Interior Fix Up Help!!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
From: WV
Interior Fix Up Help!!
I am trying to figure out how to make my interior look better without dropping a lot of money on buying new stuff just yet. I have attached a few pictures with hope that you all could give some expert advice on how to clean this stuff up a bit.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,214
Likes: 4,302
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi D7,
The gauge bezels and the shifter console plate can be cleaned up and repainted with semi-gloss black paint. There have been many posts recently about how people have done this. 'Search' is your friend.
You'll be pleased how much better they can look.
Regards,
Alan
The gauge bezels and the shifter console plate can be cleaned up and repainted with semi-gloss black paint. There have been many posts recently about how people have done this. 'Search' is your friend.
You'll be pleased how much better they can look.
Regards,
Alan
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,268
Likes: 2
From: Minnesota in the summer, Las Vegas in the winter
New parts are the best way to go when sprucing up the interior. Having said that, when doing my interior, some parts were replaced and some were refurbished. The reused parts were scrubbed and scrubbed. Some needed sanding. Care must be given to parts that could break. You might pick up some deals on ebay or here. Make requests in the parts for sale section for stuff you need to replace.
and now........
and now........
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
If there are no broken/damaged interior pieces, you can fix it up for 'chump change' and a lot of elbow grease. Remove all the pieces (noting sequence of removal and bagging/identifying the fasteners properly), clean them very well...you must remove all grease/oil/Armor-all 
...., dry them. Then shoot them with vinyl dye [not paint] and they will be good as new. If the carpet is in decent shape, you can clean it and even re-color it with the same vinyl dye (if it's the same color); otherwise the carpet is where to spend your money. Re-install it and it looks like new. Oh, the metal trim needs to be stripped to get down to metal. To really get the semi-flat black paint to stick, you can shoot them with a dichromate [etching] primer first. Good luck! 
...., dry them. Then shoot them with vinyl dye [not paint] and they will be good as new. If the carpet is in decent shape, you can clean it and even re-color it with the same vinyl dye (if it's the same color); otherwise the carpet is where to spend your money. Re-install it and it looks like new. Oh, the metal trim needs to be stripped to get down to metal. To really get the semi-flat black paint to stick, you can shoot them with a dichromate [etching] primer first. Good luck!
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,851
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Brdd,
Nice job! Looks great!
Dante7,
On you heater control, there are detailed instructions on how to take it apart and repair/paint it here: http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=189
The white spots on your speedo/tachometer bezels are pits that are down in the bezel. If they are on the chrome edge there really is nothing you can do for them except plate them or find some decent used bezels. http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=24544
If you clean off the edges of the speedo/tach bezel with some light duty steel wool you should be able to tell how bad the pits are and move forward from there. If the only bad pits are in the black area of the bezel you try to sand them out or you can use a Dremel tool, grind them out and then fill them in before painting again.
To remove the dash pads there are instructions located here: http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=105
Willcox Inc.
Nice job! Looks great!
Dante7,
On you heater control, there are detailed instructions on how to take it apart and repair/paint it here: http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=189
The white spots on your speedo/tachometer bezels are pits that are down in the bezel. If they are on the chrome edge there really is nothing you can do for them except plate them or find some decent used bezels. http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=24544
If you clean off the edges of the speedo/tach bezel with some light duty steel wool you should be able to tell how bad the pits are and move forward from there. If the only bad pits are in the black area of the bezel you try to sand them out or you can use a Dremel tool, grind them out and then fill them in before painting again.
To remove the dash pads there are instructions located here: http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=105
Willcox Inc.
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Advanced
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 95
Likes: 19
From: McKinney TX
I wish I had found those instructions on taking the AC/HTR controls apart - great info! I am just finishing an interior restoration and had to clean up my controls as well. I didn't take it fully apart but was able to strip and repaint it with some careful masking.
Here is a before and after comparison. The lighting from the flash makes it difficult to see the chrome edges but I scraped the paint from those with a box cutter.
I am working on a long post with a lot of pictures of my whole project in case it can be useful to someone. I read and printed a ton of threads on the forum regarding all of the interior restorations and I know the pictures were always a help.
David
Here is a before and after comparison. The lighting from the flash makes it difficult to see the chrome edges but I scraped the paint from those with a box cutter.
I am working on a long post with a lot of pictures of my whole project in case it can be useful to someone. I read and printed a ton of threads on the forum regarding all of the interior restorations and I know the pictures were always a help.
David
