck for tall people. I just drove SOMFormula's 1980 Corvette with Fiero seats - I had to remove the t-top, period. I'm 6'2, but torso tall. My eyes were dead even with the plastic molding around the windshield.

If I really wanted to *improve* the seats in a C3, I'd go aftermarket. But at my height, I'd likely have to floormount something...

 

Height is not a problem, I'm 5'7", and my fiance is 5' flat. Infact the fiance won't drive it because she says she cannot see over the dash when the seat reline like it is, lol.

Question: when you guys talk about seat covers, do you mean a seat cover going over the current seat, or do you mean removing the leather from the seats and replacing that with new leather or w/e you want to use?

Keep in mind, I am doing this on a budget, so I am thinking parts like the dash face that are cracked, are pretty much worthless for a restoration, so I am thinking, if I do paint or dye them, it's not a huge loss, and if I don't like it, I can replace it with a factory correct part in better shape later. I do not plan to modify anything that is a piece in good shape, just work with the bad stuff, which right now, is a decent part of the interior parts. I want to go slightly wild with this honestly, and I know it will be a labor of love that the factory correct guys will hate, but I wanna get creative. My car is not factory correct, and I see the Corvette as America's first supercar. I want to give it that modern supercar look, but with a personal touch. I have a rough idea of what I want in my head, but the tricky part will be putting it into practice on the interior. Mostly brain storming now, but I have been customizing the interiors in every vehicle I have owned since I was 16. Nothing as extensive as what I have in mind, but I'm not stepping into this unexperienced... Just looking for some sugestions on methods or such like door pannels, prepping the old dash ect.

The rocker pannel info is great, but still waiting to hear if I can get away with media blashing the current rocker pannels and pollish.

 

Check this out, I searched this forum for sale section to see what the rockers go for for you. In this ad they go for $100 but it looks like he is parting out an oyster interior car and has nice looking oyster seats you might be able to get and solve one issue.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-p...on-oyster.html

Remember to search for sale on this site. Also can post a WTB ad of your own.

 

I also vote fiero seats! I picked up a set for $50 from craigslist and will be doing Mr. Mikes covers. You can customize color combos/beading any way you like. I think it gives a more modern look and flows well with the interior.

http://mrmikes.com/corvettes.htm

 

It may become a problem if you ever decide to sell the car; and you also may hit your head. I know my friend with the Fiero seats hits his head frequently.

Not an issue for the fiance, though.

As for the cover question, I meant new leather on foam. A pair of seats is roughly $750 and you will need a cheap screwdriver to destroy to install them. I bought one of the giganto screwdrivers at Harbor Freight and ground a notch in it. Pair cost <$10. It's still in use, as a fire poker.

 

I wonder if your buddy did something weird with mounting them or used other then the C3 tracks. All information I have seen says it raises the seats 1in. at best which would not be that dramatic. Some of the averagae/shorter guys actually like the slight height gain.

 

1" would kill me. Sitting perfectly upright I have 1/2" clearance. He's like 5'10. If he's torso tall like me a good bounce would put him right into the headliner. He's also running the fiberglass tops, which are a little lower than glass.

I've actually been pondering mounting the seats in my 78 straight to the floor, at least the driver's seat.

 

YES buy my seats!

I my humble opinion, be careful when it comes to "modernizing" your interior. Remember back in the 80s when people decided to do that, now those examples are posted up with the throw up icon next to them. Usually stock is your best way to go, and has more resale value if you ever have to sell the car heaven forbid.

 

Not an issue. My father left me this car when he passed away, and Heaven willing, I will pass it to my daughter when I go.

I have decided on where to start. I am going to start with upgrading the speakers. I am still running the stock speakers. I plan to go with 6.5" in the kick pannels, upgrade the rear speakers, and MAYBE keep the stockers in the dash, just gotta figure out how to wire 6 speakers to one head unit. I have a set of reproduction kick panels that I plan to make a fiberglass 3D enclosure that bubble out and angles speaker a bit. For the rear, I can't remember if they are 6x8s or 6x9s, but upgrade those, and MAYBE put a 10" or two 8" subs in the middle. Nothing fancy, just want a decent sound, and the stock 79' speakers are starting to sound like garbage.

 

I like silver with blue and always liked this interior. I don't remember who this vette belonged to I have a habit of saving vette pictures. Notice the silver inserts in the black seats and the door panels. I also like the silver dash pieces with black gauges.


This is my favorite interior of all time!


Mark

 

Now THAT is exactly what I am talking about. I exspecially love the 2nd picture. Do you recall what he did with the dash? It looks like it was wrapped in vinyl or leather.

 

That 2nd picture was a swedish custom and if I remember it is leather. There were big bucks spent on that car. Shortly after it was finished the owner crashed it and was killed!!