So I can't seem to get all of my parts together but I want to get started. I am upgrading my stock console to one from a Cadillac Cimmaron that has an armrest and a cubby for my phone and wallet. So far I can move on the lower console and armrest install. The shift plate is a bit of a bugger so I am keeping my stock one for now.
Here are the before pics.
on my 83 cimmer the arm rest and the upper cubby were added parts. after colour matching, only about 20 minutes worth of work....
Paul, That interior looks real nice, did you recover those seats?
Thanks John-
It was redone in 2004. The seats, door panels, and rear side panels are from an 86 that was wrecked with 10k miles (or so I was told). I scored the whole lot off of eBay for $130. New carpet and a replacement steering wheel completed the refresh. The console I have now is the lighter grey. I am going to test fit and see if I like the color. I may end up putting the lighter grey armrest over the darker grey console.
I need to replace the top on this car, but besides that, I would call it fully restored
I am contemplating doing my carpet.I have done carpet already in my nephews car and two days to do it right.My stuff is good,but one wear hole drvr side on tunnel.I guess when I get around to this I know where to buy it and pulling interior out is fairly easy and yeah cut to fit I know that.Good luck with your console and your interior does look tight paul.
What is that on the passenger door panel, under the door lock, on the lighter grey part?
I'm sure that it would be the power window switch, but it looks too large to be a single switch, looks more like it would have two switches as I would expect only the driver door to have.
Of course with that size, it also looks like it could be an ashtray.
If you want carpet, I bought mine off ebay pre molded for $80 shipped. I also paid an extra $40 for the trunk. I got mine jet black. They have so many choices. Everyone thinks it cam with the car but Jbodys never had jet black carpet. My carpet even had the leather parts under the dash. The only trimming I had to do was for the shifter since they do not cut that. Since auto and manuals have different wholes. I am sure you first gen guys can use the same carpet a 88-94 since the body is the same.
On the inside my car looks like a fighter jet.
Rob-
Where did you source your carpet? Mine was molded - kinda. I had to do a lot or trimming on mine.
Wayne-
Thats the passenger side window switch. Both the driver and passenger housings are the same size so it will hold 4 switches - but it only has one.
I am going with a company called auto custom carpet out of arizona.OR ACC they make nice stuff which is what I got for my nephews car and yeah it is made longer to cut to fit and def KNOW how to do carpet no question.The carpet for my nephews accord was just over a 100.00 and very satisfied with the quality and nice molded fit.The key is lay it out for two days and remove all the stuff inside which is easy to do and the carpets from the above are designed for specific for each yr,make,model.They have loads of choices and do list factory colors!
I can look it up then. It was a really popular seller on eBay. Mine I trimmed a tiny bit because I made it almost perfect and I had a custom stereo system so I didn't have any room to hide wires with excess carpet. I wouldn't have had to trim it much at all without that. Also my carpet came pre padded. I did open it and let it sit out for 2-3 days before installing it. That us highly recommended so it sits correctly on the floor. Otherwise it is hard to work with and wants to curl up.
On the inside my car looks like a fighter jet.
Update - the donor console paint was not in good shape under the carpet siding so I notched my stock one to match. I will use the stock console with the arm rest for now until I locate the rest of the parts. I installed the bracket on the hand brake and the "ears" for the side of the console.
Comparison pick below. I rattle-canned the donor to try and match but still was not satisfied with it
Always good fun trying to mod parts and get the (right look).I know I am pretty picky about things when restoration comes in play,so I can understand the color thing.I plan on working on mine maybe next wk if other stuff does not get in my to do list.I have been making more room in my garage and actually bought some brackets or stuff hangers to hang those Z seats front and rear to keep them off the floor and covered with plastic bags.I have the buckets up and seat back bottom done,however need one more hanger piece that mounts to the wall to do the back seat (back) .I got these at walmart pretty cheap might snap a pick to show them WAY up on my wall away from anything.You will get it straight I am sure.
Looks good. If you ever want to change the color, buy vht or rustoleum, fabric and vinyls dye. It's in a spray can, works on plastic, metal, carpet, vinyls, everything. Sprayed my whole interior with it even my seats. Just had to use a brush on my seats to loosen then up afterwards. Worked amazing on everything but my steering wheel. I had to swap to a Plastic on.
On the inside my car looks like a fighter jet.
Rob-
Thanks for the suggestion. I am still kinda torn on that. I am paranoid about paint. My car is about 1/2 and 1/2 dark (84) and light(86) now with the dark at the bottom and working lighter as it goes up. I really like the darker better so I might try the rattle can. The light grey even looks light in the 86 cars that it came with.
my paint paranoia stems back to purchasing a pair of "jokeley" sunglasses from a street vendor in NYC. They were a brilliant blue color and that brilliant blue really liked to stick to skin - for about a week.
Well the paint I suggested, sand and wash the surface. Use 1,000 grit. Wash with soap. Go over it with lacquer thinner. Let it dry. Use a tach cloth. Then spray it with adhesive promoter. Let dry for 5 mins. Then spray it with the paint I suggested. Do about 5 coats, let dry for 3 day. Bam no problems. If you look here
http://www.v6z24.com/jbodyforum/cavalier3400z-build-update-got-some-questions-t117207,start,150.html. My interior use to be light grey with ugly flat padded doors like your car. I swapped the interior for a phase 2 and painted everything and covered it all in vinyl.
On the inside my car looks like a fighter jet.
Wonderful work Paul!!
How many shades of Grey - let me count......
Between the aging fade and parts wearing out it is terribly difficult to keep any color close to stock - unless you keep one like in a museum state! Red seems to be a terrible color to keep fade from destroying. My poor Pontiac has one door panel a nice simi stock color while the other one is suffering terrible sun fade-out.
My advice is to just enjoy yourself and don't ever let that perfection dragon take over. I would think that some differences in shade could be a bit refreshing instead of everything dissolving into the same color - let the special parts stand out!!
I think I've said it before - It Is your Canvas!!
:-)
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